Week of March 24th

UAI Staff News

Volume XII

Issue 25

March 24th, 2025

No Principal Post Today.  I'm sick.  I'm so sick that even my cat is being nice to me - which is weird, because he's a mean little one...

So, no real long post today.  

Many thanks to EVERYONE for your work during Conferences on Friday (& Thursday if you were working!).   Your efforts DID move our parent completion needle a bit (we're up to 8% from 6%).  Please keep at it this week during outreach and conference follow up!  We need way more than 29 families to get real feedback.

They do NOT give us a list of who has completed, unfortunately. BUT please, do not let that stop you.  Be transparent!  Simply say that you're going to be reaching out to everyone because survey completion is blind  (we aren't give information as to who has submitted and who hasn't - I have no idea why!).  Send blanket appreciations to those who have completed, and warmly invite others to complete if they have not yet done so.

STAFF:  There are four teachers and 2 support staff who have not yet completed. Please reach out to Kelly (kpreston@schools.nyc.gov) to get your codes and try to complete those surveys during OPW this week! 

Thank you ALL!

UPCOMING DATES

• Tuesday, 25MAR.  2025-26 Student Course Selections Begin
• Saturday, 29MAR.  Project Prom Giveaway
• Monday, 31MAR. Observation of Eid al-Fitr - NO SCHOOL
  
  
  
• Wednesday 02APR.  Celebrating Arab Heritage Month & In-Person Conferences (per session)
• Wed 02APR - Mon 07APR.  HS Benchmark Week (No MS Benchmarks this round)
  ABSOLUTELY NO HIGH SCHOOL TRIPS WILL BE APPROVED DURING BENCHMARKS
• Wed 02APR - Social Studies 
• Thu  03APR - Science
• Fri    04APR - Math
• Mon 07APR - ELA
  
• Friday, 04APR.  
• Senior "Slumber" Party.
  
• MP3 Ends
• Monday, 07APR - MP4 (final marking period) begins
• Mon 14APR - Fri 18APR - Spring Break - No School

• Upcoming Staff Appreciation Dates
• 01APR-04APR - Paraprofessional Appreciation Week
• 21APR-25APR - Administrative Professionals Appreciation Week
• 28APR-02MAY - Assistant Principal Appreciation Week
• 05MAY-09MAY - Teacher Appreciation Week

TO DO THIS WEEK

Lateness Outreach.  This week, if students are late to your classes, please send a note home to families or call.  In that note, I need you to tap into your perspective taking and empathy to 

• first seek to understand why students are late and what is happening that they cannot get to school on time.  Please avoid judgment and shame.  That rarely works, and even when it does work, it comes with resentment and bad vibes.  Neither of those feelings serve success.  
  
  
• THEN, help families & students understand how lateness negatively impacts their best potential.  Kids & families still have the misconception that complete is good enough.  They need repeated explaining and reorienting to the potential their child is leaving on the table.  Share with them what they could do if they were in class everyday - what skills and smarts they would get, how much promise they hold in your class - how awesome they could be if they just started coming to class on time.  We are three weeks out from HS benchmarks and six weeks from the MS ELA exam.  Being in class everyday on time for the next month and a half will be crucial for setting them up for success.
  
  
• NOTE:  Admin is supporting with attendance and lateness - but we will never have the impact that teachers will.  Your relationships and connections with kids are like nuclear power to our triple A battery cell.  Teachers have the power to change behavior more than those of us outside of the classroom.  Outside of the classroom, we really only wield the weak tools of punishment, shame, and accountability. Inside the classroom, you all have the magic of inspiration, growth, and achievement.  Both have a role, for sure, and when both are in action we see true change.  So, please step up this week to reconnect with those who are late to try to get them to school each day on time.
  
  
• FINALLY - Please make sure to update the Outreach Log with your Lateness Outreach this week.  Thank you!
  
  

SEL Strategies & Inter-visitations.  Please push yourselves to try the SEL strategies and visit one another's classrooms to see those strats (or others!!) in play.  These intervisitations are not going to fall naturally into your hierarchy of tasks.  So please, make sure you make it a priority in your to-do list this week to get in there to see a colleague.  

The face-to-face connectivity is a critical piece of glue that will bring our community more tightly together.  It is 10 minutes out of your week for such an incredible impact on our school and on your own practice & experience at the school.  It's is well worth the effort - just this little bit will go a loooooog way.  So, please make sure to get in there this week if you haven't already done so already!

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Women's History Month Activities.  The RPET and Student Activities folks met last Tuesday to finalize Women's History Month Celebration Plans.  For me personally, I had a real proud mama moment as I watched a team of students and teachers work collaboratively to bring the celebration of the power and awesomeness of women alive for our community!  Here's what's on the docket
  
  
• THIS WEEK IS SPIRIT WEEK!
• - MON 24MAR.  Fundraiser for Women's Charity 
• - TUE 25MAR.  sHERO Day - Dress as your favorite sHero!
• - WED 26MAR. Clothing Drive for Women's Charity (still TBD...details to come!)
• - THU 27MAR. Gal Pal Twin Day! 
• - FRI 28MAR. Career Day - Dress like the girl boss you are (or soon will be!)
  
  
• Tuesday Craft Activities
• Tue 25MAR:  Book Giveaway (Celebrating Female Authors)
• 3rd Period with MS in Cafe with Mike
• 4th Period with HS in Cafe with Elena & Crystal
  
  
• Thursday Career Speaker Series: MS will have speakers in classes (Mike & Phillan)
• Thu 27MAR:  Still TBD (please reach out if you have ideas!)
• 4th Pd Only in Room 507 with Kelly
  
  
• Friday Movie, Snacks & Pizza:  Six Triple Eight
• Fri 28MAR:  Continuing the Movie - Last Part
• 4th Pd Only in Room 507 (MS), 509 (HS), 511 (HS), 515 (Ramadan Rm) 
  
  

• Ramadan Observances at UAI - 03MAR-28MAR
• Ramadan Continues.  Starting this week, students need to have parent permission to use the elevator and to miss class to observe Ramadan.  Students without permission will need to get that from their families before they can use the elevator or the Quiet Room.
  

PER SESSION POSTINGS

FOR ALL PER SESSION JOBS:  You must apply by completing THIS FORM

REPOST:  Summer School Planning is Starting.  Summer school planning is beginning.  We will not be hosting Girls Inc and DYCD summer camp this summer, and our students who need an all-day placement can register for DYCD programs at the Montauk School this summer.   

We are currently looking for folks who are interested in doing some enrichment work (6-12) this summer.  AND we will also have regents prep this summer.  If you are interested in working this summer, please complete THIS FORM no later than 14FEB.