March 9, 2026
SCHOOL LEADERSHIP MESSAGE
As of last week, our student daily attendance has dropped to 85.6% (we ended last year just short of 90% ADA attendance). While it's certainly true that the harsh winter has played a role, this dip is significant and it requires our collective urgency.
More than half of our students are currently performing below grade level in math and literacy. That reality alone demands consistent, high-quality instruction every single day. We cannot accelerate learning, close gaps, or prepare students for Regents and postsecondary success if they are not physically present to engage in the work. When attendance drops, the students who are already furthest from grade-level expectations fall even further behind.
When students are not in the building, they miss far more than content. They miss discussion, relationships, routines, feedback, and the daily momentum that drives growth. Attendance is directly tied to academic outcomes, confidence, and belonging. Every missed day compounds unfinished learning. Every absence widens gaps in foundational skills. Especially at this point in the year, daily presence matters. We are in a stretch where routines should be tight, instruction should be building cumulatively, and students should be strengthening stamina. Kids cannot do that from home.
So now we all must play a role in getting students back through our doors!
Here are a few immediate actions we must all take:
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Tight outreach: If a student is absent more than once this week, reach out. A quick call, message, or note home reinforces that they were missed and that their presence matters.
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Make the return seamless: When students come back after multiple absences, greet them intentionally and provide a clear, manageable plan to get back on track. Overwhelm can quickly turn into avoidance.
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Leverage relationships: Check in with students who have had patterns of absence. Sometimes a small barrier - transportation, morning routines, sibling care - can be addressed when surfaced early.
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Elevate the importance of showing up: Continue reinforcing with students that attendance is not optional to their success. Our tone can be warm and firm at the same time.
As we think about rigor, power, equity, and joy, attendance sits at the center. Equity means ensuring students have consistent access to strong instruction. Rigor requires practice and presence. Joy and community cannot happen if seats are empty.
Let’s recommit to the simple but powerful message: We notice when you’re not here. You matter. We need you in the building!!!
Thank you for the urgency and care you bring to this work every day.
IMPORTANT DATES
- MAR03-31: Women's History Month Speaker Series begins (every Tuesday in March)
- MAR13: HS Sneaker Ball
- MAR18: PTCs evening (in-person)
- MAR19: PTCs half-day
- MAR20: Schools Closed Eid al-Fitr
- MAR25: SAT/PSAT Day
MAR27: MS Sneaker Ball
*All Student Engagement activities for the year will now be listed in this spreadsheet and on the UAI School Calendar!
UPCOMING TRIPS
Trip Requests. Here's the trip request protocol... Upcoming Trips:
MAR11: Girls Inc FRNYC Trip
MAR25: Senior to Trampoline Park
Check out our lunch time RJ Circlekeeping Club (Wednesdays 4th period)!
TO DO THIS WEEK
Complete your Preference Sheet. It's that time again. Please take a few minutes to submit your preference sheet for the 2026-27 school year. The form is due at 3PM on Friday 13MAR. As a reminder, you are submitting your preferences for your placement for next school year. Preferences do not guarantee placement. One of the things that makes the best match is teacher preference, so we prioritize matching folks to their choices as much as possible! That said, there are times when we cannot match everyone to their first choice. So, many thanks and appreciation in advance for your understanding!
Pi Day. This week we celebrate the most irrational number we know and love - π (3.14… and it just keeps going!). To celebrate, on Friday, March 13 we will be hosting the following activities for all students during their lunch periods:
- Pi Digit Challenge - How many numbers of π can a student remember? They’ll earn one raffle ticket for every five digits recited correctly. The more they know, the better their odds. Raffle prize is a gift card!
- Pi Pancakes - Annie and Jen will be flipping pancakes in honor of the day. Because what’s Pi Day without something round and delicious?
In honor of the day, here’s a classic to share with kids - they won't think it's cheesy at all:
Why should you never argue with π?
Because it just keeps going in circles.
Outreach & Conferences. Please make sure to begin announce that we will be having in-person conferences and dinner together on the 18th from 5-8PM. Dinner will be available from 5:30-7:00 and families will be able to meet with teachers at any time between 5-7:30PM. We'll use the last 30min of the evening to come together to do clean up of the evening. Teachers and families will have the option to break off to conference spaces in the cafe like last year or, if needed, private breakout rooms in the first floor offices and classrooms will be available for staff and families to conference in quiet spaces.
Prioritize students who are not yet hitting to 80% mark in your classes! Please record your outreach in the outreach log!
P/SATs. 10th and 11th graders will be taking the P/SATs on Wednesday, March 25th. Teacher schedules and student lists are HERE (you'll need to request access). Please reach out to Liza if you see any errors or have questions!
Women's History Month Celebrations. Lots of activities are planned during lunch periods for this month! See below for those dates:
- 10MAR - Women's History Month Speaker Series #1 - Room 305
- 13MAR - Women's History Month Movie Series - Room 509
- 13MAR - HIGH SCHOOL SNEAKER BALL - Cafeteria, 7-10PM
- 17MAR - Women's History Month Speaker Series #4 - Room 305
- 18MAR - Women's History Month Movie Series - Room 509
- 24MAR - Women's History Month Speaker Series #5 - Room 305
- 27MAR - MIDDLE SCHOOL SNEAKER BALL - Cafeteria, 4-6PM
- 31MAR - Women's History Month Speaker Series #6 - Room 305
Ramadan Plan. If you are interested in volunteering to support our Ramadan plan, please reach out to Kiri. We're looking for 1-2 folks to support our RPET and MSA students organizations in running this space as needed for the next two weeks from 1-1:30PM everyday for the next two weeks. RPET and MSA students who have Learning Lab during this time are welcome to help, too - but only during Learning Lab (not intervention or pull out times). Kids have to submit their permission slips by the end of today, so we'll have a list to you all by Monday announcements of the families who have asked for a Religious Intervention for their students.
Next IR Groups. Below is the updated schedule for this cycle.
12MAR26 - Denyda, Yasmeen, Celeste, Laura, Shan, Matt, Thomas, Tom W, Adele, Tashaun
18MAR26 - Sue, Jasmine, Mary, Mike, Sarah R, Mahjabeen, Tom M, Meg, Bryanna
24MAR26 - Roger, Elena, Sarah M, Jake, Alison, Fatima, Mayisha, Juelle, Marie
TBD Rescheduled Teachers: Camryn, Noelle
REPOSTED ITEMS
RJ Circlekeeping: RPET students are leading weekly circles with icebreakers and getting to know you games the next three Wednesdays: March 11 and 18, 4th period in room 409. Snacks will be provided! If students would like to join, meet in the cafeteria at 11:20 and Sue will bring them upstairs. Please share with students!
Peer Mediation is Starting! Thanks to Sue and the RPET team for getting this up and running! The flyer below will be posted around the building so that students can access this resource when they're in conflict - please do promote this tool! We will experience bumps and learn a lot in the process but are excited to have our youth leaders mediate and offer more peer-to-peer support. Students can request peer mediations and staff can suggest them as a means to resolving conflict.
Student Profiles are visible in OASIS. Click here to view students' academic, attendance, schedule... you name it, it's here - this is your one stop shop for all student info!
Purchasing Requests. In an effort to better track and streamline purchasing, we ask that you fill in this form for all purchasing requests. You can find the form on our staff Google Classroom as well.
Summer School. 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 PS46 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 email Annie.
PER SESSION POSTINGS
FOR ALL PER SESSION JOBS: You must apply by completing THIS FORM
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