UAI Staff News
Volume XII
Issue 16
January 6th, 2025
Wrapping up the Fall with Rigor & Joy. We have just 10 school days remaining in the Fall term and Homecoming week is THIS WEEK!
The end of the fall term marks the midpoint of the year. It is also a crucial point for students in their academic progress. This midpoint is the perfect place to lean into positive habits and isolate and correct any bad ones. All students want to thrive, and they rely on you, their teachers and guides, to find the ways to do their best.
Make sure that your communication with kids is super clear and that you are being upfront and honest with them. The truth may definitely be the case that the level of work may be above their current level of performance, but they need to know that and they need to know that you are in their corner, and you are committed to helping them close those gaps and reach (or surpass) your expectations! Be clear that it will take work on their end, but that you have confidence in their ability to start making strong, small BUT consistent gains that will result in big growth.
At the same time we push our kids to study hard and end the term strong, we also want to lift up and celebrate joy with them. Homecoming is such a cultural staple of adolescence. The kids are thrilled that we are holding one (Shan- the rock star brain genius got this up off the ground! Thank you Shan!!). Thank you also the all the kids and teachers who pitched in to make this a memorable and joyous experience for our kids! Special shout outs to Marsha, Patricia Gy, Sarah M., Jen, Annie, and our UAI Student Government, and thank you to ALL of our dance chaperones. Shanice, Marsha, Patricia G., Sarah M., Yasmeen, Mahjabeen, Elena, Brenda, Phillan, and Kelly!
Important Upcoming Dates
Upcoming JANUARY Homecoming Events
- Monday 06JAN25
Spirit Day Theme - "My Type" Day
Dress as your ideal romantic type
Lunch Event - Junior Time Capsule Creation
(in Room 509 with Shan)
Homecoming Princess & Queen Voting
outside of the cafeteria during 4th Pd with Sarah M. - Tuesday 07JAN25
Spirit Day Theme - Teacher-Student Swap Day
Dress like a Gen Z high School or Gen Alpha MS Student
Lunch Event - Senior Parade Sash Decorating
in Room 307 with Patricia
Homecoming Princess & Queen Voting
outside of the cafeteria during 4th Pd with Sarah M. - Wednesday 08JAN25
Spirit Day Theme - Color Wars
Wear one of the following grade level colors - 6th Grade: Blue
- 7th Grade: Green
- 8th Grade: Purple
- 9th Grade: Pink
- 10th Grade: Gray
- 11th Grade: Red
- 12th Grade: Black
- Lunch Event - Sophomore Paint, Sip, and Socialize
in Room 309 with Marsha
Homecoming Princess & Queen Voting
outside of the cafeteria during 4th Pd with Sarah M.
Pep Rally (2:00-2:30 - Rapid Dismissal)
outside of the cafeteria during 4th Pd with Sarah M. - Homecoming Court and Staff Escorts
- (9th Grade) Jasmine Jobe & Yelani Joseph — Jen Cusa
- (10th Grade) Amaya Chesney — Jennifer Jackson Robbins
- (10th Grade) Janyah Phillips — Thomas Centeno
- (11th Grade) Samira Akter — TBD
- (11th Grade) Sahniyah Green — Shanice Anderson
- (11th Grade) Najae McMillan — J Rob
- (12th Grade) Shamaya Lee — Patricia Gyapong
- (12th Grade) Stephanie Rivera — Tom Wilson
- (12th Grade) Fufa Sidhamed — Jermaine Wilson
- Thursday 09JAN25
Spirit Day Theme - 90s/00s Throwback Thursday
Wear 90s of 2000s outfits
Lunch Event - Freshmen Vision Board & Karaoke Party
in Room 509 with Shan
Homecoming Parade @ 2PM-2:30PM
TThe Homecoming Parade will travel throughout the school and end outside of the building. We invite all staff and students to cheer and support the parade participants! Please have students line the halls at 1:55 p.m. to watch the parade. Middle school students will line up by the cafeteria in order to ensure a smoother transition outside.
Homecoming Parade Prep
The following students should report to 509 @ 1:30 to assemble for the parade - Senior Class of 2025, 2024-25 Homecoming Court, Varsity Cheerleaders & JV Cheerleaders (in uniform), and Adams Street Campus Basketball Team (in unifom)
- Friday 10JAN25
Spirit Day Theme - Viral Meme Day
Dress as your favorite viral meme
Homecoming Basketball Game (4:30-5:45PM)
Come to the game!!!
Homecoming Dance (7:00-10:00PM)
NOTE: STUDENTS MUST BE PRESENT IN SCHOOL IN ORDER TO ATTEND THE DANCE. PLEASE HELP COMMUNICATE THIS TO EVERYONE
Beauty is important, but not more important than school. I know it takes time to get beautiful, but it takes even more time to get smart. So, please help keep the priorities straight for our kids. They need to be in school on Friday in order to attend the dance). Kids marked absent for the day on Friday will be turned away from the dance. We'll email notifications home, but please also announce in classes and post in Google Classrooms so kids are prepared!
Important Upcoming Dates
- Monday 06JAN. Double Huddle - We'll be doing our Huddles During PD time in January to give back some OPW time. We're still trying to figure out what works best, but we're taking feedback from folks and balancing school needs to try to find the best time that works! This test will be in PD time!
- Monday 06JAN - Friday 17JAN. Student Perception Survey Week & MAP Testing
- Monday 13JAN - Friday 17JAN. Benchmark Week for 8-12.
- Monday 20JAN - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - NO SCHOOL
- Tuesday 21JAN-Friday 24JAN - Regents Week - No Classes for grades 9-12 (8th Spec. Sched)
Announcements & To Dos
Student Perception Survey. It's time for the official Student Perception Survey! The 6-7 grade team is handling their own surveys but here's the plan for 8-12 grade. Since kids don't move in the same groups all day, surveys will be administered for teachers during their regular class. In order to ensure anonymity and ethical administration, teachers cannot proctor their own surveys.
As a result, teachers will be partnered up and switch rooms for the first 15 mins of class during the assigned survey period. The schedule can be found in the UAI schedule under the tab, "SPS Schedule". ELA and Breadth switched days due to a schedule conflict just FYI. We will review logistics and hand out codes during Monday PD time but feel free to peruse the attached materials before then.
MAP Testing. For this administration (and likely the last one in May), we'll be switching the proctoring slightly. It seems that when their own teachers give the MAP, kids take it more seriously. So, we're going to move MAP testing into the Math & ELA classes.
- MS Will hold MAP ELA/MATH in Class during the week of January 13th
- 8-12 ELA will hold MAP In their classes this week (week of 06JAN)
- 10-12 Math will hold MAP in their classes this week (week of 06JAN)
- 8-9 Math with hold MAP on Tuesday or Thursday This week -
- Tuesday 07JAN -
- 89.1 Algebra 1
- Brett & Sue in Room 403 - 2nd period
- JRob & Camryn - Come to 403 - 3rd Period
- 89.2 Geometry
- Amanda in Room 407 - 2nd Period
- Thomas C & Crystal - Come to 407 - 3rd Period
- 89.3 Algebra 1
- Jasmine in Room 405 - 2nd Period
- Shan & Pauline - Come to 405 - 3rd Period
- Thursday 09JAN -
- 89.4 Algebra 1
- Amanda & Sue in Room 407 - 2nd Period
- Thomas C & Crystal - Come to 407 - 3rd Period
- 89.5 Algebra
- Jasmine in Room 403 - 2nd Period
- JRob & Camryn - Come to 405 - 3rd Period
Benchmark Testing. To prepare for the next benchmark you should be scheduling a "practice" assessment this week (or something before your benchmark happens). Kids need to experience what they would score on a benchmark with enough time to make corrections and learn before the final, summative assessment. You want test corrections and learning to happen BEFORE the final exam, not after it. So please make sure to give that opportunity before next weeks' exams (Mon- ELA, Tue- MAT, Thu - SCI, Fri - SOC). Breadth final exams should happen in regularly scheduled classes. Please see the Benchmark Tab in the UAI Schedule to see the specific testing schedule for next week. I'm still finishing Thursday & Friday, but that should be done by EOD Monday!
Grades & Outreach. Please make sure that your grades are up to date and that your students have a clear picture of where they stand in your class before next week's benchmarks. Make sure you are clear with them about what they need to do to reach (or move closer) to the goal of getting an 80 or higher in your class. Make sure to also call or message homes so that everyone is on the same page. The 2nd MP grades will be the grades we use to target Spring Interventions, so please make sure parents and families hear from you first before we start mailing home intervention and promotion-in-doubt letters in February.
PID (promotion-in-doubt) letters will be sent home for any and all students who meet any or all of the following:
PID (promotion-in-doubt) letters will be sent home for any and all students who meet any or all of the following:
- Failed one or more class
- Have <90% Average Daily Attendance Rate
- Is Late to school 3 or more days per week on average
- Is behind in Regents exams (so any senior who still needs an exam to graduate, any junior who has yet to pass at least 1 science, 1 math, 1 social studies, and ela), any sophomore who has yet to pass at least 1 science, 1 social studies, and 1 math
Regents Week Schedule. Please take a look at the Regents schedule both for kids who are registered (please review with them in your classes) and for yourselves (there are late schedules). Please make sure you reach out to Kiri no later than EOD on Monday 06JAN if there are any conflicts. The DOE doesn't like links with all access, so if you can't access the schedule, just request access and I'll give it to you!
Per Session Postings
For ALL per session activities, please complete Per Session Application Form
Restorative Justice Coordinator - Filled: Sue Rissberger
Classroom SetUp and Planning. 12 hours total. All Classroom Staff (Teachers & Paras) are eligible. Tue 27-29Aug .
