The president visits: PS 53, Brooklyn

Dave Sanders

Dave Sanders

Mulgrew chats with Richard Nonnon, a paraprofessional at the school.

Dave Sanders

PS 53 Chapter Leader Pierre Labissiere with Mulgrew.

What you see is what you get — the unity in the photo above truly represents the educators at PS 53 in Brooklyn, “a great school, which is a testament to the great teachers and administrators working together,” UFT President Michael Mulgrew said during his Jan. 25 visit. The District 75 school in East New York prides itself on helping all children succeed academically. Mulgrew discussed the struggle to reach a fair teacher evaluation system for New York City’s teachers. Another pressing challenge, he said, is teacher retention, now at an appalling 50 percent after five years for some subject areas. Citing the school’s high rate of student growth, Mulgrew invited educators to join a committee that the UFT is forming to help create metrics for special-needs students. He also spoke about the training the UFT is currently offering on the Danielson Framework for Teaching and urged them to take part in that. “It’s about growth and development and when done properly can make a big difference,” he said. Educators raised questions ranging from the status of the union’s negotiations for a new contract with the city, to what’s going on with Teacher’s Choice funding for school supplies, to the mayor’s discussion of merit pay in his State of the City address.