Message from Mindy

By MINDY BORNEMANN
Chapter leader

I hope that all of you had a restful summer.

I am very pleased that over the summer the union had a big win on the use of the 37.5 minutes for non-District 75 schools. An arbitrator ruled that the Department of Education had violated our contract when it assigned speech teachers in non-District 75 schools during the extended time to work with new students who were mandated to receive speech improvement services. That use of the 37.5 minutes, the arbitrator concluded, was tantamount to working an additional regular teaching period – which was not the purpose of the extended time. If you provided mandated services during the 37.5 minutes in a non-District 75 school last year, please contact my office as soon as possible.

I’m also pleased to report that, adhering to the arbitrator’s decision, District 75, where we had the same issue, has rescinded its order that speech teachers provide mandated services during the extended time. Here’s the bottom line: no one should be providing mandated services during this extended time.

The speech chapter hotline number and elected executive board members are listed in this newsletter. Please feel free to contact my office or any executive board member at their homes after school if you have a question or a problem. We are also looking for volunteer liaisons in the following districts: 1, 2, 7, 8, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 32.Please help us out by giving information, sharing feedback from meetings and workshops, and being an active participant in this great chapter.

We meet monthly at UFT headquarters to discuss matters important to the chapter. If you would like me to come to your district or regional speech meeting on a Monday or Wednesday, please send me an e-mail. I will call your speech supervisor to arrange for my visit.

There are many changes in the structure of the Department of Education.If you are not able to get information from your speech supervisor or school chapter leader, please call us.We want to make sure that children receive their mandated services appropriately and according to their Individual Educational Plans, which are legal documents.

I wish all of you a wonderful year and hope you get involved in our chapter.

Fraternally,

— Mindy Karten Bornemann

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