News for Occupational & Physical Therapists
Organizing for the win
More than a hundred 3- and 4-year-olds with disabilities at the Mosaic Pre-K Centers in Queens will now receive the related services they need to thrive, the culmination of a two-year organizing effort by the union and the broader school community.
Using Teacher’s Choice
Teacher’s Choice, initiated by the UFT over 30 years ago, allows school staff members to exercise their professional judgment to purchase supplementary supplies and materials to improve the educational experience for their students. Here are answers to the most commonly asked questions about the program.
Christina Setkoski, physical therapist
For the past 18 years, Christina Setkoski has diagnosed, evaluated and treated students with mobility challenges at PS 138, a District 75 elementary school in Manhattan.
Pension choice
The roughly 5,500 UFT members who belong to the smaller New York City Board of Education Retirement System want the opportunity to switch to the TRS — and there is a bill in Albany that would give them that choice.
A ‘sense’ of what some students need
The Sensory Exploration, Education and Discovery (SEED) program at PS 171 in Queens takes place in a special room with a rock-climbing wall, a brightly colored tunnel to crawl through, a swing and trampoline. These components are powerful tools to address sensory needs in children with autism spectrum disorders, ADHD or other sensory and self-regulation issues that qualify them for occupational therapy.
Better tool to assure special ed compliance
The new contract establishes school-based Special Education Committees and annual training of all staff on special education rules and regulations. Vice President for Special Education MaryJo Ginese writes that these new rights will empower members with knowledge and give them an effective vehicle to have their voice heard.