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President's Perspective

In support of community schools

If ever there was a time when the need for schools to serve as community centers was self-evident, it is now. Our union’s United Community Schools initiative, now nearly 10 years old, serves as a lifeline for thousands of students and their families. We are asking Albany for more support because we need more community schools.

Our fight for smaller class sizes

We’ve known for decades that smaller classes enhance teaching and learning. But the pandemic drove home that class size is also a public health issue. We are pushing for legislation that would change the health section of the city’s administrative code to mandate minimal square footage of 28 to 35 square feet per student.

More challenges ahead

We are operating in a constantly changing environment. You’re teaching and supporting children while enforcing social distancing and mask-wearing, conducting instructional lunches and navigating partial classroom closures. As flexible as we’ve all have been as we adapt to these new circumstances, it has been extremely stressful.

Rolling up our sleeves once again

We are heading into another really tough school year. And once again, the mayor waited until the last minute to make major policy decisions regarding public schools.

What our kids need

Rebuilding and strengthening the bonds of our school community, classroom by classroom, will be one of the most important tasks we take on in September.

A new level of investment

There is a new level of investment in public schools and it didn't happen by accident. It's a reminder that at every level, elections matter. Your voice matters. When we pull together, we can shift public policy in meaningful ways. That's our power as a union.