New York TeacherFebruary 15, 2024
The Progressive Redesign Opportunity Schools for Excellence program is marking its 10th anniversary this school year. Read about the celebration and two schools that have used the initiative to reimagine old practices and pursue deeper, more engaging units of study.
Cover Story
'Giving control to the people doing the work'
The Progressive Redesign Opportunity Schools for Excellence (PROSE) program, which affords schools the freedom to experiment and innovate, is marking its 10th anniversary this school year. Nearly 300 teachers, chapter leaders and principals from the now 217 PROSE schools citywide gathered at union headquarters on Dec. 12 to celebrate.
PROSE was established as part of the 2014 DOE-UFT contract to give schools with a proven record of collaboration between administration and faculty additional flexibility with DOE and state regulations and contractual provisions. They use this latitude to rethink tradition and redesign aspects of their schools to meet their school community’s specific needs.
The proposed changes are teacher-driven. “We’re giving control to the people who are actually doing the work,” said UFT President Michael Mulgrew, who moderated a panel discussion of…
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“Twenty eyes are better than two” is a refrain that swim team members at John Adams HS in Queens hear from their coach, physical education teacher Alex Navarrete, encouraging them to watch out for one another’s safety. They found out how true it is one afternoon in December 2023 when their attentiveness helped Navarrete save a teammate’s life.
“One of my students said, ‘Coach, he’s underwater,’ and I was able to jump in and get him right away,” explained Navarrete. “Every second counts when you’re underwater. Five seconds more could have been…
Time for projects
Central Park East II, which has participated in PROSE for all 10 years of its existence, has used the freedom that the program affords to embrace project-based learning, change its teacher evaluation system and more.
‘A game-changer’
Thanks to the PROSE program, Concord HS, a transfer high school for students ages 16 to 21 on Staten Island, has been able to revamp its school hours to meet the needs of its unique student population, who have not thrived in a traditional high school. That flexible schedule means that students don’t have to choose between school and shifts at Amazon or other work.
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Member Spotlight
Shawnequa Holt-Pate, supervisor of school security
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Kudos to Catrina Como, PS 376, Brooklyn
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CTE Division’s Impact on Achievement Conference
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UFT holiday party and toy drive
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If you dwell on the negative, reliving frustrations and anger, you can feel trapped inside those emotions. Conversely, when you focus on the things you are grateful for, it can have a ripple effect on your mood and your entire day.
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Grants, Awards & Freebies
See our list of current opportunities for educators to receive funds and recognition for their hard work and dedication.
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Tax deduction for educators now $300
Eligible educators can deduct from their federal income taxes up to $300 of unreimbursed expenses from 2023 for books, supplies, computer equipment and other materials they use in the classroom. The agency raised the deduction from $250 to $300 for tax year 2022.
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As a member of TRS or BERS, you have options for the distribution of your retirement allowance under the Qualified Pension Plan. As with other major financial decisions, the choice depends on your situation and your finances at retirement.
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VPerspective
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For $120 a year, UFT retirees who are members of the Retired Teachers Chapter can obtain supplemental benefits that reimburse them for some out-of-pocket expenses, including ambulance rides, dental work, hearing aids and private-duty nursing.
To obtain the special package of 15 benefits, which the RTC developed more than 40 years ago, members must enroll in the Supplemental Health Insurance Program (SHIP) within one year of retiring. There is no requirement for a medical exam to join. The maximum lifetime benefit for any SHIP participant is $100,000.
Enrollment in the program continues to increase. It currently covers 89,987 UFT retirees and spouses, who are eligible for the same benefits for the same fee. SHIP processed 20,547 claims in 2023.
“The UFT’s health care, social services and Si Beagle Learning Center programs for retirees are like stars in the firmament of earned benefits,” said Tom Murphy, the RTC chapter leader. “SHIP shines brightly for…
Remember the achievements
William Faulkner famously said, “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” In our politically forgetful society, many forget what happened in politics last month, let alone what happened two or three years ago.
Florida Center wants you — in person!
The UFT Florida Center in Boca Raton is now open each weekday, and members can stop by any time from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.