After providing online courses only during the COVID-19 pandemic, the UFT’s Si Beagle Learning Center in the Bronx welcomed retirees in the Bronx section back into the building this spring for a limited number of in-person classes.

Ira Faber, coordinator of the Retired Teachers Chapter's Suffolk section on Long Island, has seen an uptick in attendance at Si Beagle courses since they became virtual during the pandemic.

In the RTC's Ocala section in Florida, members new to retirement connect with those in their 70s and 80s, who are the majority in the section and have been enjoying life after school for many years.

Building an RTC section can take time, but there are ways to make sure the building blocks are in place. Judy Rosenstein, coordinator of the New Jersey section, says the Si Beagle courses are an important part of the process. 

Retirees in the RTC's Brooklyn section have made the best of the pandemic situation, with a record turnout of 1,030 retirees attending virtual Si Beagle classes.

During the pandemic, retirees in Queens are keeping busy and staying connected with each other by taking the UFT’s Si Beagle courses remotely on Zoom.