Cara Matthews

This year's Retired Teachers Chapter Luncheon celebrated the "visionaries" on whose shoulders stand retirees and in-service members alike as some 500 attendees were urged to continue advocating for political change and the rights of educators, students and families.

"Pete the Cat" author Eric Litwin led early childhood educators in a merry dance as they practiced how to engage the city's youngest learners in a love for reading during the 16th annual Early Childhood Conference held at the UFT headquarters.

In March, educators at Maxine Green HS for Imaginative Inquiry in Manhattan received word that their school would close in June. Winning the Academic High School Division's Team High School Award, said the chapter leader, was "a fitting end to the journey."

CTE Award winning teacher Craig Cannizzaro has a knack for getting his students in his video design class at Ralph McKee CTE HS on Staten Island animated about coding and other key software engineering skills.

CTE Award-winning baking teacher Shamel Donigan provides his students at Food and Finance HS with the tools to find success in the culinary industry and in life.

We can all use a little assistance sometimes. Retirees in need of a listening ear, help navigating hospital and rehabilitation stays, care for an ailing loved one, or other services can get free and confidential assistance by calling UFT Welfare Fund Retiree Social Services.

Music has long been the soundtrack to Nancy Dunetz's life, and now the retired English as a second language educator has found a new calling as a violist for two ensembles in New York City.

At least four states are considering following North Dakota in mandating that a factually incorrect and misleading animated video of fetal development be shown in elementary schools.


Starbucks is slated to begin bargaining in late April with delegates from its 400 unionized stores after agreeing to end its two-year campaign against union organizing.