Welcome to the Guidance Counselors Chapter Web page

Dear Colleagues,

It is with sincere pleasure that I welcome you to the Guidance Counselors Chapter Webpage. I have decided to bring our chapter into the 21st century and to keep our website current. I will make it user friendly and work to update it frequently. I hope that the webpage will provide you with important information useful to you both personally and professionally. Please find below a brief review of important events and occurrences from the past year and announcements of those now on the horizon as we move further into the 2007-2008 school year. As always I am available to answer your questions either by phone at 212-598-7776 or email at areformato@uft.org. I hope you all have a successful year.

Fraternally,

Angela Reformato
Chapter Leader

I. New DOE Governance Structure

I have posted a link here to changes in the governance of the Department of Education that involve counselors. As you probably have heard, each borough will now be serviced by an Instructional Support Team (ISC). I have listed the names and emails for the contact person for guidance services at each ISC. Each team will also have a counselor assigned to it. Some of these counselors have already been assigned; others are yet to be named. As soon as the list is finalized, I will provide you with their contact information.

II. New Contract

As you know, in November 2006 the UFT negotiated an unprecedented early contract. The new contract, ratified in December 2006 and implemented on Oct. 13, 2007, provides for a 2% increase in salary for all UFT-represented members. Your Oct. 31 check should include this increase, as well as arrears for October 13, 14, and 15.

The new contract also stipulates that on May 19, 2008, all members will receive an additional 5% increase. Those members who have completed 5 years of service will also receive the new 5-year longevity of $1,000.

Finally, per session rates have also increased. Effective October 13, 2007, the per session rate for counselors is $42.98 an hour. On May 19, 2008, this will be raised to $45.13 an hour.

III. Teacher’s Choice Allotment

We have also received an increase in our Teacher’s Choice allotment. All counselors will now receive $200 to spend on guidance related materials. This is an increase of $50. You should save your relevant receipts from August 1 thru March 15, 2008. Details on submitting the receipts will be given at a later date.

IV. Professional Development

I have met with Elayna Konstan, the new Executive Director of the Office of Youth Development at Tweed, and she has agreed to collaborate with our chapter on professional development and to keep me informed on changes that affect counselors. She has also assigned Lois Herrera, a former counselor form District 25, to be the new Director of Student Support Services. Lois is a wonderful addition to that office – she and I have already worked together for your benefit.

V. Brochure: “School Guidance Counselors in New York City Public Schools”

You all should have received by now a copy of the new guidance brochure, “School Guidance Counselors in New York City Public Schools,” completed last June. This brochure is the result of 2 years of work by a committee of counselors, supervisors, and directors of college counseling programs. I congratulate and thank all those who served on the committee. You can access the brochure here. Please also feel free to call my office if you would like us to send you additional hard copies. You should display it proudly and use it to demonstrate to administrators and parents your important role in the educational community.

VI. Metro Counselors Meeting Update

In early October, I had the opportunity to attend the Metro Counselors Meeting, a meeting of all of the directors of counseling programs in New York City and the surrounding suburbs. They have agreed to provide counselors with workshops, to be held across the city, which will be beneficial to them. Further information concerning this matter will be posted shortly.

VII. National School Counselor Week

We will be launching National School Counselor Week with the 4th Annual Guidance Counselor Conference on Saturday, February 2, 2008, at UFT Central. This year’s theme is “School Counselors: Creating Pathways to Success.” More details will follow in a few weeks.