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Chapter Leader UpdateJanuary 9, 2025

Snapshot
Erica Berger

WELCOMING NEW MEMBERS: Long Island City HS Chapter Leader Theodora Kapodistrias and her consultation committee hosted an event on Dec. 17 for new UFT members at her school. "For the first half, new staff munched on appetizers, drank mocktails and learned how to bake soft pretzels," she said, "and for the second half, they participated in our version of 'speed dating,' where new members went around the room speaking with veteran staff who have helpful insights and knowledge."

This Week's Focus

3% pay increase takes effect on Jan. 18

The third 3% pay increase from our 2023 contract will take effect on Jan. 18. The increase will first be reflected in the Feb. 14 paycheck for all pedagogues, H-bank employees and paraprofessionals. Pedagogues who work per diem or per session as well as hourly H-bank employees will see the 3% pay increase in their Feb. 18 paychecks. These February paychecks will include money owed retroactive to Jan. 18. For teachers, the new per session rate will be $58.99 and the new coverage rate will be $49.58. See our Contract 2023 FAQs on pay increases for answers to common questions about eligibility, pensionability and taxes related to this money.

UFT officer elections this spring

The UFT is holding elections for president and other officers, executive board members and convention delegates this spring. All the positions have three-year terms, effective July 1, 2025. Nominating petitions will be available starting on Wednesday, Feb. 12, at that day's Delegate Assembly, at UFT headquarters and borough offices, and on the UFT website. Monday, March 17, is the deadline for receipt of nominations. Ballots will be mailed to members' homes on May 1 and counted on May 29. The balloting will be conducted by the independent Global Election Services. If you are interested in running for one of the positions, please read the 2025 UFT Election Notice for details. We will post election information and resources, as they become available, in the UFT Elections 2025 section of the UFT website.

ACTION YOU NEED TO TAKE: Please post the 2025 UFT Election Notice on your UFT bulletin board.

Teacher's Choice accountability forms due next week

The Teacher's Choice purchasing window, which began on Aug. 1, 2024, closes this Friday, Jan. 10. Remind your members that the receipts for those purchases must be submitted with the DOE accountability form to your school's payroll secretary by Friday, Jan. 17. Members who received Teacher's Choice funds in their November 2024 paycheck but fail to file an accountability form with required receipts by the deadline must return the money to the DOE. For more detailed information about the program, go to the Teacher's Choice section of the UFT website.

Class-size funding opportunity seized by many schools

After a huge citywide push driven by school chapter leaders, more than 750 New York City public schools applied for funding to lower class sizes next school year. This large number alone dispels the myth that reducing class size in city schools is too difficult a task to take on. When members took the lead, we proved undeniably both the desire and the ability to transform city classrooms with the new state law. Applications are being reviewed this month, and schools should find out by March if their applications for funding for next year have been approved.

Nominate a colleague for an Academic High School award

Celebrate the exceptional work of UFT members working in academic high schools by submitting a nomination for the Team High School Awards. We're looking for nominations in four award categories:

  • Team High School Award for a school that demonstrates excellence.
  • Excellence in Education Award for an academic high school teacher who shines with their students in the classroom.
  • Outstanding UFT Activist Award for a high school member who demonstrates commitment to union activism.
  • Community Champion Award for a school related professional in an academic high school who is dedicated to their school community.

The deadline for nominations is Feb. 14. The winners will be honored at the annual Academic High School Awards Celebration at UFT headquarters on Friday, April 25. If you have any questions, contact the UFT High Schools Division at teamhighschool [at] uft [dot] org (teamhighschool[at]uft[dot]org).

Submit a nomination

Chapter Leader Checklist

To Do #1

Check if teachers and staff are prepared to pivot to remote

Now that we are in the heart of the winter storm season, please check that all teachers, mandated service providers and students have the devices they need to pivot to remote in case the entire school system must shift to remote learning due to bad weather. Please let your district representative know if you have any issues.

To Do #2

Remind teachers about the fall-term deadline for observations

Teachers should have received half of their observations by Friday, Jan. 24, which is the last day of the fall term. If you have not had half of your observations by this date, you can file an APPR complaint on the UFT website. You could receive an observation report from a fall observation during the spring term, but you cannot be observed in the spring term until after you have received written reports for all your fall observations. Review the key dates for teacher evaluation on the UFT website.

To Do #3

2025 CTE Awards nominations due this Friday

Chapter leaders at career and technical education high schools received the nomination form to recognize outstanding CTE educators. If you haven't yet submitted your nominations for the 2025 CTE Awards, the deadline is this Friday, Jan. 10. Don't delay!

To Do #4

Purchase order available for Paraprofessionals Awards & Luncheon

This year's Paraprofessionals Awards & Luncheon will take place at the New York Hilton on Saturday, March 22. School chapter leaders, in conjunction with their school leadership team, can use this purchase order to buy a table for paraprofessionals at their school. The purchase order deadline is Friday, March 14. Regular registration will open shortly.

To Do #5

Flyers to share with your members

Here are flyers you can print and distribute in member mailboxes or post on your school's UFT bulletin board:

Hub Highlights

File your consultation meeting summaries from the hub

File your consultation meeting summaries quickly and easily in our Chapter Leader Hub. Go to the Forms section and select "Upload Consultation Committee Notes." By filing a summary each time your school consultation committee meets with your principal, you will create a record of the topics discussed, and the union can escalate unresolved issues when it finds more than one school confronting the same issue. Remember, you can access the Chapter Leader Hub using your UFT website username and password.

Enter the hub

Work in progress

The UFT is tackling the following issues with the DOE and other city, state and federal-level entities as appropriate:

  • Reviewing school applications for class size funding along with the DOE and the principals' union.
  • Exploring the possibility of reclaiming unused classrooms from under-enrolled charter schools co-located in public school buildings.
  • Working on a hands-on diapering and toileting workshop for early childhood members.

You Should Know

Contract Empowerment  & Enforcement

Guidelines for Other Professional Work (OPW)

In single-session schools, Other Professional Work (OPW) is a 40-minute weekly block of time for teachers and a 35-minute block for paraprofessionals scheduled after school on Tuesdays, unless modified through a school-based option (SBO) or a PROSE ballot. OPW is self-directed work; teachers and paraprofessionals choose the activities they want to work on from the list in the UFT-DOE contract. A principal may direct teachers and paraprofessionals to an activity on the contractual list, but such a directive should be the exception and not on a regular basis. Not on a regular basis means that a principal cannot direct the OPW block more than 15% to 20% of the year or more than six to eight times a year.

Here is the approved list of activities for Other Professional Work:

  • Collaborative planning
  • Lesson study
  • Inquiry and review of student work
  • MOSL-related work
  • Work related to computer systems or data entry
  • Preparing and grading student assessments
  • Mentoring
  • IEP-related work (which now includes IEP meetings)
  • Responsibilities related to teacher leader duties for teachers in teacher leadership positions

In addition to the activities listed above, a teacher or a group of teachers can propose additional activities that may include working with students for a portion of the school year. These additional activities require the principal's approval.

If your administration is not adhering to the contractual rules involving the use of OPW time at your school, speak to your district representative about resolving the issue by filing an operational issues complaint.

Instruction

Apply to become a teacher leader

Do you know of teachers interested in formalizing teacher leadership in their school or developing their leadership skills? Teachers may apply now to become a teacher leader for the 2025-26 school year. Teacher leaders receive additional compensation for their time and commitment (a $7,500 stipend for model teachers and a $12,500 stipend for peer collaborative teachers) and year-long professional learning. Model teachers create a welcoming classroom environment in which teachers can continuously and collaboratively reflect, grow and explore innovative instructional strategies. Peer collaborative teachers design meaningful opportunities for professional growth and support their colleagues through mentoring or coaching, intervisitation initiatives and collaborative teacher teams.

To be eligible to apply, teachers must:

  • Be a current full-time teacher (with at least one class of record and 40% of the time spent in the classroom).
  • Be tenured by September 2025.
  • Anticipate receiving an Advance rating of "Effective" or "Highly Effective" for the 2024-25 school year.

Visit the Teacher Career Pathways website for more information, including eligibility. The application deadline is Thursday, March 27. For questions, email the DOE at teacherleadership [at] schools [dot] nyc [dot] gov (teacherleadership[at]schools[dot]nyc[dot]gov).

Interested teachers are also encouraged to book a chat with a current teacher leader to learn more. Teacher leaders will be available to answer any questions until March 7.

Apply now

CTE educators should document work-based learning activities

UFT members who work in CTE programs are reminded to log their students' work-based learning (WBL) activities in STARS by the end of January to ensure accurate reporting and maintain federal Perkins funding for career and technical education. Educators should confirm their school's data entry plans with their program chair or work-based learning coordinator.

Medical & Wellness

MSK and Anthem reached an agreement

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) and Anthem (formerly Empire BlueCross BlueShield) on Dec. 23 reached a new multi-year agreement that ensures UFT members' continued access to care at Memorial Sloan Kettering hospital, outpatient care centers and physician offices across the New York metropolitan area. Anthem provides the hospital portion of the New York City GHI-CBP plan and all other Anthem city health plans. With the new agreement in place, UFT members will have uninterrupted in-network access to MSK doctors and facilities. MSK Direct, a special UFT Welfare Fund program, provides UFT members with guided access to expert cancer care specialists and services. Throughout the negotiations, the UFT pushed both sides to come to a fair agreement that would allow us to maintain the critical services that MSK provides for UFT members as part of the city health plans. It has been and will remain a top priority to ensure access to MSK for members.

Seasonal Affective Disorder: How to Identify and Cope With It

Do the short winter days leave you feeling down? On the next episode of the Member Assistance Program's Brewing Wellness podcast, join Dr. Gail Brightwell, a licensed school psychologist with the Positive Learning Collaborative, a joint program of the UFT and the DOE, to learn about the impact of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and how the changing seasons can affect our mental health. Dr. Brightwell shares practical strategies and expert advice for managing SAD, as well as self-care tips to prioritize your mental well-being so you can stay balanced through the darker months. You can listen to Brewing Wellness wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to the podcast

Salary & Personnel

Have a pay issue? Fill out our new salary inquiry form

We have created a new online form, housed in the UFT Member Hub, which members can fill out to seek the union's help in resolving a salary issue, such as not being paid for per-session work. When the union receives the form, a UFT salary representative will research the issue and try to get it resolved. If the issue cannot be resolved informally, the union salary rep will work with the member to file a formal salary grievance if necessary.

ACTION YOU NEED TO TAKE: Direct members with pay issues to the new salary inquiry form in the UFT Member Hub for help resolving their issue.

Teachers may apply for program to become school librarians

The DOE, in partnership with New Visions for Public Schools, is offering certified teachers the opportunity to obtain additional state certification as a school librarian through the Teacher 2 Librarian program. The program offers scholarship opportunities for aspiring school librarians to obtain their master's degree and meet the requirements for New York State Education Department certification. Graduates will earn 30 to 36 credits that may apply toward their differential. The program primarily consists of online classes with some face-to-face classes in New York City. Interested teachers should register for an information session on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 3:30 p.m. Applications will be accepted through Feb. 28.

Learn more

Assist paraprofessionals who have received termination notices

The DOE recently sent termination notices to paraprofessionals who have not completed their certification requirements. Please tell these paraprofessionals to carefully read the notice for next steps and then log in to their TEACH account on the State Education Department's website to find out what they are missing. Paraprofessionals who received a termination notice because they lack college credits can apply through March 31 for the summer semester of the Career Training Program. The program, which was created as part of the first DOE-UFT contract for paraprofessionals in 1970, pays for up to six credits per semester for undergraduate study at participating colleges and universities to earn a bachelor's degree. Participants also are given 2½ hours per week of release time and/or a summer stipend to support their studies. Paraprofessionals who received a notice of termination and have specific questions should call the union at 212-331-6311 and ask to speak to a UFT certification specialist. Paraprofessionals with questions about CTLE requirements can find more information on the State Education Department website.

Assist pedagogues with certification problems

The DOE recently sent termination notices to teachers, school counselors, school social workers and school psychologists who have not completed their certification requirements for their professional or permanent state certificates. These members should log in to their TEACH account on the State Education Department website to determine their next steps to become fully certified. Pedagogues can find more information on the State Education Department's website as well as the certification section of the UFT website. Pedagogues who have received a notice of termination and have specific questions should call the union at 212-331-6311 and ask to speak to a UFT certification specialist.

Don't miss the UFT's winter pension workshop series

The UFT Pension Department offers virtual workshops throughout the school year to help members understand their pension benefits. While members may register for individual workshops, the Pension Department encourages members to attend the entire series. All workshops take place online from 4:15 to 5:15 p.m. Upcoming workshops include: Health Benefits at Retirement on Tuesday, Jan. 14; Tax-Deferred Annuities & Options at Retirement on Thursday, Jan. 23; Tier 4 Milestones & Final Average Salary on Tuesday, Feb. 4; Paraprofessional Retirement on Thursday, Feb. 6; Tier 6 Milestones & Final Average Salary on Tuesday, Feb. 11; and  Annual Benefits Statements and Death Benefits on Tuesday, Feb. 25.

Everything Else

Nominate a middle or high school student for Students of NYC

As we gear up for further attacks on public schools at the federal level, it's important that we continue to highlight the unique and powerful stories of our students, as well as their relationships with us as their educators. Please follow Students of NYC on Instagram and check out the Students of NYC stories featured so far this year. Our student stories have led to amazing things: One student athlete was contacted by a professional sports team, other students were highlighted on the TV news, and several students received gifts from strangers to help them follow their dreams. If you have a student in middle or high school you'd like us to consider for Students of NYC, fill out this submission form. Students can be at any level of academic achievement.

Read our students' stories

Spring events for new UFT members

Connection and camaraderie are key to surviving your first years as an educator in New York City public schools. The UFT's Member Assistance Program and the union's New Member Committee are hosting fun and unique events in each borough throughout the remainder of this school year to help new members connect, collaborate and celebrate all that they do for students. All events are for UFT members in their first three years on the job.

Register

Recent Guidance and Agreements

Key Events & Deadlines

Contact the UFT

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