Occupational & Physical Therapists
Our next chapter meeting is Wednesday, Dec. 2, 4 - 6 p.m., at UFT Bronx Borough Office, 2500 Halsey Street, Bronx, NY 10461. View the flyer here.
School-Related Professionals Recognition Day
The UFT has organized SRP Recognition Day gatherings in each of the boroughs. Please realize that these events are on first come, first served basis, and that you must RSVP.
Staten Island
Tuesday, Nov. 17
4:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Uncle Vinnie’s Comedy Club
168 New Dorp Lane
(The Old Lane Theatre)
To RSVP, please email Betzaida Colon at bcolon@uft.org.
Bronx
Thursday, Nov. 19
6:00 – 11:00 p.m.
UFT Bronx Office
2500 Halsey Street, Bronx, NY 10461
To RSVP, call Nanette at (718) 862-6087
Brooklyn
Thursday, Nov. 19
5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
UFT Brooklyn Office
335 Adams Street, 25th floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201
To RSVP, call the Brooklyn UFT office at (718) 852-4900
Manhattan
Thursday, Nov. 19
3:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Grand Harmony Restaurant
98 Mott Street, New York, NY 10013
To RSVP, print this flyer, fill out the bottom section and return to Irma Rodriguez.
Welcome!
Dear UFT Occupational and Physical Therapists,
I hope your summer was relaxing, rejuvenating and gratifying for all. This letter marks my first communication on our refreshed Web site as the OT/PT Chapter Leader. I would like to take the time to let you know that it is an honor to serve you. Leading a chapter of over 1,300 therapists is an enormous responsibility, and I promise to dedicate myself to the tasks before us.
Just to let you know that I am proud to announce that we have a new UFT President. His name is Michael Mulgrew. Having known him we have a real advocate for the union, our professions and Special Education.
As you may know we are currently in contract negotiations. With our current contract having expired at the end of October, many of you have asked me where we are with these negotiations. The UFT has formed a 300-member negotiating committee that held its first meeting in July and next in September. You were all asked to fill out a survey that was designed to gather information to help shape the union’s goals and priorities in the upcoming bargaining, I hope you all sent it in to have your voices heard.
There are great shortages of Occupational and Physical Therapists across the country. In the city I know that there is mounting pressure to change therapists’ mandates and give less services. We as professionals must balance best practices, meeting the needs of the children, while moving along the continuum of services. We also need to be mindful of whether the student's functional skills are commensurate with his or her peers and how they are doing educationally. If you are getting pressured to change mandates and you do not agree with the administration, then you need to file a Special Education Complaint because we need to know that this is happening to you. As a professional, you must decide what the best practice is for each and every student. It should not be decided on shortages of personnel. This is a very difficult job and it takes skill, dedication and the right balance to make sure that the child is receiving what they really need to do their best. We at the OT/PT chapter are here to support you.
Our chapter is in need of union activists; please consider joining me on the Executive Board for the OT/PT Chapter. If you would like to become more active in your union, please contact my office directly at 212-598-7705 or by e-mail at lmcdonnell@uft.org. We hope to hear from you!
There will be several chapter meetings held in the UFT borough offices this year and I hope you will make every effort to attend. These meetings will be posted on the website so please check it periodically.
At this time I am asking you to reach out to our colleagues to be sure everyone has given their personal e-mail address to the UFT membership department as all correspondence will be via the Internet. Members can click here to sign up on uft.org which will ensure that you receive union e-mail messages. We will also try to keep you informed about any developments affecting our chapter via your non-DOE e-mail address.
The UFT’s “There is NO EXCUSE” campaign last year was very successful. The campaign is aimed at making sure special education students get the support and services they need and to which they are entitled. The campaign will continue and be expanded this year. Look for information in your schools and in the New York Teacher. Last year we netted over 1,000 complaints in just a few months, many of which concerned issues pertaining to delivery of related services. This is good for students and our chapter. For more on the “NO EXCUSE” campaign, visit the campaign Web page. To file a complaint, use the online form on the campaign’s Web page or call the special campaign hotline at 212-701-9499.
I am wishing you all a terrific 2009-2010 school year.
Fraternally,
Leslie A. McDonnell
OT/PT Chapter Leader
