If you are a paraprofessional, have you ever wondered what your rights are in terms of leave time and absence from work? You earn one sick leave day for every month in which you are in service for at least 16 calendar days. The maximum number of sick leave days earnable in a school year is 10 for September through June.

When UFT President Michael Mulgrew introduced Carmen Alvarez, the winner of the Charles Cogen Award at Teacher Union Day, he praised her passion for advocating for special needs children during her 28 years as the UFT vice president for special education.

The tentative DOE-UFT contract announced on Oct. 11 features important improvements for paraprofessionals, including job protections like due process rights similar to those of teachers.

Everyone loves a good party. What makes the monthly parties at PS 151 in Brooklyn really special is that students earn them with their hard work and good behavior. 

Paraprofessionals have been called the backbone of every classroom. Our proposed contract agreement with the city recognizes their contribution to our schools.

Shelvy Young-Abrams, who leads the 29,000-member UFT Paraprofessional Chapter that celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, has come a long way from the young single mom who became involved in education through volunteer work at her daughters' Manhattan elementary school.