Peak Primary Weekly Memo
EVERY WAY EVERY DAY! 4/6/2020
Shout out to ALL of you for an amazing job with your part of our video to our scholars! It was a great success! Special Thanks to Melissa for putting together the video. You always make us look good!
WE DID IT AGAIN!!!
This week we Honor Melissa and Tijera
We had a great time dancing with scholars! It was so good to see scholars and to see them smiling!
Our Parent Chat was a huge success! They had so many questions and great compliments of the website and the work that you all are doing. It was great to hear their new revelations and respect for the work you do with and for their scholars
Latest Updates
Missing Packets
In some cases they have only received one content packet and are missing the other. We are waiting to hear updates on whether the packets were mailed separately or if there was an error. We will keep you updated when we get this information.
Zoom
The Uplift Internal Transfer window
Attendance This Week!
Use the results of last week’s participation tracker to reach out directly to parents/scholars that have not yet participated in any online learning, as well as those parents/scholars who are only participating in one area 9i.e. math but not reading).
Remote Working Norms
Even though we are working remotely, it is important that we maintain professionalism at all times. Please read and adhere to the Uplift Remote Working Norms linked here. As mentioned in huddle, if you are unable to meet any of these expectations due to your current work from home environment, please reach out to DEN for support.
FROM BEN:
To all – Within the Uplift network we currently have over 2000 staff computers and nearly 5000 scholar Chromebooks sprinkled across the metroplex that may need IT attention at times. In a normal world, IT would have access to these computers on campuses or the CMO to make repairs, however, that’s all changed. Your IT team is still committed to helping where we can, so we are going to launch a new “drop-off” support model. Please see below for specific details.
Schedule: Tuesdays and Fridays; 9AM to 12PM
Locations: Uplift Williams and Uplift Meridian
Procedure:
With safety for everyone in mind and to promote social distancing, we strongly suggest for teachers and staff to create an iHelp ticket first so the IT team can attempt to resolve the issue remotely. Same also for scholars and parents. They can emailedtech@uplifteduation.org for assistance. If it’s determined the issue cannot be resolved remotely, you will be advised to visit a “drop-off” location during one of the open windows. We want to emphasize that these two locations are for drop off and pick up of loaner devices only. The IT team will not repair hardware, troubleshoot or install software during this period. Users will receive an email from IT once their broken device is fixed and schedule for pick up at the same location where the device was dropped off. Users are responsible to save their documents and files on OneDrive prior to coming onsite since there is no guarantee that they’ll receive the same equipment back or hard drive needs to be replaced. If you need assistance saving files, please open an iHelp ticket.
Lastly, we know you are all dealing with a great deal of change in your lives so we request your patience and understanding as we work thru the details of this new support model and we are open to feedback.
Your Uplift IT Team
Yasmin Updates
Staff Optional Care Call with Dr. Gasko next week- We’ve had 420 staff members from around the network sign up for his “Breathe To Strive” session.
Update on SEL content AND note for you to send your staff:
Academic and TLT Leaders –
As you know, Uplift’s SEL team is creating weekly content for all teachers to help them incorporate SEL into their instruction. Please share out the message below with your staff (especially those who are teaching virtually) and ensure they are regularly viewing content. Each week, we will add a new chapter of great resources and SEL tips that fit into virtual (and real-life) instruction across all subjects. This material has been customized by grade level division. For staff who are not virtually teaching, this could also serve as a great professional development assignment.
Thanks for your support and for ensuring that our staff take advantage of this resource!
The Well-Being Team
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Uplift Staff,
The Social and Emotional Learning team recognizes that now, perhaps more than ever, our scholars are in need of social and emotional connection and SEL skill development. As such, we are creating easy to access weekly content for teachers across all grade levels that you can include in your virtual (and real-life) instruction! These are simple but powerful activities and practices that will take your teaching and scholar engagement to the next level of excellence. Begin by watching the short YouTube video below that provides step by step instructions on how to access this content in Microsoft Teams. Then, work with your school and other network leaders to add this content into your lessons as you see fit! Be sure to regularly check out the SEL Team Channel as we will add new content every week!
Should you have any questions – don’t hesitate to reach out to Nicholas Pascale, Director of Social Emotional Learning at NPascale@uplifteducation.org.
We hope you enjoy!
The Well-Being Team
Instructions to Access SEL Content and Resources:
WATCH ME: Short Step by Step Video of Accessing SEL Content!!!
- Click on this link and join the “SEL Content and Resources” TEAM: Click Here to JOIN THE TEAM!
- After being accepted into the TEAM, you will have access to all SEL Content and Resources.
- On the left-hand tap, select the Grade Level Division you belong to, and then look at the top tabs to find “Files”. All SEL content will live here and is divided by “Week” to make it easy to navigate newly added materials.
- A short step by step video of how to find and join the team, and navigate SEL Content in Microsoft TEAMS can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIsxAbaIvlY
Parent Communication that went out this week
Dear Uplift Families,
Yesterday, Texas Governor Abbott ordered public PreK-12th grade schools to remain closed until May 4, 2020. Uplift Education schools will remain closed through this May 4th date, and we will look to the guidance of the Governor and our local officials on when our schools should re-open.
Our teachers and school leaders miss seeing your scholars in-person each day. I hope you have seen from our communications last week that we have put a lot of thought and energy into creating a strong remote learning plan for your scholar. As our closure period continues for at least another 4 weeks, it is critical that your scholar take advantage of both the network (PreK-8th grades) and campus-based (PreK- 12th grades) remote learning opportunities. Even for the academically strongest scholars, this is a lot of time to be out of the normal routines and structures of school. All Uplift scholars should be participating in purposeful learning activities every day. Please reach out to your school leader if you are having difficulty accessing any of our remote learning resources.
During this extended closure, Uplift will also continue to provide breakfast and lunch meals and support from our Social Counseling and Student Health Services teams.
We are with each of you in spirit as we all together stay home in order to flatten the curve of the coronavirus. Please remain safe and don’t hesitate to reach out to us with questions or if you need support.
Sincerely,
Yasmin Bhatia
Uplift Education, CEO
Dear Uplift Families-
The Texas Education Agency is launching a public health campaign called “Apart we Stand Together.” In partnership with the TEA we are sharing the following public health message.
Though we are not together every day, we at Uplift continue to support each other as a community, and right now we must work together to fight COVID-19. In order to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, Uplift will be reaching out to you via email, text message, and social media over the next two weeks to share vitally important public health guidance. This public health guidance is based on what scientists know about how to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and it is our hope that you will do what you can to follow these practices and share them with your friends and family.
Head to http://tea.texas.gov/staywell for vitally important public health guidance to stop the spread. If we stand apart as a community now, we will be together again soon.
With gratitude,
Yasmin Bhatia
Uplift Education, CEO
Scope and Sequence
After the week of March 30th, you must ensure that your content aligns to the content the district posts on the YouTube page.
Scholar Packets
*Sample packets and scope and sequence for them are below and attached for your viewing and planning.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-2B0cNs55nne6FB_XSGiumm_Wvnd4qFY?usp=sharing
Scholar Feedback
Follow up with parents of scholars who have not turned anything in to assist with technology issues or to make them aware of the expectation. You especially need to follow up with parents of scholars who are up for retention and document your communication through email.
Frequently update your "Scholar Highlights" page or even highlight scholars for their work IN YOUR VIDEOS to incentivize and encourage scholars to turn in their work to you each week.
Reporting Child Abuse
With that being said:
- pay attention when interacting with scholars during virtual meetings.
- report just as you would if we were in school
Again, these are some harsh times and new things develop and occur in stressful circumstances.
Use all your Supports!
- If they were pulling your scholars to support you while at school, use them to support you with small group meetings and communicating with parents as well.
- It still requires all hands on deck to make the greatest impact.
Ed Tech questions:
- If a parent or student has a question regarding Edtech passwords (Study Island, etc.), please direct them to emailedtech@uplifteducation.org. They are responding to emails very quickly.
Teacher Communication To Do's
This week, begin to think about how you will be intentional with these scholars. Some ideas are setting up zoom meetings to invite scholars to get on and interact with you during the day. Once a week will be fine.
SPED Scholars:
Be sure to call these parents and send an e-mail once a week to them, reach out to SPED for assistance with this. We don't know what the requirements for FAPE will end up being, so I want us to already have a way in which we can document how we serviced scholars during this time. Your e-mail can be simple, in which it explains to parents:
- the adjustment of the lesson for scholar,
- how the assignment is shortened or
- how much extra time they have to complete the work.
Specials
Please feel free to reach out to some of our friends, that you know your class, was a source of release for our special friends. I know it will go a long way from them to hear from you as well.