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This Week's Focus

The consultation form is not an operational issues complaint

As chapter leaders, you are responsible for convening a monthly meeting of your consultation committee with your principal. We’ve introduced the online school consultation committee summary form so you can capture the discussions you’re having, how your engagement with your principal is having an impact on school decisions and any difficulty you may encounter resolving issues. As UFT President Michael Mulgrew explained at the Feb. 13 Delegate Assembly, documenting an unresolved issue on the consultation form does not initiate an operational issues complaint. To initiate an operational issues complaint regarding paperwork, curriculum, professional development, basic instructional supplies, workload and space, you must submit an online paperwork and operational issues report (you must be logged in to the UFT website to access it) the day you attempt to resolve the issue with your principal through a one-on-one conversation, an email or your UFT consultation committee. The time clock begins on the expedited resolution process once you complete that report. Each of these tools has a distinct and important role in organizing and empowering your chapter and resolving school-level workplace issues. If you have any questions, please contact your district representative.

Have a COPE drive in your school

Our annual COPE enrollment and education drive has begun. Every UFT borough office has received COPE materials, so speak with your district representative about how to obtain and distribute these materials to the members in your chapter. Let’s get the message out about the importance of using our collective voice to strengthen our schools and communities and to improve our working lives. Thanks to UFT COPE, we get results. UFT COPE is one of the most effective ways to help elect candidates who support our schools and professions. When the stakes are high, UFT COPE is there to fight back against programs and policies that would hurt educators and their families. By contributing to COPE each month, we ensure that our voices are heard by lawmakers and decision-makers on the issues and policies that matter to us. Be sure to explain to members that COPE is funded entirely by voluntary contributions; we do not use any union dues for political action. Please contact Glen Lopez, the UFT’s COPE coordinator, by email at GLopez [at] uft [dot] org (GLopez[at]uft[dot]org) or by phone at 212-598-9244 if you need COPE materials or reports. Remember, COPE is not possible without you!

Register now for the UFT’s Middle School Conference

Do you work in a middle or K–8 school? Please encourage members in your school to attend the UFT’s 5th annual Middle School Conference on Saturday, March 30, at UFT headquarters from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Download the conference flier and post it on your UFT bulletin board. Last year, some 450 educators deepened their skills and knowledge while networking with colleagues at the conference. This year’s event promises to be just as memorable. The theme will be “William Shakespeare, In Recognition of His Relevance and Impact 400 years after his Death.” Participants can attend two workshops of their choice on topics including teaching Shakespeare in the middle school classroom to science exploration and educating our ELL students. Participants can earn up to four CTLE hours. See the day’s agenda and workshop choices. The special guest speaker will be Mark Treyger, chair of the City Council’s Education Committee, and our keynote speaker will be Dr. Jeff Gardere, known as “America’s psychologist.” The conference includes breakfast, guest speakers, lunch, workshops and giveaways. The registration fee is $75 for teachers who wish to receive CTLE hours; $45 for paraprofessionals who wish to receive CTLE hours; $35 for teachers without CTLE; and $25 for paraprofessionals without CTLE. Please register online.

Join the CTE Proud campaign

Career and Technical Education educators have incredible stories to tell about what their CTE students are learning, from culinary arts to robotics to marketing and finance. Each year at the UFT’s CTE Awards Recognition Ceremony, we honor outstanding Career and Technical Education educators and schools, but we can only recognize a fraction of the noteworthy programs and the amazing educators who work in them. We need your help to make the case about the importance of funding existing CTE programs and supporting their expansion so even more students will have these opportunities. Our new CTE Proud campaign will showcase CTE educators who persevere against great odds and tight budgets to provide students with an education that prepares them for success in high-tech careers. If you are a CTE educator who is proud of your work with students, please join the CTE Proud campaign. With your ideas, we will write stories and produce podcasts and videos highlighting innovative CTE programs — all with the goal of shining a spotlight on all the great CTE programs in New York City and helping the union advocate for more funding for them. Make sure to share your stories and photos on social media and include the hashtags #CTEProud and #UnionProud in your posts supporting this campaign.

Podcast: Mulgrew and Carranza discuss the Bronx Plan

Traditionally underserved schools in the Bronx, East New York, Brownsville and the Rockaways are getting a boost in the new Bronx Collaborative Schools Plan. Educators in these 50 schools will get to decide what their schools need to thrive — a sea change from the usual top-down decision making process in most public schools. Hear more on the UFT’s latest “On the Record with Michael Mulgrew” podcast as UFT President Michael Mulgrew and Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza talk about the Bronx Plan and why it’s long overdue. You can also listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play or your favorite podcast app.

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Your Chapter Leader Checklist

• New School-based committees: School-based committees ensure that UFT members have a voice in decision-making at the school level and that all the work does not fall on the chapter leader’s shoulders. Make sure that you have the following active committees at your school: a consultation committee that meets monthly with the principal to discuss and attempt to resolve issues at the school level before they escalate; a professional development committee to plan and review the PD that is offered during the time set aside for professional learning in the contract; a school safety committee that meets monthly to address safety-related violations and issues such as crisis response, student removal procedures and fire drills; and a school leadership team that develops the school’s Comprehensive Educational Plan and makes sure it is aligned with the school-based budget. If you need support, please contact your district representative.

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Share with Your Members

New Paraprofessional Festival and Awards flier

New School Counselors Conference brochure

New Middle School Conference flier

Early Childhood Conference flier

2019 UFT Election Notice

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You Should Know

Evaluation

Know your MOSL: Teachers evaluated under the DOE’s Advance teacher development and evaluation system should know the courses and measures included in their Measures of Student Learning (MOSL). To avoid future complications, teachers should log into their Advance web page, navigate to the MOSL tab and review the information to ensure the measures listed there reflect their school MOSL Committee’s decisions. If the measures are other than the committee’s selections, the teacher should immediately contact the chapter leader and the principal. Guidance for ATR pool teachers: Some principals have told ATR pool teachers they will be evaluated under the Advance system. The contract is clear: Teachers should not be rated under Advance unless they teach — and are the teacher of record — for six months and for at least 40 percent of a full program. The UFT is working with the DOE to resolve this issue. Find out if you are rated for evaluation under Advance by logging onto the Advance page of the DOE website.

Functional Chapters

New Chapter meetings for school secretaries: School secretaries are encouraged to attend borough-wide chapter meetings with School Secretaries Chapter Leader Doreen Berrios-Castillo throughout March and April at the UFT’s borough offices. To find out the date and location of your borough’s meeting, see the online registration form.

Opportunities

New Per-session opportunity to score ELA and math exams: Teachers interested in scoring and site management of the state grades 3–8 ELA and math exams may apply for the positions online. Teachers will be paid the per-session rate for their work. This opportunity is open to all teachers. Scoring dates will vary. For more information and to apply online, see the DOE website. The application deadline is Wednesday, March 6.

New March 8 deadline to nominate students to work with a professional songwriter: The DOE Office of Sustainability, in partnership with Clean Green Music Machine, is providing a unique opportunity for middle and high school music teachers and young musical artists (soloists or groups of up to five students) to work with a professional artist. The program, rFuture!, will allow students to partner with a songwriting mentor to write a song that articulates the young artist’s observations, concerns and solutions for our collective future. For more information and to apply, see the rFuture! flier. The deadline to submit an application is Friday, March 8.

New Energy conservation poster contest: Teachers should encourage students to participate in the DOE Office of Sustainability’s Energy Conservation Artwork Contest. Eligible students will create a poster with an energy conservation call to action. The goal of the contest is to create a dialogue and encourage students, teachers, administrative staff and parents to save energy through art. Fifteen winners will receive a prize, and their artwork will be featured in the Sustainability 2019-2020 calendar. The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 15. For more information, contact Lisa Williams at lwilliams85 [at] schools [dot] nyc [dot] gov (lwilliams85[at]schools[dot]nyc[dot]gov). Send submissions to NYC Department of Education, Sustainability Poster Contest, Lisa Williams, 5th Floor, 44-36 Vernon Blvd., Long Island City, NY 11101. For full contest rules, see the Energy Conservation Artwork Contest flier.

New Attend the 3rd annual Sustainability Showcase: All members are invited to attend the 3rd annual DOE Sustainability Showcase on Wednesday, May 22, at the Brooklyn Expo Center in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. This event celebrates school efforts, actions, innovation and dedication to sustainability across grade levels, topics and leadership. Participants will survey the extraordinary things that students, teachers, administrators, building staff and partner organizations are doing to pave the way to greater school sustainability. The Sustainability Showcase will include a student expo, awards, workshops and raffle prizes. Teachers are invited to submit a sustainability project for presentation and celebration at the event. Projects can win up to $2,500 and will be awarded the day of the event. For more information, see the 3rd Annual Sustainability Showcase flier and view exhibits from last year’s event. The deadline to submit a project is Friday, March 22.

New Nominate a music teacher for a Music Educator Award: Members are encouraged to nominate a music teacher for a Music Educator Award presented by the National Association for Music Education. This award brings attention to the work of thousands of music teachers across the United States. The winner will fly to Los Angeles to attend the 62nd annual Grammy Awards next January and receive the Music Educator Award at a ceremony during Grammy Week. The winner will also receive a $10,000 personal honorarium. All finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium and semifinalists will receive a $500 honorarium. Once you have nominated a teacher, they must complete a full application to be considered for the award. The deadline to nominate a teacher is Friday, March 15. The deadline for a teacher to complete their application is Sunday, March 31. For more information, see the Grammy in the Schools website. Please note: Teachers who plan to retire at the end of the 2018-19 school year are ineligible.

New Award for integrating economics into high school classrooms: All high school teachers may apply for the Council for Economic Education’s Sloan Award, which promotes economic education at the high school level by honoring teachers who effectively deliver this important content in and out of classrooms. Applicants can teach any content area but must demonstrate how they integrate economics into their lessons. Winners will receive a $5,000 cash prize among other things. For more information, including eligibility requirements, see the online application form. The submission deadline is Friday, May 17.

Political Action

Take Action Tell state legislators to fund teacher centers: The governor’s proposed budget eliminates all funding for teacher centers statewide. Teacher centers provide comprehensive, ongoing professional development and support services to educators and are critical for teachers, parents and other school-related professionals. The NYSUT Member Action Center is asking UFT members to urge lawmakers to support funding for teacher centers and other critical tools for teachers. For more information and to take action, see the online form on the NYSUT website.

Professional Learning Opportunities

March 8 deadline to register for early childhood conference: The registration deadline for the UFT's 12th annual Early Childhood Education Conference is Friday, March 8. The conference is at UFT headquarters on Saturday, March 16, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event features a plenary greeting from UFT President Michael Mulgrew and a welcome address from Karen Alford, UFT vice president of elementary schools. Shawn Brown, edu-tainer from the "Super Fun Show," is the keynote speaker. This year's theme is Innovate, Integrate, Motivate. Participants may choose from 15 exciting workshops with topics that include exploring the five senses through multi-sensory experiences and meeting the needs of a wide range of ability groups in the classroom. CTLE credits are available. Breakfast and a box lunch will be served. For fee breakdown and to register, see the online form. For a full listing of workshops, see the Early Childhood Conference flier.

Salary and Personnel

Apply for sabbatical leave by March 19: Eligible teachers who want to study to enhance teaching skills have until Tuesday, March 19, to submit an application on SOLAS for a study sabbatical for the 2019-20 school year. Tuesday, March 26, is the deadline for a principal’s recommendation to the superintendent. Coursework must be rigorous and related to one’s teaching assignment. All teachers are eligible for a one-year study sabbatical after 14 years of service. Junior high or high school classroom teachers with seven years on the job can also apply for a six-month study sabbatical for the spring semester only. Teachers earn 70 percent of their salary during a full-year sabbatical and 60 percent of their salary during a six-month sabbatical. Members can read guidelines and eligibility requirements in the Sabbatical Leave of Absence page on the DOE website.

UFT dues can be deducted from state taxes: Under the 2018 federal tax law, union dues and other miscellaneous itemized deductions are no longer permitted. But as a result of legislation passed in April 2017, thanks to union lobbying, union members in New York State may deduct their union dues from their state income taxes if they itemize deductions on their state taxes. Find out what you paid in UFT dues in 2018. If you are an eligible educator, you may still deduct from your federal income taxes up to $250 of any unreimbursed expenses in 2018 for books, supplies, computer equipment (including related software and services), other equipment and supplementary materials you use in the classroom, according to the IRS. The educator expense is an “adjustment to gross income” so use it if you use the standard deduction or itemize on your tax return. In the past, teachers also were permitted to deduct more than the $250 by deducting unreimbursed employee expenses on Schedule A — the amount that exceeds 2 percent of your adjusted gross income. President Trump’s tax overhaul eliminated those miscellaneous deductions as well. For all income tax questions, see IRS Publication 529 for miscellaneous deductions and IRS Publication 17. Read the full information item on the UFT website.

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This Week in Education and Labor News

Oakland teachers end their strike: Teachers in Oakland ended their week-long strike on March 1 after agreeing to a tentative contract, reports the Houston Chronicle. The four-year agreement calls for teachers to receive an 11 percent salary increase and one-time 3 percent bonus. The district also agreed to reduce class sizes and hire more student support staff, including special education teachers and counselors. "The contract will help ensure more teachers stay in Oakland and that more come to teach in our classrooms and support our students," said Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell.

State funding increases present conflicting priorities: While many states are spending more on education this year than in 2018, increased funding doesn’t necessarily mean K-12 teachers will get more money in their pockets, according to Education Dive. States with volatile budgets tend to spend more on paying down pension funds or on one-time expenditures like school repairs or construction. States also look at many competing budget priorities as areas such as higher education and foster care have faced cuts in recent years.

Companies entice young workers with loan payback benefit: Although the size of the average student loan has nearly doubled over the past decade, some employers are offering loan payment as a recruitment strategy, reports NPR. The payment programs are rising in popularity because they help employers find and retain people when available workers are scarce. Millennials in particular are known for high turnover. Loan payoff programs don’t currently offer businesses any tax benefits, and the money is taxed as income for both the employer and the worker, which makes them an expensive benefit for nonprofits and small businesses.

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Events Calendar

Featured

Saturday, March 2: REGISTRATION IS CLOSED — The UFT's fourth annual Men in Education Symposium will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway. Former New York City Schools Chancellor Rudy Crew will facilitate the morning plenary session and Bronx teacher Alhassan Susso, the New York State Teacher of the Year, will deliver the keynote speech.

Saturday, March 9: The 15th annual School Counselors Conference will be held at UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The theme is School Counselors Are the Heart of the School. Participants may attend two 75-minute workshops on topics including bullying, writing letters of recommendation, the pitfalls of social media and supporting LGBT students. The registration fee is $30 including breakfast and lunch. The deadline to register is Wednesday, March 6. Register online. You must be logged in to the UFT website to access the registration link. For more information, including a full list of workshops, see the School Counselors Conference brochure.

Saturday, March 16: The UFT’s 12th annual Early Childhood Conference will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway. The registration deadline is Friday, March 8. For more details, see the Item in Professional Learning Opportunities.

Saturday, March 23: The UFT’s 38th annual Paraprofessional Festival and Awards Luncheon celebrating the 50th anniversary of the UFT Paraprofessionals Chapter is from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the New York Hilton Midtown at 1335 Sixth Ave. This year’s theme is Uplifting Hearts and Minds: Pathways to Social Emotional Learning. The registration fee is $25. For a full list of workshops and to register, go to the online form.

Saturday, March 30: The UFT’s sixth annual Middle School Conference will take place from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway, 2nd floor, Shanker Hall. For more details, see the item in This Week’s Focus.

This Week

Monday, March 4: The School Counselors Executive Board meets from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway, 19th floor.

Wednesday, March 6: Staten Island-based members are invited to a pension meeting with Debra Penny, UFT treasurer and trustee on the Teacher's Retirement System Board from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Rocco Laurie Intermediate School - IS72, 33 Ferndale Ave. Register online. For more information, see the Staten Island Pension Meeting flier.

Wednesday, March 6: Staten Island-based members are invited to a maternity and child care leave workshop from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Staten Island borough office, 4456 Amboy Road. Participants will learn their rights concerning maternity, childcare and FMLA leaves. Register online. For more information, see the Maternity and Child Care Leave Workshop flier.

Wednesday, March 6: The School Secretaries Executive Board meets from 4 to 6 p.m. at UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway, 19th floor.

Wednesday, March 6: The Speech Chapter Executive Board and general membership meeting takes place from 4 to 6 p.m. at UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway, 19th floor, room G.

Wednesday, March 6: REGISTRATION IS CLOSED — Members are invited to a student debt relief program info session from 4 to 6 p.m. at UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway. Participants will learn about federal debt relief and loan forgiveness programs that can help members reduce or even eliminate your student debt. The Student Debt Relief Program is a brand-new service exclusively for UFT members to guide you every step of the way.

Wednesday, March 6: Members in years 1-3 are invited to an art therapy group presented by the UFT's Member Assistance Program. This workshop takes place from 4:30 to 5:45 p.m. at UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway, 2nd floor, rooms E/F. Participants will learn creative techniques such as drawing and sculpting to help explore emotions, improve self-esteem, build self-awareness, manage addictions and relieve stress and anxiety. There is a $10 registration fee. Register online.

Thursday, March 7: Bronx-based school secretaries are invited to a chapter meeting with Chapter Leader Doreen Berrios-Castillo from 4 to 6 p.m. at the UFT Bronx borough office, 2500 Halsey St. Register online.

Thursday, March 7: The UFT Black History film series concludes with, "Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities" from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway. A discussion will follow. Register online. This event is free. See the flier in Share with Your Members.

Save the Date

Saturday, May 18: The UFT Spring Education Conference will take place at the New York Hilton Midtown, 1335 6th Ave., Manhattan. See the coupon for conference details, including workshop descriptions. Registration will open soon.

Upcoming LearnUFT workshops

LearnUFT, the UFT’s professional development institute, offers an array of affordable workshops and professional learning opportunities for UFT members. The cost to register, unless otherwise indicated, is $30 for teachers seeking CTLE hours and $15 without CTLE hours. The cost for all paraprofessionals is $15. Participants will earn two CTLE hours for each workshop, unless otherwise specified.

These workshops will take place at UFT borough offices, unless otherwise indicated:

See LearnUFT courses in the Bronx »
See LearnUFT courses in Brooklyn »
See LearnUFT courses in Manhattan »
See LearnUFT courses in Queens »
See Learn UFT courses on Staten Island »

For a full listing of upcoming LearnUFT workshops, see the LearnUFT page on the UFT website.

For more events, go to uft.org/calendar.

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In Case You Missed It

Podcast: On the Record with Michael Mulgrew - Episode 9: The Bronx Plan with Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza

Testimony submitted to the New York City Council Committee on Education regarding special education services.

Photo Gallery: African Heritage Committee Awards Dinner 2019

District 75 News From Your Union

Chapter News: March is Kidney Disease Month

Chapter News: Join the OT/PT Chapter for this year's TD Bank Five Boro Bike Ride

Queens Parent Newsletter - February 2019

Staten Island Parent Newsletter - February 2019

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Professional Committees

UFT Professional Committees offer a wide range of workshops, presentations and exchanges, enabling all members to take an active part in their professional growth. Unless indicated, meetings are at UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway, Manhattan. Check in the lobby for exact locations. For further information, contact us at 212-598-7772 or visit us online.

Asian American Heritage Committee

• Wednesday, March 6, from 4 to 6 p.m., general membership meeting.

Association of Teachers of Social Studies and UFT Jewish Heritage Committees

• Sunday, March 24, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., annual Holocaust for Educators Program with American Society for Yad Vashem. For more information, see the Holocaust for Educators Program flier.

• Saturday, April 13, Greater Metropolitan New York Social Studies Conference. For more information, see the Greater Metropolitan New York Social Studies Conference flier.

Capably Disabled

• Thursday, March 21, 4:15 p.m.to 6 p.m., General Membership Meeting. Speaker: Patricia Hazell, TV host of “Patreehsa’s Potpourri.” For more information, see the Patreesha’s Potpourri flier.

Irish American Heritage

• Thursday, March 21, 4:30 p.m., annual heritage celebration. For more information, see the Annual Heritage Celebration flier.

New York City Art Teachers Association

• Friday, March 22, 4:30 p.m., Creative Reuse for Teachers Workshop. For more information, see the Creative Reuse for Teachers Workshop flier.

Science

• Friday, March 8, 7:15 p.m., “Bigger Isn't Always Better. Tuning the Size, Composition, and Structure of Nanostructured, Precious Metal Electrocatalysts for Enhanced Performance in PEM Fuel Cells.” Speaker: Christopher Koenigsmann, Fordham University.

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Editor: Peter O’Donnell

Executive Editor: Bernadette Weeks

Contributors include: Karen Alford, George Altomare, Amy Arundell, LeRoy Barr, Jackie Bennett, Hannah Brown, Joseph Colletti, Evelyn DeJesus, Crystal Deoraj, Anthony Harmon, Sarah Herman, Janella Hinds, Junior Linton, Joe LoVerde, Samantha Mark, Deidre McFadyen, Michael Murphy, Gabriel Nott, Suzanne Popadin, Debra Poulos, Jeffrey Povalitis, Nadine Reis, Sterling Roberson, Michael Sill, Anne Silverstein, Rosemarie Thompson, Miriam Vega, and Shelvy Young-Abrams.