This Week's Focus

Help get out the vote in the UFT election

UFT members should have received their ballots for the UFT election in the mail this week. Please encourage your chapter members to vote. Here are some ideas to generate enthusiasm among your members:

• Create the base of a tree labeled “UFT Election.” As UFT staff members self-report to you, add leaves to the tree with the name of each UFT member who has mailed in a ballot.
• Create a thermometer that tracks the percentage of UFT members who have mailed in their ballots.
• Have a union meeting where members bring their sealed ballots to school. Take a group photo of the members with their ballots. If there is a mailbox close to your school, walk together before or after school to mail the ballots together.
• Request “I Voted” stickers from your district rep. Give members the stickers when they report they have voted.
• Have members take selfies of themselves mailing their ballots.

Send pictures of any or all of these activities to uftphotos [at] gmail [dot] com (uftphotos[at]gmail[dot]com) and encourage your members to look for themselves on the UFT’s social media channels. Share your get out the vote ideas with Election Chair Amy Arundell at aarundell [at] uft [dot] org (aarundell[at]uft[dot]org).

The UFT app is one year old! Download it to your phone.

The UFT unveiled its new app a year ago. With UFT-Mobile, members can handle much of their union business, from registering for CTLE classes to checking what the DOE-UFT contract says on key topics to calling a union office or Welfare Fund program. The app also unlocks special member-only discounts for apparel, entertainment, travel, school supplies and more. The UFT leveraged the same power in numbers that it brings to the bargaining table with the Department of Education to negotiate discounts for UFT members with vendors. The app contains a digital version of the UFT membership card with the member’s UFT ID number to register for UFT events or whenever you interact with the union. You can download UFT-Mobile in the App Store if you have an Apple cellphone or in the Google Play Store if you have an Android device. You log in to the app using the same username and password you use for the UFT website.

SESIS: Going, but not gone yet!

The Special Education Student Information System (SESIS) will remain the system of record for special education until a new system is brought online in phases. The DOE has promised to continue to support SESIS while working to find a replacement and to engage users in the replacement process. The DOE’s current plan is for a two-stage vendor solicitation process. The first stage is slated to begin this spring and conclude at the end of the calendar year. Finalists from stage 1 will receive new specifications in stage 2. The DOE anticipates that the new system will be process-oriented and include case management, provider scheduling and assignment, encounter matching, IEP development, placement and communication functions. Pre-K will also be included. In the next few weeks, UFT Vice President for Special Education MaryJo Ginese will be seeking members interested in participating in a working group to develop recommendations for the new system.

Join us for the 2019 Academic High Schools celebration

On Friday, April 12, the Academic High Schools division will honor outstanding members of our school communities for their commitment to our students, our profession and our union. Join the Academic High Schools division as it recognizes educators, activists, dynamic union leaders and community champions who are going above and beyond to connect with students, communities and the union. The celebration will take place at UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway, 2nd floor, Shanker Hall. Doors open at 4 p.m. and the awards ceremony begins at 5:30 p.m. There will be a dessert reception after the ceremony. Wear festive attire. Please register online by Friday, April 5. For more information, see the Academic High Schools Celebration flier.

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Your Chapter Leader Checklist

• New Distribution of UFT election material: Chapter Leaders may NOT use official union release periods to distribute any UFT election campaign material, for individual candidates, caucuses or slates. The distribution of election campaign material should be limited to before and after school or at lunch. Chapter leaders cannot use their chapter leader position for the benefit of a particular caucus. Distributing general information about the importance of voting in the UFT election or other attempts to get out the vote are acceptable and considered official union business that benefits all members.

• New UFT elections: Ballots in the UFT election for officer positions, executive board and an array of delegate positions have been mailed to members’ homes. Any member who fails to receive a ballot or receives an incorrect ballot should notify the American Arbitration Association, 120 Broadway, 21st Floor, New York, NY 10271 (phone: 800-529-5218; email: ulerios [at] adr [dot] org (ulerios[at]adr[dot]org)) no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, April 8. Completed ballots must be returned to the American Arbitration Association no later than 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16. Caucus statements, voting instructions and Election Do's and Don’ts can be found in the UFT Elections 2019 section of the 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).

• Encourage members to fill out the DOE’s school survey by April 6: 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 by the April 6 deadline 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.

• 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.
• 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).

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Share with Your Members

New 5K Family Run/Walk flier

New  Daniel Dromm Scholarship Brunch flier

Election 2019 flier

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You Should Know

Evaluation

New Evaluation guidance for ATR pool teachers: Teachers in the Absent Teacher Reserve (ATR) pool acting in a day-to-day absence coverage capacity should not be evaluated with the Advance system and should be observed using a traditional S/U observation format. ATR pool teachers are only eligible for evaluation under the Advance system if they are a full-time K–12 classroom teacher of record; maintain active status for at least six cumulative calendar months during the current school year; and teach 40 percent or more of a full-time position. Please see your chapter leader if you have questions about your evaluation status.

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 teacher should submit the change request to the school’s STARS administrator. Please note: All teachers, regardless of Advance eligibility, should complete roster maintenance verification in STARS.

Functional Chapters

New Guidance on school psychologist and school social worker clustering activities:
The new DOE-UFT contract requires that schools complete the following clustering activities: elect a Deployment Advisory Committee (DAC) and train new members; review referral data and hold a clustering meeting; post vacant CSE positions for school psychologists, school social workers and special education teachers assigned at the CSE; and conduct retention activities and fill remaining vacancies through the Open Market Transfer System. For more information, including clustering activity deadlines, see the DOE memo and the School Psychologist and School Social Worker Clustering Calendar.

New Workshops for social workers and licensed mental health staff: School social workers and licensed mental health staff are encouraged to attend mental health workshops presented by the UFT Member Assistance Program (MAP) and LearnUFT. The sessions will take place at the UFT borough offices. The first session is on Thursday, April 11, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., at the UFT Staten Island borough office, 4456 Amboy Road. The registration fee is $50. Participants earn two Continuing Education hours upon completion. Enroll ASAP. These classes fill up quickly. For complete course descriptions and to register online, see the LearnUFT Courses for Social Workers page on the UFT website. 

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 Apply for a Green Team Mini-Grant: School green teams are encouraged to apply for a $1,000 grant awarded by the New York City Department of Sanitation and Citizens Committee for New York City. Grants must be used for green team expenses such as recycling and garden projects, T-shirts/uniforms, school sustainability events, and eco-friendly giveaways. All K–12 schools are invited to apply. The application deadline is Friday, May 3. For details and to apply, see the Zero Waste Schools page on the UFT website. For more information, see the Zero Waste Schools website or email schools [at] dsny [dot] nyc [dot] gov (schools[at]dsny[dot]nyc[dot]gov).

Deadline extended to celebrate Passover at the UFT Labor Seder: The registration deadline has been extended to Monday, April 1, for the UFT Jewish Heritage Committee and the Jewish Labor Committee Labor Seder. All members are invited to celebrate Passover with the UFT 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.

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 Saturday, April 6, 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, complete the online form. If you have questions, 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 High Schools Sterling Roberson at SRoberson [at] uft [dot] org (SRoberson[at]uft[dot]org). For more information, see the Tech4All flier.

Salary and Personnel

New Members on leave must reapply by May 15: UFT-represented employees who are currently on leave must notify the Department of Education of plans for next school year by Wednesday, May 15. If you do not notify the DOE about your plans or fail to apply for a leave extension by the May 15 deadline, the DOE will view you as having voluntarily resigned from your position. Members on leave will receive an email from the DOE that explains how to log into SOLAS to state your intentions. Members who have questions should contact their UFT borough office.

New  Employees must give 30 days’ notice before resigning: According to Chancellor's Regulations, employees who are resigning must give at least 30 calendar days’ notice. Therefore, if a UFT-represented employee wants to resign (not retire) effective Sept. 3, the first day of school in the 2019–20 school year, that employee must submit a letter of resignation by Friday, Aug. 2. If you are considering resignation, you should know that by resigning you forfeit your claim to lump-sum payments stemming from the 2014 contract. According to the DOE, employees who resign without providing 30 calendar days’ notice will be given a problem code in their personnel file that will flag them for review should they wish to return to teaching in the future. While there is no requirement to give notice for retirement, employees who are interested in taking terminal leave prior to retirement must also give 30 days’ notice.

New Direct deposit for per diems and for per-session work: Per-diem employees are eligible to enroll in direct deposit. In addition, all Q-bank employees who participate in direct deposit must enroll separately for their per-session payroll. All DOE payroll memoranda can be found on the DOE’s Payroll Portal.

New Free tax prep for paras, new teachers and other qualifying members: Paraprofessionals and other members may be eligible for free online or in-person tax preparation through the city’s NYC Free Tax Prep program. This service allows users to take advantage of deductions and credits including the Earned Income Tax Credit and NYC Child Care Tax Credit. Income thresholds for 2017 earnings are $66,000 for online filing and $54,000 for in-person assistance. For more information, including what you need to file, see the Access NYC Free Tax Prep English guide or the Access NYC Free Tax Prep Spanish guide. Information is also available in other languages.

UFT schedules more Student Debt Relief Program information sessions: 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 I 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 Spring Education Conference: Online registration has opened for the UFT’s Spring Education Conference, the union's signature annual conference that celebrates, supports and inspires members' 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.

Teaching and Learning

New Lessons on Cesar Chavez: The AFT’s Share My Lesson can help you teach about the civil rights and labor activism of Cesar Chavez. Elementary students can learn how Chavez created a movement based in the principles of union organizing and nonviolent civil disobedience. Middle school students can listen to a podcast about Cesar Chavez, fellow activist Dolores Huerta and the United Farm Workers Union. High school students can honor the life of Cesar Chavez by choosing from different writing formats. You can find more lessons and webinars on the Share My Lesson website.

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This Week in Education and Labor News

Special Olympics funding restored: President Trump overruled Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who sought to eliminate funding for the Special Olympics in their education budget proposal, reports The Hill. DeVos has faced mounting scrutiny from lawmakers in both major parties after the department's budget proposal for fiscal year 2020 did not include funding for the program. Trump restored the funding hours after she had defended the decision to Senate appropriators.

Harris proposes giving teachers a raise: Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris has proposed a $315 billion boost in federal spending to give the average public school teacher a $13,500 raise, reports Bloomberg.com. The pay raise would be funded by higher estate taxes. The U.S. senator from California cited a finding by the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute that teachers earned 11.1 percent less in 2017 than similarly qualified professionals after factoring in benefits.

Charter founders exposed in fraud: A new report shows how two California charter operators made millions of dollars in profits from their schools, reports the Los Angeles Times. Financial records reveal Clark and Jeanette Parker’s Today’s Fresh Start charter schools in Los Angeles paid more than $800,000 annually to rent buildings the couple own. The charters have also contracted out services to the Parkers’ nonprofits and companies and paid Clark and Parker generous consulting fees, all with taxpayer money. How the Parkers have stayed in business, surviving years of allegations of financial and academic wrongdoing, illustrates glaring flaws in the way California oversees its growing number of charter schools.

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Events Calendar

Featured

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.” The special guest speaker is Mark Treyger, the chair of the City Council’s Education Committee. To register, see the online form.

Friday, April 12: The Academic High School Awards celebration will take place at UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway, 2nd floor, Shanker Hall. Doors open at 4 p.m., and the awards ceremony begins at 5:30 p.m. We will honor the heroes of our school communities for their commitment to our students, our profession and our union. For more information and to register online, see the item in This Week’s Focus.

This Week

Sunday, March 31: REGISTRATION CLOSED — UFT members will attend HERstory brunch, a celebration of the women of the UFT, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway.

Wednesday, April 3: REGISTRATION CLOSED — Staten Island-based members may attend a maternity and child care leave workshop from 4 to 6 p.m. at the UFT’s Staten Island borough office, 4456 Amboy Road

Wednesday, April 3: The Academic High Schools citywide meeting will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. at the UFT’s Queens borough office, 97-77 Queens Blvd., Rego Park.

Wednesday, April 3: The School Nurses Chapter meeting begins at 4 p.m. at the UFT’s Bronx borough office, 2500 Halsey St.

Wednesday, April 3: 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. Register online.

Wednesday, April 3: The UFT’s Member Assistance Program invites those with family members affected by mental illness or addiction to Weathering the Storm: Relapses. This support group meets from 4:30 to 5:45 p.m. at UFT headquarters, 50 Broadway. You'll learn coping strategies and receive 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.  

Thursday, April 4: Manhattan-based members may attend a maternity and child care leave workshop from 4 to 6 p.m. at the UFT's Manhattan borough office, 52 Broadway, 10th floor. Participants will learn about their rights concerning paid parental, maternity, child care and FMLA leaves. Register online. For more information, see the Manhattan Maternity Workshop flier.

Thursday, April 4: Queens-based members in their third trimester of pregnancy may attend a maternity workshop from 4 to 6 p.m. at the UFT’s Queens borough office, 97-77 Queens Blvd., 5th floor, Rego Park. Participants will learn how to plan for the third trimester and beyond. 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 Maternity Workshop flier.

Thursday, April 4: The Bronx Student Debt Relief Program information session takes place from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the UFT’s Bronx borough office, 2500 Halsey St. Register online. For more information, see the item in Salary and Personnel.

Save the Date

Saturday, May 11: The sixth annual Middle School division 5K Family Run/Walk will take place from 8:30 a.m. to noon at MCU Park, Coney Island, 1904 Surf Ave. For more information, see the 5K Family Run/Walk flier.

Saturday, June 1: The second annual UFT Pride Committee Daniel Dromm Scholarship Brunch will take place at UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway, 2nd floor, from 12 to 3 p.m. The registration fee is $75. For more information and to download the mail-in coupon, see the Daniel Dromm Scholarship Brunch flier.

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

Mulgrew slams education bureaucracy at city budget hearing

Photo Gallery: Paraprofessionals Festival and Awards Luncheon 2019

Photo Gallery: United Community Schools Showcase

Photo Gallery: Functional Chapter Meet the President 2019

Photo Gallery: Irish American Committee Heritage Celebration 2019

Photo Gallery: Meet the President for Districts 13–17, 32 and Brooklyn High Schools

Photo Gallery: Hellenic American Educators Association Celebration of Greek Independence 2019

Manhattan Parent Newsletter - March 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, April 3, from 4 to 6 p.m., monthly meeting.

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: Bradley Alter, George Altomare, Amy Arundell, LeRoy Barr, Jackie Bennett, Hannah Brown, Tom Brown, Emma Camacho-Mendez, Joseph Colletti, Crystal Deoraj, Raul Garcia, Alison Gendar, MaryJo Ginese, Brian Gibbons, Anthony Harmon, Sarah Herman, Janella Hinds, David Kazansky, Junior Linton, Joe LoVerde, Richard Mantell, Samantha Mark, Deidre McFadyen, Michael Murphy, Gabriel Nott, Suzanne Popadin, Debra Penny, Jeffrey Povalitis, Tina Puccio, Nadine Reis, Sterling Roberson, Michael Sill, Anne Silverstein, Geofrey Sorkin, Liz Truly, Kerry Yefet and Shelvy Young-Abrams.