Hannah Brown
New York Teacher Reporter
Summer wellness: rekindling social ties
While the slower pace of the summer months presents an opportunity to improve our private habits and routines, we can also turn our attention to an aspect of health that’s too often ignored in an individualistic culture: our social relationships.
Member Assistance Program’s Let’s Talk About It
More than 200 Queens middle school students gathered at the Queens County Farm Museum for the fourth annual Let’s Talk About It event sponsored by the UFT’s Member Assistance Program.
‘Co-creating learning’
Teacher Kristen Rush of the HS for Public Service in Brooklyn was awarded for Excellence in Education at this year's Academic High School Awards for her ability to better engage students in her English curriculum by incorporating their insights into her lesson plans.
Academic High Schools Awards
Over 300 UFT members from academic high schools donned formal attire to celebrate themselves and their colleagues at a prom-themed Academic High School Awards celebration on May 31.
The building blocks of success
The benefits of 3-K are solid, with the youngest students gaining the foundation they need to succeed in pre-K and beyond as educators engage them in hands-on activities and play-based learning crucial to developing their young minds.
Waitlisted and worried
The union launched a #StartStrong campaign this spring after Mayor Eric Adams failed to restore $170 million in mid-year cuts he made to 3-K and pre-K. The campaign is pushing the city to restore funding for 3-K and pre-K seats in the city budget, reassign 3-K and pre-K seats to neighborhoods where they’re needed, and invest in marketing so families know that early childhood education is available and how to apply.
Lunar New Year Banquet
Some 350 guests were treated to fiery lion dancers and a delicious traditional Chinese meal as the UFT Asian Heritage Committee hosted its annual Lunar New Year Banquet. Marian C. Thom, the founder and longtime chair of the committee, was honored.
The importance of being ‘seen’
Educators' extra efforts working collaboratively and leading their students at Francis Lewis HS in Queens paid off with an extra special Black History Month celebration featuring a number of high-profile speakers, including film director Malcolm Lee and actor Siddiq Saunderson.
Celebrating 10 years of DASA training
Ten years ago, the UFT saved the jobs of 10,000 members by providing training on combating discrimination, bullying and harassment in schools The six hours of training was required by the then-new state law, the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA), for teachers, paraprofessionals and school clinicians to maintain their state certification. Many of the trainers, past and present, came together on Feb. 8 to mark the anniversary.
Find your tribe
UFT members have an opportunity to connect with like-minded colleagues on a deeper level, thanks to a unionwide invigoration of UFT professional committees and a new enrollment process that makes it much easier to participate.