Social Worker and Psychologist Newsletter

Mar 4, 2008 1:11 PM

Dear Colleague:

The most recent reorganization, July 2007, has again put the system into a state of confusion, and it has taken some time to realize the effect upon our working conditions. As usual, the reorganization means more work and less support. Regions are now Boroughs and there are, again, 32 Districts, each with a Superintendent. The Integrated Service Centers supervise the Committees on Special Education, but it is not clear, in some Boroughs, what the relationship is between the CSE and the public school teams. There seems to be a general lack of understanding of what school psychologists and school social workers do, and the amount of time that that it takes to actually help human beings to become productive citizens of society. SBST school psychologists are faced with a system that has quadrupled their workload, making it impossible for them to be what they are trained to be: advocates for children. School social workers and school psychologists are faced with situations in which principals and school administrators are unfamiliar with Special Education laws and guidelines and the due process rights of parents and children. All of our members are facing a professional and ethical crisis.

The time has come to act. We must exercise the rights we have under the contract to grieve and file workload disputes. In addition, the UFT will be calling on you in the near future to mobilize. We need to demonstrate to the DOE that we have had enough. I hope that the UFT can count on all of you to help us to get that message across.

There definitely is strength in numbers!

Clustering

Several people have asked about clustering, and I expect the process to begin in late April with the distribution of the guidelines and the calendar. It will be important for you to make sure that the Deployment Advisory Committees, which you elect, have complete and accurate workload data for each of your schools. This is particularly important now for those people who have 3 to 6 schools in one building.

I expect there to be even more confusion this year than usual because the DOE has allowed principals to supplement their SBSTs by either hiring F status people or by paying for additional services out of their school budgets.

We need to be vigilant in protecting our retention rights. Just imagine what life would be like without them.

The Open Market Hiring System is the only vehicle you can use to transfer. The UFT is aware of the many irregularities in this system. There is a grievance pending on the fact that not all vacant positions are posted, as the DOE agreed.

Unfortunately, the DOE is not obligated to interview all of the people who apply for a vacancy and they are not obligated to hire the people that they interview.

There have been several people who have successfully transferred under this system but, for our Chapter, it has been less successful than the Clinical Transfer Plan.

55/25

Governor Spitzer signed 55/25 on February 27, 2008. Check the N.Y. Teacher for details. The UFT will be providing you with all of the information that you will need in order to make an informed decision about whether or not to opt in.

Know Your Rights

The UFT is in the process of developing a summary of some of your contractual rights, including information about the Jose P. Stipulation. Many items in the Know Your Rights document that was prepared for Pedagogues in February, 2007, also apply to you.

Read that document at www.uft.org. Search for Know Your Rights, Pedagogues, 2/6/07.

You should have received the white contract book at home by mail. It and any of the Memoranda of Agreement following contract negotiations are available at www.uft.org.

Omnibus Workload Dispute

The UFT is developing an Omnibus Workload Dispute on behalf of the SBST school psychologists.

Individual Workload Dispute

If you wish to file an individual workload dispute concerning any workload issue, go to www.uft.org, My Chapter and scroll down to Workload Dispute Form and Guidelines.

Sabbaticals

Applicants must submit applications to Principals by March 24, 2008.

Borough Leaders

Manhattan: Rick Eisman (212) 734-7127x3051 Mon/Thurs.

(212) 737-9774x4030 Tues/Wed/Fri.

Bronx: Ann McKie (718) 794-7420x2326

Brooklyn Region 3(Districts:13,14,15,16,17,20,Basis D76)

Anurag Singh (718) 467-1700x287 Mon/Tues/Wed

(718) 919-1256 Thurs/Fri

Brooklyn Region 4(Districts: 18,19,21,22,23,32,Bklyn H.S. D73)

Vanessa Pressley (718) 385-1665

Queens: Lester Lehon (718) 793-3060

Staten Island: Joan Smith (718) 981-1321

Fraternally,
Ann