Social Worker and Psychologist Newsletter
Feb 15, 2006 4:10 PM
Dear Colleague:
I would like to wish you all a happy and healthy New Year.
Workload Dispute Process
I am pleased to announce that the Workload Dispute Process has been tailored to meet the needs of our Chapter. We have provided a link to the forms:http://www.uft.org/chapter/psychologist/forms/
Contract Implementation
Contact your Borough Leaders to advise them of implementation problems or go to implementationquestions@uft.org.
Extended Day
Psychologist and Social Workers will work an extra 10 minutes per day beginning on February 6, 2006. The 37˝ minute concept applies only to teachers. Among the appropriate activities that could be conducted during this time are: case management, writing reports, completing IEPs, contacting or meeting with parents, consultation, contact with community organizations and completing attendance books. This time is to be used as an extension to your regular job duties. No job responsibilities were negotiated for our Chapter. Psychologists and Social Workers are not licensed to teach, and may not do so. Proctoring exams falls within the scope of teaching. Circular 6 does not apply to our Chapter, although we may vote on it as members of the school staff.
Some Principals are giving Team Social Workers and Psychologists random groups of children to see for counseling during the teachers’ 37 ˝ minute extended day. This is a violation of the contract and should be grieved. The purpose of the extended day for teachers is to give selected students an opportunity to receive tutoring, small group instruction or test preparation, not counseling. In addition, as stated previously, we are working 10 more minutes per day and we are not involved at all in the 37 ˝ minute teacher’s extended day.
20 Hours
Psychologists are still entitled to 20 hours per year of per session to do case management. Requests should be submitted in writing to the Chairperson and/or Clinical Supervisor for approval. Let your Chapter Borough Leader know if there are any problems.
Psychologist Action Committee
This committee continues to meet on a monthly basis. The survey results have been tabulated and will be presented to the committee at this month’s meeting. The committee will decide on the next steps to be taken, and we will inform you of the results and plans as they develop.
Social Worker Action Committee
This Committee also continues to meet on a monthly basis. It is in the process of developing a survey that will attempt to identify areas that are problematic for the diverse group.
Member File Review
Negative letters in the file that are older than 3 years will be removed. Speak to your school Chapter Leader about how this process will work in your school. Personnel files are kept in the majority school. There will also be a process for file review for the CSE members. This is presently in the development stage.
Staff Development Menu
If you have items that you would like to have included in the menu, submit them to the Committee on Special Education Chairperson or your Borough Leader.
Identity Theft
Personal and financial information for more than 5,000 members of the Teacher’s Retirement System were wrongfully accessed by a temporary employee and some of their bank accounts were compromised.
TRS has written to all members whose records were accessed. Affected members are urged to review their bank accounts and immediately notify the bank, the TRS and the district attorney’s office if there are unauthorized transactions. They should also request credit reports from the three primary credit rating organizations: Experian 1-888-397-3742 or www.experian.com, Equifax 1-800-685-1111 or www.equifax.com,Trans Union 1-800-888-4213 or www.transunion.com and place a fraud alert on their accounts at these agencies.
Members who have any questions concerning recent transactions from their TRS accounts should contact TRS. Member Services Center at 1-888-8NYC-TRS or their UFT Borough Office and ask to speak to a pension consultant.
Katrina Relief
The UFT established a Disaster Relief Fund to help in disaster situations like that visited on the Gulf Coast states last year. We are asking our members to purchase the UFT Relief Fund pin by making a donation of $10.00. All monies will be used to assist all our members. For more information go to http://www.uft.org/r/2563/623896.
Fraternally,
Ann Englesbe
Chapter Leader
