UHMS Rising Phoenix
Uplift Hampton Middle School November 18, 2019
"Be Committed, Be Consistent, Be Courageous"
You Make UHMS Special
Teaching and the education profession is one of the most difficult around. It is also the most important. No other job could exist without educators. We are responsible for raising and teaching the next generation of citizens, and it’s our responsibility to ensure they are thoughtful, empathetic, tolerant, and good people while teaching them to read/write/do math/think critically/understand science and history. It’s all in a day’s work.
Some of us may feel mid-year stress around this time. What we are feeling is normal, but remember we are not alone! We are here to support and lean on each other. At some point, everyone can use a helping hand. Be there for your teammates when needed. Be supportive and encouraging. You were all hand chosen to work at UHMS because you are the best of the best, the cream of the crop, the shiniest star, you get where we’re going with this. We thank each of you for the joy, light, hope, pardon, and love you bring to our scholars and each other. We hope you find time to rest, relax, and recharge and know how incredibly loved you are. You make Uplift Hampton special and we are lucky to have you. “If you have someone in your life who makes you feel loved and cared and inspires you then you are truly blessed!” ― Avijeet Das
Thankful for Working with You,
Priscilla, Chataqua, Chrissy, and Jabez
Motivate Scholars Before the Holidays
- Revisit and Keep High Academic and Behavior Expectations – Scholars will inevitably have extra energy and lack motivation this time of year. Please make sure that we are addressing this by setting a purpose and clarifying expectations with scholars early this week. Normalize their feelings and give them the tools to manage them along with being successful learners. (“We all feel excited…” “I like having breaks also…” “How can you meet the class expectations even when tired?”)
- Plan and Facilitate Rigorous Lessons that Engage Students’ Thinking – Are your lessons differentiated for your varied class audience? Can your higher learners benefit from more intentional extensions? Are your struggling learners experiencing success and being encouraged to take on larger challenges? The key to learning is a positive mindset, so as you plan your lessons remember that it is not necessarily the lesson content that will stay with a scholar, but the opportunities they have to practice and master critical thinking skills. When students practice critical thinking in our lessons we change their brains and equip them with academic skills that they use for a lifetime.
- Neither Concentrate on nor Ignore the Holidays – While activities like counting down for the holidays may be fun, this small act can be a serious distraction to learning for many students. Please consider that each of our students goes home to very different circumstances, and therefore holidays mean very different things to different students. As our culture immerses itself the holiday spirit, please make sure that you are respecting every child’s circumstances and background, while maintaining a focus on learning.
Things to Do
Uniform Reset – Uniform reset has been sent home to parents. Beginning, December 2nd, please be diligent in checking scholar uniforms. The scholar uniform reset is here.
After School Duty – It is important that everyone is at their after-school duty on time. If you are absent it is your responsibility to make sure your duties are covered.
Sign off on all iShine observations, goal-setting forms, and mid-year evaluation forms. How? When opening iShine, click on the STAFF tab. Then, click on MY PROFILE. Once this loads, look on the left side of the page. Click on Coaching Observations, Mid-year Evaluation, Full Observations, and Goal-Setting form links to make sure you do not have a form that indicates it is awaiting your input or sign-off.
Uplift Hampton College March: Advisory this week will be all about our college going culture, culminating with College March on Friday, December 6! College March is a longstanding Uplift tradition where the high school seniors march through primary and middle school to symbolically drop their college applications off in a big mailbox. During advisory for the week of December 2nd, have scholars make signs and noise makers to encourage the Seniors.
Logistics for 12/6/19:
- The College March will take place during 1st period
- Scholars will line up for the College March outside
- 8:45am – 8th graders
- 8:50am – 7th graders
- 8:55am – 6th graders
- Follow the directions of the high school
- The College March begins at 9:00
- 9:15-9:30 march ends and everyone returns to their classrooms
- The schedule will not be modified. 1A teachers adjust your classroom schedule accordingly.
Repeated for Your Convenience
Hallway Presence: Teachers need to be on threshold for each transition. There are too many scholars still in the hallway when the bells rings due to them not being swept into their classrooms. Tardies are frustrating so help your team and grade level with getting scholars to where they need to be on time! Mark tardy scholars late in HERO.
Expectations, Reset, Plan: Work with your grade level to create a plan around resetting expectations when we return from Thanksgiving break and how to hold firm to expectations until winter break. Reach out to your dean for any support you need.
Teaching is a Work of Art Day: Thursday and Friday, December 5th and 6th –This is your day to teach ANYTHING you would like! What is your passion? What drove you to want to teach? You are painting your own masterpiece! We would like to honor your creative minds by giving you an opportunity to show how you express yourself as a teacher. This is the one day you can teach the lesson you thought you were getting into teaching to do. No Standards, No TEKs required. Just your creativity. We look forward to seeing your exhibition!
Two Weeks At A Glance
Things to Know
Secret Santa – December brings Secret Santa fun to UHMS! If you would like to participate, send an email to Tiffani, Trenese, or Chrissy. Be on the lookout for more information. This is completely optional!
Cool Resource: This website uses the microphone on your computer and shows scholars when they are getting too loud. Talk about super cool! Check it out here: https://bouncyballs.org/ (Use Google Chrome)
We All Face Challenges: We know that there are times that everyone can use a little extra support. This is why at Uplift Education we provide you an easy-to-use Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Whether you need legal assistance, someone to talk to, or even a wellness coach, the Employee Assistance Program is there to help you every step of the way. For more information please review the LifeKeys Services, EmployeeConnect Services, & TravelConnect Services fliers.
To register for the free Employee Assistance Program, simply go to the Guidance Resources website and use the following login information:
User Name = LFGsupport
Password = LFGsupport1
To contact the EAP by phone, call 888-628-4824.
You will need to contact Guidance Resources via telephone to request free, in-person counseling sessions.
From CMO: Continuous Learner Grant
Continuous Learner Grant Application is Open! Continuous Learner Grants (CLG) are internal awards for Uplift staff members, instructional or non-instructional, to support a learning opportunity of their choice. Through an application process, staff are awarded grants ranging from taking Spanish language classes to be able to better communicate with parents, to attending a PowerSchool training, to attending the annual IB conference. The Uplift Continuous Learner Grant is your opportunity to enhance your career skills, own your professional development, and determine what opportunity could help elevate your strengths and improve your areas for growth.
Before applying, all potential applicants should read the grant requirements and details found on the Continuous Learner Grant page on UpLink, found HERE, which includes information on the application, selection, and grant redemption process. By submitting your CLG grant application, you are acknowledging that you have read and understood the details of the CLG grant opportunity as listed on this page, and will cooperate with all requirements, payment options and details as described should you be selected as a grant winner. To apply, simply fill out and submit the application, found HERE, before 5pm on Tuesday, December 3rd.
It's Holiday Time!
Decorations - The scholars enjoy when classrooms and offices are decorated. In decorating classrooms and offices for the holidays be mindful not to use any religious artifacts or symbols. Public schools may decorate classrooms and other areas of public schools to recognize certain holiday seasons. In the context of displays on public property, the Supreme Court has ruled that a Christmas crèche standing alone is impermissible, but a Christmas tree is permissible because it has become such a secular symbol of the winter holiday season. We would advise you to keep the decorations simple with lights, trees, etc. Items would no specific religious tie.
Gift Exchange - Gift exchanges are permissible among scholars in advisory class if every scholar in the classroom receives something. No one can be excluded or left out. Scholars may refuse a gift for due to religious practices. Think about ways to be inclusive with “winter presents” or using winter wrapping paper or single-color wrapping paper. We are not responsible if scholars decide to exchange gifts on their own.
Holiday Celebrations - Celebrations are permitted on the last day before winter break (December 19th). Make sure celebrations are consistent within the grade level. For food purposes we will serve lunch as usual starting at 10:40am. We will be on ½ day schedule.
Thank You for All You Do!
Javetta, Phillip, Shenika, Trenese, Laurasia, Lauren, Xavier, Bella, Brenda, Karina, and Rosa for a fantastic Phoenix Phamily Literacy Night! The escape rooms were a hit!
Tasha for intentionally incorporating games into science lessons
Laurasia for designing the Literacy Reading Escape Room t-shirts
Ms. Candler for assisting the sub
Ranae for decorating for our Thanksgiving meal
Brenda, Phillip, Shenika, Charlotte, Javetta, Tasha, Ryan, Tiffani, and Ms. Candler for chaperoning the 6th graders on their trip to UNT
Kelly Anna for having an awesome Smart Start when Dr. Washington walked her classroom
David for taking feedback and resetting his math classrooms
De’onna for passing out socks to the homeless
Daniel for intentionally resetting behavior expectations
Cynthia for being diligent with upholding expectations for 8th graders
Welcome Home: Gabby and Ashley!
STAAR Goals
UHMS, We Try Harder!
UHMS Science Team Learning at CAST
UHMS Phoenix Family Night: Literacy Escape Room
Phoenix Nation!
Here's How to Reach Us!
Priscilla Parhms 469.236.2900 pparhms@uplifteducation.org
Chrissy Cormier 214.326.3002 ccormier@uplifteducation.org
Chataqua Mangum 972.897.4659 cmangum@uplifteducation.org
Jabez Deacon 414.562.7592 jdeacon@uplifteducation.org
Website: https://www.uplifteducation.org/Page/13790
Location: 8915 South Hampton Road, Dallas, TX, USA
Phone: 972-421-1982