This Week's Focus

Thank you for speaking up for public schools at Lobby Day

We extend a heartfelt “thank you” to the more than 1,000 UFT members who joined us for Lobby Day in Albany on March 18. In the wake of a new federal tax policy that has caused a decrease in New York State revenue, these member lobbyists spoke face-to-face with state lawmakers about the need to protect New York City public schools. Members asked lawmakers to increase school aid and invest in three vital union education initiatives: the UFT’s United Community Schools Initiative, Teacher Centers and the Positive Learning Collaborative, a program to improve school culture and climate. The UFT’s call for a $2.2 billion statewide increase moved the debate as both the Assembly and the Senate pushed for upwards of $1.6 billion in the state budget that is due by April 1. The member lobbyists said funding should come from extending the state millionaire’s tax and expanding the top rates for the wealthiest New Yorkers. The union also supports imposing a new tax on second homes valued at $5 million or higher owned by out-of-state residents. UFT President Michael Mulgrew told attendees their message for Albany’s elected officials was simple: “You want what we want, which is for education to be the best it’s ever been. And we need your help to make it happen.” Some of the member lobbyists took video of their long day so we could tell the story from their point of view. Watch the video. You can also read the news article and see photos from Lobby Day on the UFT website.

Mulgrew calls for more city funding for school programs that directly aid students

UFT President Michael Mulgrew made the case for more funding for school programs that directly support teaching and learning in budget testimony on March 20 to the City Council Education Committee. At the same time, he asked Council members to make sure state funds are not derailed or swallowed up by the city’s education bureaucracy. “Everything we advocate for goes to schools, students and teachers,” he said. The UFT is asking the City Council to push the de Blasio administration to baseline funds for Teacher’s Choice in the city budget this year at the same level as last year. Teacher’s Choice should not be a special allocation by the City Council, he said, because teachers depend on those funds to buy school supplies to enhance learning. The union is also calling for additional funding for the UFT’s United Community Schools, the Positive Learning Collaborative, the union’s anti-bullying program BRAVE and Dial-A-Teacher. Mulgrew praised Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza but lambasted the “Land of Tweed” — the bureaucracy at the city Department of Education — where a “self-serving culture” drags its feet and fails to put students first. “We do not feel there is urgency within that agency to get things done for our schools,” Mulgrew told the committee. “Help us move that bureaucracy.” Read Mulgrew’s full testimony on the UFT website.

Listen to the latest UFT podcast on changing school culture

At a Bronx elementary school, suspensions and disciplinary incidents are down while student happiness, student achievement and parental engagement are up. How? By creating a more positive school culture. Hear more on the UFT’s latest “On the Record with Michael Mulgrew podcast as the UFT president talks with the educators and the principal at PS 42 in the Bronx about the changes they made by bringing in resources and the joint UFT-DOE program known as the Positive Learning Collaborative. You can also listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play or your favorite podcast app.

Encourage members to fill out the DOE’s school survey

Each year, parents, staff and students in grades 6-12 are asked to take the NYC School Survey. The DOE’s school survey seeks to paint a realistic picture of every school’s tone and environment. School leaders are supposed to use feedback from the survey to make improvements to their schools and programs. Let the voice of your members be heard! Encourage teachers, school counselors and school support staff in your school to fill out the school survey and be honest in their answers. Staff should NOT be asked or forced to complete this survey in their schools, whether at a staff meeting, in the library or in a technology lab. Staff members have the right to fill out the survey wherever they want, in privacy. The survey is completely anonymous.

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Your Chapter Leader Checklist

• New UFT elections: Ballots in the UFT election for officer positions, executive board and an array of delegate positions will be mailed to members’ homes the week of March 25. Completed ballots must be returned to the American Arbitration Association no later than 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16. Election materials, including caucus statements and voting instructions, can be found in the UFT Elections 2019 section of the UFT website. Please post this Election 2019 flier on your UFT bulletin board. If you have any questions about the UFT election process, please contact Election Chair Amy Arundell at aarundell [at] uft [dot] org (aarundell[at]uft[dot]org).
• New Implicit bias workshops are not mandatory outside school hours: Many chapter leaders have reached out with questions about implicit bias training. They say their principals presented this training as mandatory as per their superintendent and told members to register for workshops that take place after school hours. Please clarify for your members that although the DOE is encouraging all staff to take this training within the next two years, it is not mandatory for any UFT-represented employee to attend workshops outside working hours. If your members choose to attend this training, they should ask the administration about the possibility of per session pay. Please contact your district representative if you have questions.
• New PROSE application deadline extended: At the request of schools, the PROSE Panel has extended the application deadline to become a PROSE school to Thursday, April 11. PROSE is a one-of-a-kind program that allows truly collaborative schools to be more innovative in their work. The key is teacher voice, and the PROSE application itself should be created with strong staff involvement. For more information and a link to the online application, see the PROSE page on the UFT website or contact the PROSE Panel at prose [at] UFT [dot] org (prose[at]UFT[dot]org).
• New Be wary of outside pension “specialists”: Tell your members to be mindful about information or solicitations they may receive from individuals claiming to be pension “specialists,” who invite members to attend their workshops or who want to come to your school to speak. They may go by impressive-sounding names like Fortis Lux Financial or Pension Seminar Plus. These groups are not sanctioned or endorsed by the UFT, and we cannot guarantee the accuracy or quality of their information. These groups may even try to convince members to remove money from their pensions or tax-deferred annuities so the groups can manage the money and collect commissions and fees. The DOE has a memorandum (#24, 1988-89) and bylaws that prohibit these people from speaking on school premises. Tell your members that their retirement savings are too important to risk with solicitors. 
• Nominate your chapter for a Trachtenberg Award: Are you proud of your union chapter? Nominate your colleagues for a Trachtenberg Award, the union’s way of celebrating the accomplishments of standout chapters. Hallmarks of award-winning chapters include holding regularly scheduled chapter meetings and having a high or growing proportion of members who contribute to COPE. Winning chapters will be honored and given their Trachtenberg plaque at the 2019 Teacher Union Day ceremony on Sunday, Oct. 20. See the online nomination form for more information about selection criteria. Please note that chapters that have received a Trachtenberg Award in the past three years are not eligible this year. Nominations are due by Friday, April 12.
• Professional activity period fact sheets: To empower chapter leaders, the UFT's Contract Empowerment Department, in consultation with the Grievance Department, created a professional activity fact sheet for elementary schools and a professional activity fact sheet for middle and high schools. Each fact sheet presents best when printed as one double-sided document. Each bulleted item on the fact sheets cites the relevant contract article, circular or arbitration. Please refer to these fact sheets to guide you as you consult with your principal on professional activities. If you have questions, contact your district representative or Debra Poulos, the director of the union’s Contract Empowerment Department, at dpoulos [at] uft [dot] org (dpoulos[at]uft[dot]org).
• School librarian tenure workshops: Inform librarians in your school or campus about tenure workshops presented by the UFT for school library media specialists and others serving in the role of school librarian. These workshops will show participants how to collect, organize and present information about student learning and professional practice as evidence of effectiveness. The workshops will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. in UFT borough offices throughout the spring. For dates and to register by borough, see the online form.
• Be mindful of social media postings: Remind your members that social networking sites often seduce us into saying or revealing things online that we used to share only in personal conversations or letters. Urge members to always think twice before posting messages, photos or videos on such sites. School staff is held to a higher moral code and, like it or not, we need to be aware of how such postings may be interpreted by the public. How to judge? Ask yourself: Would I be OK if my mother, clergy member or kid sister saw the posting? Some activities do not need to be memorialized online!

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Share with Your Members

New Election 2019 flier

HERstory brunch flier

Paraprofessional Festival and Awards flier

Middle School Conference flier

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You Should Know

Evaluation

New Student roster maintenance verification for MOSL: Teachers should have received an email from the Department of Education asking them to verify their class rosters before Friday, May 3. Roster verification is important because it determines which students are linked to them for the Measures of Student Learning (MOSL) for their final rating as part of the Advance evaluation system. For help with the process, see the DOE guidance on roster verification. If, upon review, the teacher finds an inaccuracy, the change request should be submitted to the school’s STARS administrator. Please note that all teachers, regardless of Advance eligibility, should complete roster maintenance verification in STARS.

Functional Chapters

New District 75 paraprofessional mixers: District 75 paraprofessionals are invited to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Paraprofessionals Chapter at mixers in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Staten Island in March. For more information, see the District 75 Paraprofessionals Mixers flier. Register online by borough. Please note: Registration is full for the Manhattan event.

Nominate your school secretary for a UFT award: School secretaries work hard every day to keep schools running and make a difference in children’s lives. We encourage members to nominate school secretaries who excel at their jobs for a UFT School Secretary of the Year award. Winners will be honored at the union’s 33rd annual School Secretary Awards Luncheon on Saturday, June 15. Nominees must have at least three years’ experience as a licensed school secretary. To nominate a school secretary, use the online nomination form. The nomination deadline is Friday, April 5.

Health and Safety

Check out our new school safety Q&A: School safety is a prerequisite for teaching and learning. The mission of the UFT’s Safety and Health Department is to protect all UFT members from safety threats that may confront them and their students in schools. The union provides information about safety regulations and rules, advocates on behalf of members to address unsafe conditions and deal with unresponsive administrators, and works with the Department of Education and the New York Police Department to enforce school safety standards. You can get answers to some of the most common school safety questions that school-based UFT members ask in this new Q&A on the Issues on the UFT website.

Opportunities

New Celebrate Passover at the UFT Labor Seder: All members are invited to celebrate Passover with the UFT Jewish Heritage Committee and the Jewish Labor Committee. This event will take place on Tuesday, April 9, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway, 19th floor. The evening will include a traditional kosher Passover dinner and reading of the Haggadah. All faiths are welcome. The registration fee is $36 for adults and $15 for students and children. For more information and to download the mail-in registration coupon, see the Labor Seder flier. The registration deadline is Tuesday, March 26.

New Attend a CTE event in the Bronx: Teachers in Career and Technical Education high schools are invited to Tech4All, an all-day event about careers in technology presented by the UFT. This event takes place from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the UFT’s Bronx borough office at 2500 Halsey St. Tech4All will feature workshops, panels and technology demonstrations. Participants will examine CTE pathways, technical certifications and network with industry professionals. To register, contact UFT Parent-Community Liaison Nicholas Cruz at NCruz [at] uft [dot] org (NCruz[at]uft[dot]org) or UFT Vice President for Career and Technical Education Sterling Roberson at SRoberson [at] uft [dot] org (SRoberson[at]uft[dot]org). For more information, see the Tech4All flier.

April 30 deadline for scholarship for LGBTQ student activists: The application deadline to apply for the UFT Pride Committee Daniel Dromm Scholarship, named for the member of the New York City Council and chair of the Council’s LGBTQ caucus, has been extended to Tuesday, April 30. High school educators and guidance counselors should encourage seniors who are LGBTQ activists to apply for this award. Winners receive a $1,000 scholarship. Applicants must be attending college in the fall and have a minimum 3.0 GPA. For full application requirements, see the online application. 

Apply now for Peer Independent Evaluator positions: Peer Independent Evaluators observe teachers who were rated Ineffective the previous school year and play an important role to ensure that teachers are fairly evaluated. The city Department of Education is seeking applicants for this teacher assigned position. Eligible members must have a minimum of five years of teaching experience, an overall rating of Highly Effective or Effective (or Satisfactory, where applicable) in the most recent school year and must currently be a teacher, teacher assigned, assistant principal with reversion rights to a tenured teacher position, or education administrator with reversion rights to a tenured teacher position. You may apply online for the peer independent evaluator position on the DOE website. Applications will be accepted online until March 25. For more information, see the Peer Independent Evaluator position posting.

Speak Up, Sing Out songwriting contest: High school teachers are asked to encourage their students to enter the Speak Up, Sing Out songwriting contest, created by Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights in partnership with the American Federation of Teachers. In this contest, students create new songs to raise awareness about important human rights issues and inspire action to solve these problems. Students can submit music of any genre, and entries will be judged by artists such as Beyoncé, Katy Perry and Kelly Clarkson. The application deadline is Sunday, May 12. For more information, including previous winners and contest application, see the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights website.

Recognition

Celebrate Women’s History Month at the UFT’s HERstory brunch: In honor of Women’s History Month, UFT members are invited to HERstory, a celebration of the women of the UFT, on Sunday, March 31, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway. Participants share stories about their roles as UFT leaders and activists and pay tribute to the women who built the UFT into the powerhouse it is today. A hot buffet brunch will be served. Every participant will receive a T-shirt commemorating the event. Register online. Please post the HERstory flier on your UFT bulletin board.

Chapter leader shoutout to Jeanette Acevedo: Congratulations to Jeanette Acevedo, the chapter leader at Automotive HS in Brooklyn, for standing up to a domineering principal. When Acevedo started as chapter leader at her new high school, she found her principal was waging a letter-in-the file campaign to intimidate UFT members. “I know the contract and read up on the Chancellor’s Regulations and managed to keep 43 letters from going into teachers’ files,” she said. “I fought her at every step.” When the principal refused to consider member-recommended school-based options, insisting on only her own, Acevedo filed a grievance. You can read more about Jeanette Acevedo’s achievements on the UFT website.

Salary and Personnel

New More student debt relief program information sessions added: Due to the overwhelming response to the Student Debt Relief Program, the UFT has scheduled additional information sessions throughout the spring. At the information sessions, members learn about the federal public service loan forgiveness and federal Title 1 forgiveness programs. After attending a session, members may then make an appointment to speak by phone with a loan specialist to discuss individual needs and create an action plan. To register for a session, use the online form. Register soon, because these sessions fill up fast.

Professional Learning Opportunities

Register early for the May 18 UFT’s Spring Education Conference: Online registration has opened for the UFT’s Spring Education Conference, our signature annual conference that celebrates, supports and inspires our work as public school educators. This year’s event is on Saturday, May 18, from 7 a.m. to 3 pm., at the New York Hilton Midtown, 1335 6th Ave., Manhattan. It includes breakfast, a morning town hall, a large exhibit fair featuring CTE programs, workshops and a gala luncheon. Participants can attend a two-hour workshop of their choice on topics including new technology, advancing literacy skills, teaching the new math learning standards and the Student Debt Relief Program. You can read detailed descriptions of the six workshops. The registration fee is $50 per person. For teachers who take a workshop for two CTLE hours, there is an additional $30 charge, for a total of $80. For paraprofessionals and other UFT members who want to take a workshop for two CTLE hours, there is an additional $15 charge, for a total of $65. School Leadership Team members may use funds allocated to the team to pay for registration fees by using the Spring Conference Purchase Order. For more information about paying by purchase order, see the UFT Purchase Order Memo.

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This Week in Education and Labor News

Students march for Green New Deal: Students in San Diego skipped class on March 15 to join protesters worldwide to demand action on climate change, reports NBC San Diego. Their goal was to urge local government officials to support the Green New Deal, a Democrat-led plan to create jobs in renewable energy to combat climate change through 100 percent clean, zero-emission energy sources. Youth rallies were planned around the world including in the United States, Hong Kong, India, Finland and New Zealand.

Michigan struggles to meet student-retention law requirements: Nearly a quarter of Michigan educators say their schools are not ready to support students held back after next school year, according to the Detroit News. Under Michigan’s controversial third-grade reading law, adopted in 2016, students do not move to the fourth grade if they read a grade level behind on the state’s English Language Arts assessment. Over half of the state’s third graders failed the test in 2018. More than 30 percent of Michigan teachers say their schools have insufficient reading material to meet the needs of students repeating the grade.

Public colleges expand online programs for adult learners:

Arizona State University is planning to roll out a for-profit “learning-services company” to forge ties with employers who want to offer workers access to its online programs, reports Education Dive. The decision follows other universities, such as Perdue and the University of Massachusetts, which have begun online programs targeting adults after projecting enrollment declines in their traditional higher education programs as well as reduced state funding and rising costs. The State University of New York is considering online expansion. Public institutions’ brands may give them a recruitment advantage over for-profit colleges.

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Events Calendar

Featured

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, 1335 Sixth Ave.

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. The theme is “William Shakespeare, In Recognition of His Relevance and Impact 400 years after his Death.” Participants may attend two workshops of their choice on topics including teaching Shakespeare in the middle school classroom to science exploration and educating ELL students. Participants can earn up to four CTLE hours. See the day’s agenda and workshop choices. The special guest speaker is Mark Treyger, chair of the City Council’s Education Committee. The conference includes breakfast, guest speakers, lunch, workshops and giveaways. For more details, download the conference flier and post it on your UFT bulletin board. For fee breakdown and to register, see the online form.

This Week

Saturday, March 23: Manhattan-based parents and guardians of students with disabilities are invited to the UFT/DOE Manhattan special education family empowerment conference, a day of networking, workshops and support. This event will take place at UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway, 19th floor, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. See the flier in English, Spanish, Chinese or Arabic for more details. Register online.

Monday, March 25: The Staten Island District 75 paraprofessional mixer will be held at Miller’s Ale House, 2883 Richmond Ave. For more information, see the item in Functional Chapters.  

Monday, March 25: The Occupational/Physical Therapists chapter meeting will be held from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway, room 3 north.

Tuesday, March 26: Queens parents are invited to Growth, a workshop presented by the UFT and Hey There Beautiful about how to encourage personal development for the parent and child. This event takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. at the UFT Queens borough office, 97-77 Queens Blvd. Child care, dinner, coffee and tea will be available. Register online. For more information, see the Queens Growth Workshop flier. 

Wednesday, March 27: REGISTRATION CLOSED — The Manhattan student debt relief information session runs from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway.

Wednesday, March 27: REGISTRATION CLOSED — The UFT Member Assistance Program’s art therapy group meets from 4:30 to 5:45 p.m. at UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway, 2nd floor, room A.

Wednesday, March 27: The UFT's Member Assistance Program invites those with family members affected by mental illness or addiction to Weathering the Storm: Recovery. This support group will meet from 4:30 to 5:45 p.m. at UFT headquarters, 50 Broadway. You'll learn coping strategies and get practical information. This support group is led by a trained mental health professional and is held in a safe and confidential space. In this session, we'll discuss how to manage issues that arise when a family member is ill. Register online.  

Wednesday, March 27: The monthly meeting of the Administrative Education Officers/Analysts Chapter and the Education Officers/Analysts Chapter will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway, 19th floor, room F.

Wednesday, March 27: UFT Michael Mulgrew is holding a meet-and-greet with functional chapter members from 4 to 6 p.m. at union headquarters.

Thursday, March 28: Brooklyn parents are invited to a free workshop from the UFT and INCLUDEnyc to learn about procedures and regulations related to Individualized Education Programs (IEP). Breakfast will be served and children are welcome. This event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the UFT Brooklyn borough office, 335 Adams St., 25th floor, rooms A and B. Register online. For more information, see the Brooklyn Parent Outreach Committee flier.

Thursday, March 28: REGISTRATION CLOSED — The Brooklyn student debt relief information session will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. at UFT Brooklyn borough office, 335 Adams St.

Thursday, March 28: Queens-based members in their third trimester of pregnancy may attend a paid parental leave workshop from 4 to 6 p.m. at the UFT Queens borough office, 97-77 Queens Blvd., 5th floor, Rego Park. Participants will learn about their rights concerning paid parental, maternity, child care and FMLA leaves. Please contact Karla Jordan at kjordan [at] uft [dot] org (kjordan[at]uft[dot]org) to register for this workshop. For more information, see the Queens Paid Parental Leave flier.

Thursday, March 28: The Social Workers and Psychologists Chapter meeting will take place from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway, 19th floor, room F.

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

Photo Gallery: Early Childhood Conference 2019

Photo Gallery: Social Worker Appreciation Day 2019

Photo Gallery: Lunar New Year Banquet 2019

Pathways to Graduation Chapter Newsletter

Chapter News: Past presentations from UFT Guidance Counselors Conferences

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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.

Association of Teachers of Social Studies/UFT and UFT Jewish Heritage Committee

• 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.

Hellenic American Educators Association

• Friday, April 5, from 5 to 7 p.m., Doctor Talk. For more information, see the Heart Health flier.

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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, Tom Brown, Emma Camacho-Mendez, David Campbell, Joseph Colletti, Evelyn DeJesus, Crystal Deoraj, Alison Gendar, Brian Gibbons, Anthony Harmon, Sarah Herman, Janella Hinds, David Kazansky, Junior Linton, Joe LoVerde, Samantha Mark, Deidre McFadyen, Michael Murphy, Gabriel Nott, Suzanne Popadin, Debra Penny, Debra Poulos, Jeffrey Povalitis, Nadine Reis, Sterling Roberson, Michael Sill, Anne Silverstein, Geofrey Sorkin, Kerry Yefet and Shelvy Young-Abrams.