When PS 11 Chapter Leader Gloria Castillo began to think about retirement, she also began to plan for a seamless transition in union leadership at her Chelsea school.

Sandra Leiser, the chapter leader at PS 44 in the Bronx, won compensation for her staff after an operational issues dispute with the principal, who arbitrarily shortened the staff lunch period at the start of the school year.

Co-chapter leaders at PS 21 in Flushing, Queens, are being recognized for lifting the spirits of their colleagues during the pandemic by leaving positive messages and small gifts on their desks and around the school, organizing online exercise classes for remote staff and arranging small celebrations.

Twenty-eight chapter leaders received the Ely Trachtenberg award in recognition of their service in the 2019-20 school year. The award, named for a teacher whose rank-and-file  organizing skills were critical to building the union, recognized chapters and their leaders who carry on that tradition with strong member engagement and advocacy.

The chapter leader at Staten Island Tech spearheaded the development of a programming school-based option (SBO) for this school year that addressed the needs of the school community at his specialized high school. 

The Delegate Assembly overwhelmingly approved four resolutions at its Nov. 18 meeting, which took place via conference call.