Category Archive
Welfare Fund adds two benefit enhancementsJun 26, 2008
UFT Welfare Fund trustees approved two new benefit enhancements at their June 16 meeting.
‘Flunk the budget, not our kids!’Jun 26, 2008
An estimated 200 parents, teachers, students and elected officials, supported by dozens of motorists honking their horns in solidarity as they passed by, rallied in front of PS/IS 87 in Middle Village, Queens, to protest the city’s plan to slash more than $400 million that are due the schools.
Contract for Excellence hearingsJun 26, 2008
Keep the Promises Coaltion members, parents, students and other activists were out in force in June for the public hearings in each borough to discuss how to spend state funding.
Community board votes against tearing down JRECJun 05, 2008
Community Board 8 has declared its opposition to a real-estate deal that would result in tearing down the historic Julia Richman Education Complex on Manhattan’s East 67th Street.
Letters finally pulled from teachers’ files after union lawsuitJun 05, 2008
Outrage and shock turned to vindication when four Brooklyn teachers learned that disciplinary letters have finally been removed from their files and their names have been cleared following a UFT victory in its suit against the DOE.
Dial-A-Teacher does it again!Jun 05, 2008
A grateful mom says thanks to the teachers at the UFT’s homework helpline for her 4th-grader’s best grades ever.
TransitBenefit deductions not made in some members’ checksMay 27, 2008
The DOE informed the UFT that the city failed to make the May 16 TransitBenefit TSA card deduction for 421 pedagogues and paraprofessionals in their May 16 paychecks.
How to keep your NYSUT Member Benefits Trust-endorsed programs when you retireMay 22, 2008
If you are retiring, you must maintain your NYSUT membership as a retiree in order to continue participating in NYSUT Member Benefits Trust-endorsed programs such as catastrophe insurance or auto insurance.
A time for learning, tooMay 22, 2008
Besides the speeches and awards and panels and exhibits, those who attended the UFT’s Spring Education Conference also had an opportunity to sharpen their skills at four workshops that took place during the event.
Romain gets new term on TRS boardMay 22, 2008
UFT Assistant Treasurer Mona Romain has been re-elected to her fourth three-year term as a teacher-member of the Teachers’ Retirement Board.
‘Stop the invasion’May 22, 2008
The noise of the M train rattling overhead into the Knickerbocker Avenue subway station in Brooklyn was all but drowned out by the spirited protests a distant block away of many dozens of parents, students and teachers who objected to the idea of squeezing a new charter school into IS 383.
Cranky callsMay 22, 2008
UFT President Randi Weingarten, community residents, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and more than a dozen City Council members blasted the mayor and his cuts at a Lower East Side-Chinatown town hall meeting.
Notice of Dues ChangesMay 12, 2008
In accordance with the provisions of the resolution adopted by the UFT membership in referendum on Dec. 14, 1983, the following dues rate for members of the United Federation of Teachers has been adjusted to become effective May 19, 2008.
PCB threat needs to be taken seriously, Weingarten tells CouncilMay 08, 2008
Saying it was better to be safe than sorry when it comes to the potential for toxic conditions in the schools, UFT President Randi Weingarten testified before a joint hearing of three City Council committees on April 29 to discuss the danger of PCBs in the city’s schools.
Summer P course registrationApr 24, 2008
UFT members can earn P in-service credits toward their salary differential as well as New York State professional development hours through the Department of Education’s After School Development Program.
New fertility care program offeredApr 24, 2008
Starting June 1, the fertility medication benefit program available to UFT members through the city’s PICA program will be available exclusively from Freedom Fertility Pharmacy.
UFT VP: Arts lackingApr 24, 2008
UFT Vice President Leo Casey decried the dearth of the arts in public schools in testimony before a City Council hearing on April 8 on the state of arts education in New York City schools.
William C. Thompson Jr. to be honored at Spring ConferenceApr 24, 2008
New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson Jr., a former president of the New York City Board of Education, will receive the union’s most prestigious honor at its annual Spring Education Conference this year.
Providers name officersApr 24, 2008
Now that they are officially UFT members and negotiations have begun for their first contract, home child care providers are building a united, active and effective chapter for their 28,000 members.
Manhattan BP: School construction fails to keep up with home constructionApr 24, 2008
With middle-class families choosing to stay in the city, new housing is a necessity. But where are the new schools to complement the new housing?
South Bronx site chosen for UFT’s Green Dot charter schoolApr 10, 2008
Green Dot Public Schools, one of the few charter-school operators to recognize employees’ rights to belong to a union and bargain collectively, will partner with the UFT in opening a new high school in the South Bronx in September.
WTC Visitor Center seeks teachers to conduct toursApr 10, 2008
The Tribute WTC Visitor Center is looking for volunteers to conduct walking tours near the World Trade Center site.
City Council slams Klein over school cutsApr 10, 2008
City Council members ripped into Schools Chancellor Joel Klein for failing to be an advocate of schools and for fronting for the mayor’s effort to cut key education programs.
Summer P course registration starts May 5Apr 10, 2008
UFT members can earn P in-service credits toward their salary differential as well as New York State professional development hours through the Department of Education’s After School Development Program.
City’s 8th-graders score in middle in national writing testApr 10, 2008
New York City 8th-graders scored at about the average for major U.S. cities in a first-ever comparison of their writing skills with 8th-graders in other cities.
UFT exec board elects two new membersMar 27, 2008
Union veterans Ann Englesbe and Ellen Driesen were elected by unanimous consent to fill two open executive board positions at the body’s Feb. 25 meeting.
Grading the DOE report cardMar 27, 2008
UFT President Randi Weingarten, Council of School Supervisors and Administrators President Ernest Logan and New York University testing expert Bob Tobias headed a roundtable discussion at the Public Education Grantmakers Network on March 5 to discuss the Department of Education’s School Progress Reports.
What cuts is your school contemplating in September?Mar 27, 2008
Most schools not getting mandated art instruction
Mar 13, 2008
Just 4 percent of New York City’s public schools are getting the arts education required by the state, according to the Department of Education’s Annual Arts in the Schools Report.
Celebrating unionistsFeb 28, 2008
People are still talking about what a great night it was,” said Anthony Harmon, chair of the UFT African Heritage Committee.
Good dental care key for good healthFeb 28, 2008
Good dental care can save you from a lot more than mouth-stretching, nerve-jangling, drilling-torture sessions in the dentist’s chair — though avoiding those is reason enough for most people.
Broad support to re-elect Romain to TRS boardFeb 28, 2008
UFT officials are urging members to sign petitions to nominate UFT Assistant Treasurer Mona Romain for re-election as a teacher member of the Teachers’ Retirement System board.
UFT: Teacher retention ‘the real crippler’Feb 28, 2008
“Exhaustion, disillusionment and lack of support and safety in schools, and a lack of affordable housing are the big reasons why teachers quit,” UFT President Randi Weingarten told a City Council panel in early February.
Schools must have plan for removing students from classFeb 15, 2008
In a survey of UFT chapter leaders last fall, more than 300 reported that their schools do not have a student removal process — even though every school is required to have one.
UFT outlines safety guidelinesFeb 15, 2008
“We don't need to reinvent the wheel, we just have to use it,” UFT School Safety Director Sterling Roberson told City Council members investigating how well and how fairly the school suspension system works.
Pace alums asked to join e-mail blitz backing adjunct unionFeb 14, 2008
UFT President Randi Weingarten is urging all UFT and NYSUT members who are Pace University alumni to e-mail the university’s president and urge him to negotiate in good faith with the adjunct faculty local union.
UFT VP: Tweed neglects phys edFeb 14, 2008
Despite a national epidemic of childhood obesity and the many benefits of organized physical activity for students, New York City’s schools are routinely neglecting physical education, a UFT vice president told members of the state Assembly in January.
Calls for change at governance forumsJan 31, 2008
The UFT has begun gathering input from the community on school governance at public forums being held in each of the five boroughs.
UFT: Jury still out on mayoral control of schoolsJan 31, 2008
The City Council convened a Jan. 11 hearing on school governance at which UFT President Randi Weingarten testified that any firm decisions on restructuring and “mending or ending” mayoral control were premature.
UFT-Green Dot charter gets official go-aheadJan 31, 2008
In partnership with the UFT, Green Dot, a successful, unionized, charter school operator based in California, will open a high school in the Bronx this coming September.
Agreement will allow Merrick Charter teachers to join UFTJan 31, 2008
The UFT and the Merrick Academy Charter School board of trustees reached an agreement that will allow the Queens school’s teachers to unionize immediately.
UFT: Progress reports shouldn’t punishJan 17, 2008
The school progress reports touted by the Bloomberg administration as the best way to demonstrate school outcomes remain controversial months after they were released.
Getting a voiceJan 17, 2008
It was the mayor’s ban on cell phones in public schools that caused a group of high schoolers to perk up and question whether anyone was listening to them.
Monitoring the GHI-HIP mergerJan 17, 2008
The following explanatory article should help answer members’ questions and concerns about the HIP-GHI merger.
Governor reaffirms commitmentJan 17, 2008
Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s Jan. 9 State of the State message was — as are governor’s state of the state messages each year — filled with broad statements about policies to be inaugurated and problems to be solved.
Showing supportJan 17, 2008
UFT President Randi Weingarten brought solidarity greetings to tens of thousands of fired-up office cleaners on Dec. 12 fighting for better pay and working conditions.
Union helps restore order after fire ravages schoolJan 17, 2008
A fire, allegedly set by a 13-year-old student at IS 228 in Brooklyn, completely destroyed a second-floor classroom at the school and damaged five others on Jan 7.
Join the discussion on school governanceJan 10, 2008
With mayoral control of the city school system due to sunset in June 2009, the UFT task force on school governance is holding a public forum in each borough to gather the opinions of members, parents and others about the present school governance system and what changes should be made.
Nurses celebrate how far they’ve comeDec 06, 2007
At the start of the Federation of Nurses/UFT 22nd annual Professional Issues Conference, more than 200 participants — people who give round-the-clock care to young and old, rich and poor, in hospitals and schools, homes and hospices — stood up together and sang “Health Care Workers Are United,” to the tune of “Solidarity Forever.”
‘Your influence will always be in-service’Dec 06, 2007
“When you wake up to howling wind and two feet of frozen snow and switch on the radio to hear that the chancellor is keeping the schools open anyway and you suddenly realize that you can stay put and relax — then you’ll realize that it’s not still summer vacation but you’re really retired after all!”
Tightening the leadership teamworkDec 06, 2007
Professional development is like fire. It can turn your attention span to ashes or it can warm your curiosity and make you cozy up to new, helpful ideas. The District 27 Election Day Leadership Training fits snugly into the second category.
Educators’ role in school safety discussed at chapter leader workshopDec 06, 2007
Chapter leaders from every borough attended an Election Day workshop at UFT headquarters on one of the most critical areas impacting teaching and learning: school safety.
Governance commission: What should be done about mayoral control?Dec 06, 2007
With Albany legislation authorizing mayoral control of the city schools due to expire in 2009, the question on the minds of state legislators is, “Do we end it, mend it or extend it?”
‘Teach kids what they need’Dec 06, 2007
The spotlight shone most brightly on the audience at the UFT Teacher Center’s “Assessing Current Assessments” at the Urban Educators Forum on Nov. 17, as the four nationally known speakers urged teachers and unions to take the lead in stopping the misuse of standardized tests and scripted curriculums by speaking out publicly.
UFT: Many benefits from providers joining unionDec 06, 2007
UFT Vice President Michelle Bodden told the City Council that the city’s 28,000 newly organized UFT home child care providers are not simply joining a union but are, instead, “joining an education union, a connection that offers huge potential for their training and professional development.”
DOE proposes new gifted and talented policyNov 20, 2007
After a progress review of its gifted and talented education program, the Department of Education last month proposed a new policy that it believes will ensure access for all students and will be based on clear and high standards.
Are you on paper overload?Nov 15, 2007
The UFT is aware that many members are frustrated with excessive paperwork that is stealing their time from instruction.
Resolution highlights delegates’ concernsNov 15, 2007
Voicing concerns about the accuracy and fairness of the city’s school progress reports, the UFT delegate body on Nov. 7 voted to explore better accountability measures and to support any school community that wanted to protest its mark.
Conversation startersNov 15, 2007
Just over a third of New York City’s 80,000 public school teachers have five or fewer years of experience in city schools. That’s the group that UFT President Randi Weingarten reached out to this fall for conversations to hear firsthand what was on their minds.
Dial-A-Teacher links with library via InternetNov 15, 2007
The UFT has formed a partnership to link its homework help telephone line with the New York Public Library’s homework Web site.
NCLB reauthorization ‘delayed’ until next administrationNov 15, 2007
“I have some very good news: No Child Left Behind reauthorization is delayed for this session of Congress,” UFT President Randi Weingarten announced at the Nov. 7 Delegate Assembly.
Welcome homeNov 15, 2007
The city’s home child care providers, who voted overwhelmingly in October to become part of the UFT, were welcomed to the union at the Oct. 29 meeting of the Executive Board at UFT headquarters.
Fund needs proof for full-time student dependentsNov 15, 2007
Don’t forget, you must send the UFT Welfare Fund verification of the full-time-student status for your dependents who are 19 to 23 years old.
Union to Council: CTE an unappreciated success storyNov 15, 2007
UFT Vice President Michael Mulgrew told an oversight hearing of the City Council Civil Service and Labor Committees on Oct. 30 that, while the city’s Career and Technical Education sequences were “a real success story, the city treats them as unloved step-children.”
New child abuse reporting requirementsNov 15, 2007
There has been a recent change in state law that affects all mandated reporters of suspected child abuse or maltreatment, including teachers, guidance counselors, school nurses, school psychologists and school social workers.
Mentoring program changes againNov 15, 2007
The Department of Education is returning to the school-based, peer-to-peer system of training and acclimating first-year teachers and other staff whom the UFT has long sought to support.
UFTers march against Iraq warNov 01, 2007
Defying a heavy rain, dozens of UFTers joined some 45,000 New Yorkers in the Oct. 27 March and Rally to End the War in Iraq Now.
Three resolutions approvedNov 01, 2007
While the bulk of the Oct. 17 Delegate Assembly dealt with the report, debate and vote on the union’s breakthrough agreement with the city to support 55/25 and a two-year voluntary schoolwide bonus pilot program in a limited number of the city’s high-needs public schools, there was still time for resolutions.
Pink power!Nov 01, 2007
UFTers across the city and in Long Island took part in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk.
Taxi squadNov 01, 2007
UFT President Randi Weingarten joined a rally on Oct. 22 supporting members of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, who that day held their second one-day strike in less than two months.
Continuing push on NCLBNov 01, 2007
UFT President Randi Weingarten and Director of Legislation/Political Action Marvin Reiskin joined the Brooklyn political action team to meet with Rep. Yvette Clarke, congresswoman from Brooklyn’s 11th Congressional District to discuss the union’s priorities and concerns regarding the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind.
Harlem rally for HillaryNov 01, 2007
It was billed as Hillary’s homecoming by Congressman Charles Rangel: a spirited rally for U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton at Harlem’s Abyssinian Baptist Church on Oct. 27.
It’s all over but the countingOct 18, 2007
The city’s home-based child-care providers have cast their ballots to form a union with the UFT as their collective bargaining agent and now await the results of their two-year struggle to unionize.
Grievance filing goes high techOct 18, 2007
A new, streamlined process allowing chapter leaders to file Step 1 grievances electronically was instituted this fall, offering the union a bird’s-eye view of every grievance filed by every member.
Teacher Union Day ticket deadline nearOct 18, 2007
Time is running out to purchase tickets to the UFT’s annual Teacher Union Day.
City settles pension lawsuit with UFTOct 18, 2007
Making for a Triple Crown in pension victories, the city agreed on Oct. 17 to settle for $160 million a pension lawsuit that the UFT filed two years ago.
Union: DOE leadership team reform plan ‘step backward’Oct 18, 2007
UFT Staten Island parent liaison Joan McKeever Thomas told the City Council at its Sept. 20 Education Committee meeting that both teachers and parents were being given a short shrift in the latest proposed school-leadership-team reshuffle.
Proud momentOct 18, 2007
UFT President Randi Weingarten received the Douglas W. Jones Community Service Award at the annual Fall Dinner of the Empire State Pride Agenda.
Adventures for your students abound in Big AppleOct 04, 2007
Once upon a time, class trips for New York City public school kids were grand two-day adventures to far-off places.
Spotlight shines on school secretariesSep 21, 2007
School secretaries, the women and men who keep the wheels of day-to-day business in motion, were feted at the annual UFT School Secretaries Awards Luncheon.
Disbanding of District 79 makes for bittersweet celebrationSep 21, 2007
The Career Education Center's annual student art show and award ceremony, an annual end-of-year celebration, came on the heels of shattering news: Under the reorganization of District 79, CEC would be closed.
Administrative law judges choose the UFTSep 20, 2007
New York City’s 250 per diem administrative law judges have chosen the UFT to be their representative in collective bargaining with various city agencies by a vote of 221-7, the union announced on Sept. 10.
Jury out on implementation of latest special ed reformsSep 20, 2007
How will the reorganization of the school system affect special education? Will the Department of Education’s new acronyms spell improvement or new headaches?
UFTers toast new bio of teacher union leader Al ShankerSep 20, 2007
They threw a book party at UFT headquarters on Sept. 10. It looked like a reunion of the Shankerites, many of whom lined up like expectant children at holiday time for their long-anticipated present: a 400-page biography of UFT founder Albert Shanker, signed by author Richard Kahlenberg.
City Council leaders applaudedAug 09, 2007
Even with its crowded agenda, the June 13 Delegate Assembly took the time to give a prolonged applause and a standing ovation to three City Council leaders for spearheading the whistle-blower bill through the Council and then overturning a mayoral veto.
Standing tallAug 09, 2007
Delegates on June 13 heard from the tenacious union leaders at Manhattan’s JHS 117, who described how they took back their school from a bullying principal who tried to destroy their chapter and allowed school safety to deteriorate.
Delegates vote to oppose supplying military recruiters with student informationAug 09, 2007
Debate at the June 13 Delegate Assembly centered on a proposal to put the union on record opposing the linking of federal school aid to the release of personal student information to military recruiters.
Drink up!Aug 09, 2007
The UFT is not officially a “first responder,” but as soon as there is an actual or potential threat to the health or safety of a school community, the union jumps on top of the problem and won’t let go until the crisis is over.
Mr. G ducks snowballs with a smileAug 09, 2007
Teacher-turned-TV-weatherman Irv Gikofsky endured some good-natured ribbing from Hal Hanauer and Nat Alvich, two teachers from his days as a student at Francis Lewis HS. Here are a few of the one-liners that drew chuckles both from the crowd and Mr. G:
Key UFT staff position changes announcedJun 07, 2007
UFT President Randi Weingarten announced the promotion of two high-level staff members in May that she said would enhance the union’s ability to service members, especially in the light of the most recent reorganization of the school system.
UFT makes a mouse callJun 07, 2007
It was difficult to describe the surprise of parents and staff at PS 95 in Brooklyn when mice brazenly crawled through holes in classroom halls on Open School Night in March.
UFTers join throng at affordable housing rallyJun 07, 2007
More than 7,000 New Yorkers, elected officials and scores of UFT members assembled May 23 for a “New York Is our Home” affordable housing action.
Weingarten: City’s school building plan falls shortJun 07, 2007
With the Campaign for Fiscal Equity bringing greater funding to the schools, “the question is whether our school buildings can support the policy initiatives, including the requirement for smaller class sizes, that the new aid is slated to fund,” UFT President Randi Weingarten told the City Council on May 15 in written testimony.
Welfare fund OKs LipitorJun 07, 2007
As the result of negotiations between Express-Scripts and Pfizer, the UFT Welfare Fund announced that as of June 1 Lipitor has been added to its formulary.
Free dental adviceJun 07, 2007
The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) will sponsor a national hotline that day to enable anyone, with insurance or not, to receive free advice from a dentist.
March gets new term on TRS boardJun 07, 2007
Sandra March has been re-elected to a ninth three-year term as a Teachers’ Retirement System board member.
New test regimen to track studentsJun 07, 2007
Increasing the already heavy emphasis on testing in city schools, Chancellor Joel Klein announced on May 30 a new regimen of in-class tests beginning next fall to keep close track of student progress throughout the year.
‘Hero’ teacher dies while returning from class tripJun 07, 2007
Staff and students at PS 6 in Manhattan were in shock in the days following the sudden death of a beloved teacher, Eric Dutt, 34, as he was driving his car back from a 5th-grade field trip on May 31.
UFT raps Tweed on adult edJun 07, 2007
What will it take for the city to provide excellent adult education services to the more than 1 million New Yorkers who need them?
Teachers not returning to work must give 30 days’ noticeJun 07, 2007
After the UFT raised concerns about the flawed implementation of a longstanding, but moribund Chancellor’s Regulation that pedagogical employees who were resigning had to give 30 days’ notice, the Department of Education changed its position.
UFT wary of new regulations for students with disabilitiesJun 07, 2007
The State Education Department is proposing that the New York State Board of Regents adopt a new set of regulations that affect students with disabilities.
Role of CTE in city’s future discussedJun 07, 2007
An unprecedented UFT-sponsored forum in May brought together government, labor, industry and education to discuss the future of the city’s economy and how Career and Technical Education can be a major part of providing the work force for the rapidly changing 21st-century employment needs.
Reading scores up in middle gradesJun 02, 2007
Reversing a longstanding trend, 8th-grade reading scores rose more than five points on the 2007 ELA tests, and even more if a large increase in English language learners tested this year is factored out.
Keep your NYSUT Member Benefits Trust-endorsed programs if retiring or leaving bargaining unitMay 24, 2007
If you are retiring, you must maintain your NYSUT membership as a retiree in order to continue participating in NYSUT Member Benefits Trust-endorsed programs.
New budget system radically differentMay 24, 2007
New school budget allocations for the coming year were posted online on May 8.
Former ed evaluators get IEP teacher transfer rightsMay 24, 2007
The UFT and the Department of Education settled an important arbitration in early May that gives former education evaluators the right to transfer to a school where they can become an IEP teacher.
UFT joins call to make ex-firehouse a schoolMay 24, 2007
A vintage 1869 firehouse in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, Engine 204, closed in 2003 because of budget cuts, has a new lease on life.
ACS vows to resolve providers’ pay problems after hearingMay 10, 2007
Officials from the Administration for Children’s Services committed to speeding up the resolution of payment disputes with home-based child-care providers.
Weingarten team sweeps UFT electionsMay 10, 2007
The official vote tally, which includes weighted votes by retirees, gave Randi Weingarten an overwhelming victory in her re-election bid for UFT president.
DOE: We’re listeningMay 10, 2007
A top Department of Education official insisted at a public forum on April 30 that the DOE has learned its lesson when it comes to listening to parents and educators.
Weingarten proposes incentives for hard-to-staff schoolsMay 10, 2007
Tackling one of the most contentious educational issues of our time, UFT President Randi Weingarten proposed on May 5 to address the unequal distribution of experienced teachers in the city school system by offering incentives to lure veteran teachers to hard-to-staff schools.
NYSUT RA a family affairMay 10, 2007
Some 550 UFTers attended a historic Representative Assembly in Washington, D.C., from April 26 to 28.
Going ‘pro’May 10, 2007
Thirty city teachers, candidates for National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification, are adding the finishing touches as they prepare to assemble their portfolio boxes — boxes that will contain what candidate Luke Janka describes as the work of “seven months of blood, sweat and tears.”
Ravitch: Tweed botched school reformApr 26, 2007
Diane Ravitch, among America’s foremost educational historians, said during a recent lecture that much has gone wrong with the implementation of school reform in New York City under the Bloomberg administration.
Final MS hearings on tapApr 26, 2007
The final hearings of the City Council’s Middle School Task Force are set for Thursday, May 3, on Staten Island and Monday, May 7, in Queens.
CSA reaches pattern-conforming’ contract agreementApr 26, 2007
Some 5,600 Department of Education principals, assistant principals, administrators and other supervisory personnel finally nailed down a collective bargaining agreement.
Occupational/physical therapists alertApr 26, 2007
UFT officials have reported that occupational and physical therapists have been hearing a variety of rumors about the ninth treatment session and the summer program.
Klein discloses reorganization detailsApr 26, 2007
Chancellor Joel Klein on April 16 unveiled more details about the school support organizations that will replace the 10 regions that he is eliminating in his most recent shake-up of the city school system.
The support optionsApr 26, 2007
Under the new reorganization, every principal, in consultation with the School Leadership Team, must choose a support organization to work with the school. Here are the options.
Questions for your principalApr 26, 2007
In light of the latest reorganization, here is a list of things you need to find out from your principal.
UFT: Test-prep has ‘narrowed’ educationApr 26, 2007
UFT Vice President Michelle Bodden joined elected officials, teachers, principals and parents at a City Hall press conference on April 11 calling for changes in the No Child Left Behind law.
Providers appeal for helpApr 26, 2007
At the April 11 Delegate Assembly, a group of home-based child-care providers appealed for the support of UFT members as their nearly two-year-long fight for the right to unionize enters the final stretch.
Union to create governance task forceApr 26, 2007
The Delegate Assembly voted overwhelming on April 11 to create a multi-partisan task force to make recommendations on the governance of the city school system.
Suzanne Lustig: A living influenceApr 26, 2007
Edward R. Murrow HS presents a new award named after a former student and Regents coach who worked in the school system for just a year. Suzanne Lustig, 25, died suddenly and tragically last year because she suffered from an undiagnosed heart condition. Now she will be honored at the high school at which she was once the student council president.
Tax structure criticizedApr 16, 2007
The tax structure of the city is criticized.
What The Law SaysApr 16, 2007
This is the statutory language that applies to the state funds and the contract for excellence:
Council, parents urge mayor to freeze reorganization planApr 12, 2007
Twenty-eight members of the City Council introduced a resolution calling on the mayor, the chancellor and the DOE to postpone their school reorganization plan.
Brooklyn Comprehensive Night HS staff feels Tweed missing big pictureApr 12, 2007
Brooklyn Comprehensive Night HS, for 17 years a beacon of hope for some of New York’s most alienated youth, recently got some bittersweet news from the Department of Education.
NYSUT member benefits trust-endorsed disability plan can supplementApr 12, 2007
While the Welfare Fund plan provides an important safety net for short-term disabilities, you may be wondering if there is an option to extend coverage in the event of a longer disability.
Prestigious honor for UFT’s AaronsonApr 12, 2007
UFT Treasurer Mel Aaronson, recognized nationally as one of America’s top pension experts, has another honor to add to his already long list.
They came to the ‘Fair’Apr 12, 2007
Hundreds of UFT members attended the second annual Celebration of Teaching and Learning presented by public television last month.
You’re tops — here’s props!Apr 04, 2007
The UFT’s 300-strong, bipartisan negotiating committee reassembled one final time on March 6 to celebrate at UFT headquarters.
UFT to Council: Mayor’s budget rewards staff churning, undermines stabilityApr 04, 2007
The UFT said at a March 19 City Council education budget hearing that the mayor’s preliminary budget, unamended, won’t do the job.
Hardwood heroesMar 29, 2007
On the court there were only winners at the boys’ and girls’ Public Schools Athletic League championship basketball games played on March 18.
‘Summit’ focuses on dropout crisisMar 29, 2007
Some 400 educators, political leaders and parents exchanged ideas on reversing education failures at a "Dropout Prevention Summit."
UFT joins assemblymen’s efforts to keep gangs out of schoolsMar 29, 2007
Two state assemblymen held a press conference to announce they were introducing bills to impose stiffer punishments on gang members who recruit new members and commit crimes at a school.
Difference-makersMar 15, 2007
Have you listened to a para today? The question turned into a rallying cry for UFT President Randi Weingarten as she stressed the vital role paraprofessionals play in public education during Parafest, the union’s annual celebration of the achievements of classroom paras.
UFT: Empowerment Schools can work under right conditionsMar 15, 2007
When principals are experienced classroom teachers and gifted leaders who know enough to collaborate with staff, empowerment works.
Student claims school fails to deliver mandated IEP servicesMar 15, 2007
Students, staff and parents at the HS of Arts and Technology agree that the principal failed to provide mandated services. Now the UFT is stepping in to blow the whistle.
Members say high-stakes testing emphasis hurts educationMar 15, 2007
The consensus among educators, parents and community members is clear: the increasing emphasis on high-stakes tests is having unintended harmful consequences on teaching and learning.
New Workers’ Comp law boosts benefitsMar 15, 2007
Maximum weekly benefits for injured workers will significantly increase under legislation to overhaul New York State’s Workers’ Compensation system that was hammered out recently by Gov. Eliot Spitzer, business groups and the state AFL-CIO.
Teachers get a break on taxesMar 15, 2007
Lobbying by the AFT, the UFT’s national affiliate, and e-mails from its members were instrumental in getting Congress to extend a tax break for K-12 educators that was due to expire.
Summer camp applications deadline setMar 15, 2007
Applications are now being accepted for a $50 scholarship that the UFT offers to members who send their children to the Summer Camp Program.
Time to gear up for ‘World’s Fair of Education’Mar 15, 2007
If you are not one of the more than 8,000 educators who attended last year’s Celebration of Teaching and Learning — called by some a World’s Fair of Education — don’t be left out this time.
Tour guides go to schoolMar 01, 2007
Want to know something about teaching and learning? Ask the professionals — ask teachers. The NYC Tour Guides Association apparently knew this, wanting the UFT to help it learn more about New York City schools.
UFT-backed candidate wins Council seatMar 01, 2007
The UFT chalked up one more political victory when two-term Staten Island Assemblyman Vincent Ignizio, the union’s endorsed candidate, won the Feb. 20 special election for the open 51st City Council district seat.
Columnist stresses teaching students ‘capacity to question’Mar 01, 2007
The acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree, Daily News columnist Juan Gonzalez proved in acknowledging a debt to his high school teachers.
UFT: Large and small high schoolsMar 01, 2007
At a City Council hearing on small schools on Feb. 16, UFT Special Representative for High Schools Leo Casey urged the DOE to open access to them to all students and to provide students in large schools with the same small classes that students in small schools enjoy.
Equipped, encouragedMar 01, 2007
Building on several prior training weekends this year, almost 400 new chapter leaders reassembled for more high-intensity learning and fellowship.
The ‘rights’ stuffMar 01, 2007
UFT President Randi Weingarten held informal dialogues with rank-and-file teachers with six to 10 years on the job in Manhattan, Staten Island and Queens earlier this year.
CTExcellenceMar 01, 2007
The annual award ceremony honoring teachers in the Career and Technical Education programs from the five boroughs took place recently at UFT headquarters.
New para reps learn the ropesFeb 15, 2007
City judges want UFT clout
Feb 15, 2007
A vast majority of the part-time administrative law judges working for three city agencies filed union representation cards on Feb. 2, saying they wanted to join the UFT.
UFT backs adult literacy programsFeb 15, 2007
Members of the Grassroots Literacy Coalition, including the UFT, presented City Councilman Robert Jackson with a petition on Feb. 1 seeking a Council hearing on a resolution calling on the state Legislature to establish a New York Student Bill of Rights focusing on adult literacy.
UFT nurses at VSN OK 3-year pactFeb 15, 2007
The Federation of Nurses/UFT voted overwhelmingly — with just 18 “no” votes — to accept the proposed new three-year contract that their visibly exhausted bargaining team was able to negotiate with the management of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York.
You can run, but you can’t hideFeb 15, 2007
When New York Teacher photographer Bruce Cotler approached Principal Phyllis Weinfeld outside the school one morning, she screamed at him and used her umbrella “like a matador’s cape,” according to the photographer.
Principal disparages teacher’s religious practiceFeb 15, 2007
A Queens elementary school teacher claims to have been the victim of a campaign of harassment by her principal, who she said has made disparaging remarks about her Orthodox Jewish beliefs.
CorrectionFeb 02, 2007
Supervisors of school security voted 37 for and none against ratification of the new UFT contract agreement.
UFT joins hundreds marching for middle school reformFeb 01, 2007
Hundreds of parents from 12 member organizations of the New York City Coalition for Educational Justice rallied on the steps of the Department of Education demanding a Marshall Plan for middle-grade schools.
United Federation of Teachers State Legislative Priorities FY 2008Feb 01, 2007
Here's a summary of the UFT's legislative priorities for this year.
Queens speaks out on high-stakesJan 31, 2007
Nearly 200 teachers, parents, students, elected officials and others concerned about the future of our city’s schools came to the Queens UFT office on Jan. 22 to “speak out” about the impact that current testing practices and policies are having on them.
Educators view documentary on UFT charter schoolJan 31, 2007
More than 100 people from around the country recently viewed a screening of “Climbing to the Crest,” the documentary about the UFT’s Elementary Charter Schools.
New TV ad a work of artJan 18, 2007
“Some things should be shaped one by one, with care and attention: For instance, a child’s mind.” So begins a 30-second UFT TV spot being aired on major networks now through Feb. 6 stressing the importance of respecting and listening to teachers on educational policies — including the need for smaller classes.
Class trip section coming next issueJan 18, 2007
If winter ever gets here you can be prepared to beat the doldrums that follow on its heels by planning now for an interesting class trip.
Klein to principals: Enforce Discipline CodeJan 18, 2007
Seeking the members’ input
Jan 18, 2007
After having conversations with new teachers in each borough last spring, UFT President Randi Weingarten used the early winter to talk to teachers “who feel caught in the middle”: those with five-to-10 years of experience in city schools.
UFT to stage CTE forum in AprilJan 18, 2007
The UFT will host a first-of-its-kind New York City Career and Technical Education Forum on April 24 to discuss the successes of CTE and to map out the future of technical education.
UFT joins March for JusticeJan 18, 2007
The UFT joined with religious and civil rights leaders, elected officials and other unions in a silent March for Justice down Fifth Avenue last month.
City’s HS class sizes go in wrong directionJan 18, 2007
The average size of New York City high school classes in core academic subjects ranges from 27 to 29, much larger than previously reported and far in excess of high school classes in the rest of the state.
Teachers, parents agree:Too much high-stakes testingJan 18, 2007
When done to excess, both educators and parents say, testing becomes a substitute for the acquisition of knowledge and that’s a big problem.
Maxi celebration for mini-grant winnersJan 18, 2007
It was Oscar night on Broadway — celebrities, exploding flashbulbs, applause and acceptance speeches. Only the red carpet was missing.
UFT to City Council: Educators' health, safety at riskJan 18, 2007
At two City Council hearings, UFT officials told legislators that the health and safety of some educators are at risk because the Department of Education fails to take all the steps needed to make schools safe and secure.
Unanimous support for 5 high schools on DOE chopping blockJan 18, 2007
The Department of Education’s mid-December announcement that it was closing Tilden HS and four other high schools led the DA to unanimously reaffirm the union’s policy on the subject.
Lafayette HS chapter leader leading fight against abusive principalJan 18, 2007
The Jan. 10 Delegate Assembly opened with accolades for two chapter leaders and members from one district.
Nurses urged to use contractJan 18, 2007
Twenty-seven years on and the Federation of Nurses/UFT is still battling for higher health-care industry standards and better wage and working conditions for nurses.
‘Hero’ member tells of effort to rebuild New Orleans teachers’ unionDec 12, 2006
Chapter Leader Geof Sorkin went with five other UFT members to New Orleans in the summer of 2006, a year after Hurricane Katrina hit, to help rebuild its teachers’ union from the bottom up.
Moving or changing your name? Notify the UFTDec 08, 2006
If your mailing address, telephone number or name ever changes, it’s important to notify the Department of Education, the TRS AND the UFT.
Members reflect on belonging to the unionDec 07, 2006
Members of at least four generations at the Teacher Union Day celebration found common ground when they reflected on what their union means to them.
Award winnersDec 07, 2006
Cogen Award winner: We must continue work of UFT’s founders
Dec 07, 2006
Charles Cogen Award winner Maria Portalatin gave the attendees at the UFT's Teacher Union Day celebration something to cheer about. Here are major excerpts of her acceptance speech.
Celebrating labor and educationDec 07, 2006
Former Paraprofessionals Chapter Leader Maria Portalatin received the union’s highest honor, the Charles Cogen Award, to a rousing reception by the more than 1,100 union educators who jammed the ballroom at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Manhattan to celebrate Teacher Union Day on Nov. 5.
Members can register online for courses, workshopsDec 07, 2006
Now you can register online for all the courses listed in the UFT's Spring 2007 Course Catalog and pay with your Visa or MasterCard.
Workshops open eyesDec 07, 2006
The UFT Parent Conference was a triple whammy for Virginia Flores-Hernandez — mother, teacher, UFT delegate. And the “Gang Awareness” workshop really hit home.
Election results push AFT legislative agenda closer to passageDec 07, 2006
With Democrats winning control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, union sources see labor’s overall legislative program gaining traction and give the national teachers union’s education agenda a good chance of being enacted.
Resolutions demand appropriate exams for English language learners and special ed studentsDec 07, 2006
The federal Department of Education is cooking from a recipe for disaster with revised test regulations that harm English language learners and special education students, the delegates said in adopting two resolutions that oppose the new measures.
UFTers front and center at Veterans Day ParadeDec 07, 2006
UFT President Randi Weingarten was one of the speakers at the Veterans Day Parade wreath-laying ceremony on Nov. 11 in Manhattan.
TeamworkDec 07, 2006
The family is a child’s first classroom. When the 3,600 people who packed the UFT’s ninth annual Parent Conference heard Sen. Hillary Clinton say those words from the dais, they went wild, standing up and filling the enormous hotel ballroom to the rafters with their cheers and applause.
Expert reveals limitations of standardized testsDec 07, 2006
In a hard-hitting presentation to teachers and other educators at the UFT citywide conference on testing, expert W. James Popham ticked off the weaknesses of most standardized tests for improving instruction and learning.
UFT task force to examine high-stakes testingDec 07, 2006
The pros and cons of high-stakes testing were debated and discussed at a Nov. 11 conference at UFT headquarters.
Members urged to join fight to lower class size with wise use of CFE fundsDec 07, 2006
Reacting to the recent Campaign for Fiscal Equity court ruling, UFT President Randi Weingarten called on the delegates at the Dec. 6 Delegate Assembly to join in the union’s effort to have the new funds used to lower class size and expand universal, full-day pre-kindergarten.
Standing tallDec 07, 2006
UFT President Randi Weingarten celebrated the union’s newest 2,459 retirees with a toast: “We honor you for your moxie, your heart, soul and guts. You did God’s work for all these years.”
The ghosts of organizing pastNov 16, 2006
Today’s full-bore effort to unionize some 30,000 New York City-based home-based child-care workers is the biggest and most aggressive UFT campaign since the union’s founding in 1960.
Let’s get organized!Nov 16, 2006
The UFT and its community partner ACORN have intensified their campaign to unionize home-based, child-care providers.
Faculty conference ruling confirmedNov 16, 2006
An arbitrator on Oct. 30 issued a final ruling on the timing of faculty conferences. It confirmed the earlier ruling in favor of the UFT while clarifying the open issues.
UFT, unionists played key role in electionsNov 14, 2006
Thomas P. (Tip) O’Neill, the legendary House of Representatives speaker, famously said, “All politics is local.” He was right. It’s usually true. But not this year.
UFT pushing hard for several candidates as must-wins on Nov.7Nov 02, 2006
With the 2006 elections coming down to the wire, the UFT is targeting three local candidates and the New Jersey U.S. Senate race because of either the closeness or uphill nature of the races.
Union urges PEP to honor veterans on Nov. 10Nov 02, 2006
UFT President Randi Weingarten and members of the union’s Veterans Committee testified on Oct. 16 at the Panel for Education Policy, urging the group to honor the Veterans Day holiday by setting aside time in the schools, “a teachable moment,” on Friday, Nov. 10.
About Alan HevesiNov 02, 2006
State Comptroller Alan Hevesi made a which may have huge consequences for his re-electibility. However, that mistake should be balanced against his fine 35-year record as a conscientious public servant and great friend to working people and to public education.
Paras can apply for BA salary lineNov 02, 2006
UFT Staff Director Michael Mendel had welcome news for paraprofessionals who hold a bachelor’s degree.
OK 50G donation for transit workersNov 02, 2006
Standing and cheering to register their approval, the delegates voted to donate $50,000 to the Transport Workers Union in its time of great need.
Cheers for staff that worked to get abusive principal removedNov 02, 2006
Staff members from a small middle school on the Lower East Side who stood up to an abusive principal were honored for their courage and determination at the DA.
Union’s contract demands easily passed by delegatesNov 02, 2006
UFT delegates at the Oct. 18 Delegate Assembly overwhelmingly confirmed the union’s contract demands — on the eve of a negotiating session between the municipal bargaining coalition and the city.
Get out of the way!Nov 02, 2006
What is standing in the way of teacher effectiveness? That’s the question that a bipartisan advocacy organization set out to answer when it asked eight New York City teachers to keep a detailed diary of their work life for two weeks.
Spitzer renews pledge to settle school funding suitOct 30, 2006
During a visit to the UFT Elementary Charter School on Oct. 19, Attorney General Eliot Spitzer repeated an earlier pledge to settle the Campaign for Fiscal Equity Lawsuit should he be elected governor on Nov. 7.
New chapter leaders shown the ropesOct 19, 2006
Almost 250 new UFT chapter leaders learned how to navigate the school system and how to fight the good fight for their members during these changing times at the union’s weekend “boot camp” on Sept. 16-17.
CorrectionOct 19, 2006
In the Oct. 5 issue of the New York Teacher, PS 222 in Queens — the newly named Christopher A. Santora School — was incorrectly identified as the only public school named after a fallen 9/11 hero.
Report special ed statistics publicly and electronically, UFT tells City CouncilOct 19, 2006
UFT Vice President Carmen Alvarez gave a City Council panel a blistering account last month of Department of Education shortcomings in the way it reported special education statistics.
Working Families Party wants to send a labor messageOct 19, 2006
The Working Families Party — true to its name — tailors its message specifically to working people and their families. That focus has won it the support of the UFT and many of the unions affiliated with the city’s Central Labor Council.
If you know of a safety incident, report it!Oct 19, 2006
The UFT has launched a new online reporting system to make it easier for members to report threats to the safety and security of staff and students.
CFE: A long and winding roadOct 19, 2006
The roadmap below is intended as a primer on the critical Campaign for Fiscal Equity case, its history and the UFT’s role.
School staff now may give shots to students with allergic reactionsOct 19, 2006
A new DOE policy allows school nurses and non-nursing personnel to administer epinephrine to students who suffer severe allergies and anaphylaxis.
Math scores reveal progress, problemsOct 19, 2006
Math results announced last week for the new grades 3-8 exams brought some good news.
Bank of America home-ownership assistance:Oct 19, 2006
A thumbnail look at Bank of America's home-ownership assistance program.
Citigroup home-ownership assistance:Oct 19, 2006
A thumbnail look at Citigroup's home-ownership assistance program.
What is anaphylaxis?Oct 19, 2006
Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening medical condition occurring in allergic individuals after exposure to specific allergens.
Staff united in battle with anti-UFT principalOct 19, 2006
“The UFT is toxic!” Jonathan Straughn, principal of PS 276 in Brooklyn, takes credit for this pearl of provocation.
School’s budget revised after UFT informs parents of their rightsOct 05, 2006
After learning of their rights at a UFT meeting, parents forced a Brooklyn high school principal to revise the school budget this September and to give parents a voice in how some of the money is to be spent.
Superintendents Academy participants advised to make teachers partnersOct 05, 2006
Teachers should be considered equal partners in the drive to raise student achievement, UFT President Randi Weingarten and Rochester Teachers Association President Adam Urbanski said.
Upstart Working Families Party making wavesOct 05, 2006
The Working Families Party is a statewide coalition of community-based groups, individual supporters and unions — including the UFT — that is pairing the need for progressive social and economic policies with practical Election Day results.
1st year of new ELA tests reveals mixed resultsOct 05, 2006
The long-delayed release of 2006 state reading scores for Grades 3-8 probably generated more heat than light late last month.
Results are in on UFT safety surveyOct 05, 2006
As part of a new comprehensive campaign to make every workplace safe and secure, the UFT surveyed chapter leaders to find out whether schools are in compliance with safety regulations.
Changing faces of the unionSep 21, 2006
The times they are a-changin’ and so have many of the folks chosen to serve our members in the UFT borough offices.
DOE: It’s not our fault, but we’ll pay anywaySep 21, 2006
The Department of Education, without admitting blame, has agreed to pay for one year of identity theft insurance for 40 speech teachers.
UFT-backed candidates score well in primarySep 21, 2006
UFT-endorsed candidates were big winners in the Sept. 12 primary, as the union saw each of its statewide candidates sweep to victory.
Edwize sparks blog storm on charter school firingSep 21, 2006
Edwize, the UFT’s blog, has had a significant impact on how education and labor issues are discussed online both in New York City and around the nation.
Class-size battle continues in courtSep 21, 2006
A panel of the State Appellate Division in Manhattan heard arguments by lawyers for New Yorkers for Smaller Classes on Sept. 6.
Family child-care providers, UFT launch Web siteSep 21, 2006
Home-based, family child-care providers working with the UFT and the community group ACORN to form a union launched a Web site Aug. 31 to publicize their organizing efforts.
The overcomersSep 21, 2006
Deserving UFT scholarship winners split $1 million to pursue their dreams of making a better world.
Be sure to report all safety incidentsSep 21, 2006
If a safety/discipline incident occurs in your school, report it.
Klein echoes union’s plea to document every incidentSep 21, 2006
Schools Chancellor Joel Klein told principals last week that they must report all school safety incidents including minor ones, a policy the UFT has long endorsed.
CTE students, teachers honoredSep 19, 2006
The UFT, in conjunction with the Department of Education, presented a celebration of exemplary Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs.
Talking contractSep 19, 2006
The UFT's 300-member negotiating committee gathered on Sept. 13 to review the proposed demands of the municipal bargaining coalition, of which the UFT is a member.
They have their reasonsSep 07, 2006
Some among the current crop of new teachers explain why they've chosen to work in the New York City public schools.
Great catsSep 07, 2006
New teachers got an earful of joyful noise and a preview of the city’s young talent when the Soul Tigers Marching Band came down the aisles of Brooklyn Tech HS.
New teachers welcomed at annual orientation eventSep 07, 2006
‘Promoting’ success — UFT-style
Sep 07, 2006
All 142 kids at the UFT Elementary Charter School “stepped up” at a June 26 ceremony, held at this first-ever union-run charter school in Brooklyn’s East New York.
Chapter leaders excited, but skeptical, about Empowerment SchoolsSep 07, 2006
The number of Department of Education Empowerment Schools has expanded to 321 from the original 48 that participated in the two-year pilot program known as the Autonomy Zone.
Union has discipline code concernsSep 07, 2006
UFT President Randi Weingarten said she has concerns about the draft of a new discipline code for the school system scheduled to take effect for the upcoming school year.
UFT, parents still seek easing of cell phone banSep 07, 2006
As the school year begins, there seems to be no relenting on the part of Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Chancellor Joel Klein about the ban on cell phones.
Union’s action averts messy returnSep 07, 2006
A messy school opening at two Manhattan elementary schools now sharing the same building was averted — thanks to the UFT.
Celebrating leadershipSep 07, 2006
Chapter leaders may have gotten varying receptions from their principals when they returned to school Aug. 30, but they all got the same friendly reception at an open house attended by more than 300 new and returning chapter leaders on July 13 at UFT headquarters.
2,700 use new right to transferSep 07, 2006
An unprecedented number of teachers, taking advantage of new contractual rights, transferred schools this year.
DOE’s closing of night schools concerns unionSep 07, 2006
The Department of Education announced in early August that it was shutting down its night high schools for students who need extra credits to graduate and pumping the savings into a wide variety of new school-based programs.
Math Leadership grads honoredSep 07, 2006
Graduates of the Mathematics Leadership Certificate Program, a joint initiative of the UFT Teacher Center and the CUNY School of Professional Studies, were honored at a mid-summer ceremony at UFT headquarters.
UFT, city at odds over drug counseling jobsSep 07, 2006
Does the reorganization of a school anti-drug program justify layoffs, pay cuts and risks to students’ health? That’s what the UFT and the Department of Education are battling over.
After Tweed snafus, UFT helps therapists, nurses get summer paySep 07, 2006
With the union’s help, occupational therapists, physical therapists and nurses got some relief in August for their summer payroll travails.
20 years of honoring their bestSep 07, 2006
The UFT School Secretaries Chapter last spring bestowed its highest honor on one of its most loyal and longest-serving members.
Fine bunch of fellows welcomedAug 17, 2006
UFT President Randi Weingarten pledged the union's help to 1,900 new teaching fellows who will take assignments in some of the city’s most challenging schools in September following an intensive summer training program.
UFT ‘legend’ Portalatin honored at AFT conventionAug 17, 2006
Former UFT Paraprofessionals Chapter Leader Maria Portalatin was the recipient of the 2006 Women’s Rights Award on July 23 at the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) convention in Boston.
Help with state certificationAug 17, 2006
The UFT offers many programs to help you hone your skills and meet state certification requirements.
Rallying for CFE fundingAug 17, 2006
Nearly 1,000 parents, politicians, advocates and teachers gathered inside St. Bartholemew’s Church in Manhattan on June 7 for a spirited rally to demand that the state deliver Campaign for Fiscal Equity funding.
UFT joins rally for removed Brooklyn principalAug 17, 2006
In an impassioned rally on June 6, UFT President Randi Weingarten joined parents, teachers, City Councilwoman Letitia James and other elected officials from central Brooklyn to protest the removal of Michael Johnson as principal of PS 375.
Two victories applaudedAug 17, 2006
The delegates applauded two successful campaigns by the union: to keep a charter school from moving into PS 154 in Manhattan, and to keep the gifted and talented program from being discontinued at some schools in District 21.
Training to win in today’s worldAug 17, 2006
UFT officials were going to school this summer: many were taking part in four days of training at Cornell University in August.
Spitzer thanks delegatesAug 17, 2006
State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, who hopes to be the Democratic candidate for governor this November, thanked the delegate body for the support he’s received from the union over the last eight years.
Safety resolution passes unanimouslyAug 17, 2006
The Delegate Assembly passed a resolution in June demanding that the Department of Education, regardless of its structured changes, enforce in all schools all safety regulations, including the SAVE law and the Citywide Student Code of Conduct.
Pappas re-elected RTC chapter leaderAug 17, 2006
Carol Keefe, chair of the bipartisan RTC election committee, reported the re-election of Tom Pappas as RTC chapter leader.
Universal health care resolution approved for November agendaAug 17, 2006
The Delegate Assembly voted to put a resolution on the November Delegate Assembly agenda to endorse a bill for a universal health care plan.
New teacher updateAug 17, 2006
The Delegate Assembly saw a PowerPoint presentation on results of a poll of new teachers conducted by the union.
Helping teachers help kidsAug 17, 2006
UFT Teacher Center promotes professional growth citywide through a myriad of activities, school-based centers and a courses program with 500 courses, both graduate and undergraduate, each year.
Union makes retirement ‘better’ than expectedJun 08, 2006
When more than 400 UFT retirees met at the end of May for the Retired Teachers Chapter’s annual luncheon, many of them shared experiences with one another about how much they enjoy retirement.
Council breakfast menu: smaller classes, all-day pre-KJun 08, 2006
“Cell phones are allowed in this building,” Randi Weingarten assured visiting City Council members after a musical ring tone interrupted the UFT president’s greeting at the union’s annual City Council breakfast May 24.
DOE flunks parent involvement, City Council toldJun 08, 2006
How well does the Department of Education involve parents in school decision-making? Not very well, according to most who testified at a May 11 City Council Education Committee hearing on the subject.
Hundreds attend Queens vigil to lower class sizesJun 08, 2006
About 300 educators and parents rallied outside MS 74 in District 26 on May 25 to shine a light on the truth of what our schools need.
Medicare Part D horror stories aboundJun 08, 2006
Welcome to the nightmare world of Medicare Part D, the Bush administration’s confusing, insurance-company-friendly prescription drug plan that is wreaking havoc across the country and within the ranks of the UFT’s nearly 50,000 retirees.
125 win the lotteryJun 08, 2006
Parents anxious to get their children into the UFT Secondary Charter School packed the auditorium at IS 166 in Brooklyn on May 18, when the union held an admissions lottery open to the community.
Web bulletin board lets you tell others about your schoolJun 08, 2006
The UFT has created a private bulletin board where members can share information about schools across the city. To make it a real resource, we need as many teachers as possible to give us the scoop about their current schools.
Preparing for contract negotiationsJun 08, 2006
The UFT's 346-member negotiating committee met for nearly five hours on May 31 at union headquarters to continue laying the groundwork for the 2007 negotiations.
The night ‘Chicago’ didn’t dieMay 25, 2006
They say the lights are brighter on East Tremont. Or so you’d think by the intensity of the spotlight shining on Lehman HS in the Bronx, which was launching a student production of “Chicago” when Broadway copyright laws brought down the curtain.
Nurses rally in Albany for ‘critical’ needsMay 25, 2006
Throngs of nurses in black T-shirts that read “critical condition” pressed up to the steps of the state Capitol May 2 for the most solidarity-conscious nurses rally Albany has ever seen.
New teachers learn old lessonsMay 25, 2006
Irene McKenna, who started teaching last September at PS 157 in the Bronx, has a union background. Yet she was astonished at the energy she found at the UFT Spring Education Conference.
Newer teachers see benefits of smaller classesMay 25, 2006
Keino Baird, one of the many new teachers who are participating in the union’s class-size actions, is unyielding in his conviction that class size determines student success.
Educators from across country marvel at UFT’s PIPMay 25, 2006
The life-transforming expertise that is the hallmark of the UFT’s Peer Intervention Program is in demand across the country and even overseas.
Operation Soapbox takes on testing standards, small high schoolsMay 25, 2006
Operation Soapbox, the traditional kickoff event of the Spring Conference, took on a sharp education policy focus this year with state and city education administrators fielding a bevy of questions about accountability under the federal No Child Left Behind Law and about the DOE's Autonomy Zone.
Spring Conference sights and scenesMay 25, 2006
A photo collage of happenings at the UFT's annual Spring Education Conference.
Thousands demonstrate at schools to fight for smaller classesMay 25, 2006
As thousands of educators, parents and education advocates fanned out across the city to picket schools demanding smaller class sizes on May 18, UFT President Randi Weingarten joined participants outside PS 1 and PS 126 in lower Manhattan.
CLASS SIZE FACTS & FIGURESMay 25, 2006
Here's a fact sheet spelling out some of the vital statistics regarding class sizes in the New York City public schools, and why small classes are a crucial educational component.
Judge: rules against class-size referendum; coalition to appealMay 25, 2006
A lower court judge ruled late Friday afternoon on May 19 against New Yorkers for Smaller Classes, a coalition that the UFT helped found, in its effort to put a referendum on class size on the November ballot.
Solidarity averts messy situationMay 25, 2006
At the Delegate Assembly, UFT President Weingarten celebrated the work of Janet Zysberg, chapter leader from PS 272 in Brooklyn.
Mel Aaronson re-elected to new term on TRS boardMay 25, 2006
UFT Treasurer Mel Aaronson has been re-elected to a ninth three-year term as a teacher-member of the Teachers’ Retirement Board.
UFT to use new automated dues refund systemMay 11, 2006
In order to better assist members, the UFT has developed an automated dues refund system.
Thankfully, honesty doesn’t adversely ‘Impact’ Jamaica HSMay 11, 2006
Staff concerns and worries are over. Last month, in his April safety announcement, the mayor did not designate Jamaica HS an Impact School.
UFT: Hire more school counselors and attendance teachers to keep children safeApr 27, 2006
Are ACS workers alone responsible for securing the lives of at-risk children? At a City Council hearing on April 11, the UFT said no, arguing that hiring more school counselors and attendance teachers was key to keeping children safe.
Rave reviews at Manhattan middle schoolApr 27, 2006
With his backpack bouncing, violin case swinging and shoelaces flapping, 12-year-old Nick was heading toward the back door of Manhattan’s MS 104 for the school’s early-morning 37.5-minute tutoring session.
‘Sweet’ successes in QueensApr 27, 2006
All eyes are on the random assortment of Reese’s peanut butter cups, Hershey bars and Kit Kats in the middle of the table — tempting snacks at the end of the long school day.
37.5-minute tutorials a hit in some schools, a headache in othersApr 27, 2006
The creation of 37.5-minute tutorials for struggling kids was a key feature of the 2005 UFT contract. But how has the extended time worked in practice, now that the opening kinks have been resolved?
State budget in fluxApr 27, 2006
As the New York Teacher went to press, the state budget was undergoing more than the usual upheaval in Albany and the eventual outcome, which may include judicial proceedings, is far from clear.
UFT skeptical of chancellor’s new accountability programApr 27, 2006
Schools will receive a grade from A to F each year in Schools Chancellor Joel Klein’s latest plan to hold educators accountable for student performance.
UFT members at Brooklyn preschool get three-year contractApr 27, 2006
UFT members at the Stanley S. Lamm Preschool in Brooklyn reached agreement with management last month that gives them 14 percent raises spread over three years, retroactive to July 5, 2005.
Stossel’s inflexibility nixes his teachingApr 27, 2006
John Stossel won’t be teaching after all. After publicly accepting the UFT’s challenge to walk in a teacher’s shoes for a week, privately Stossel threw up roadblocks that made it impossible, according to union and school officials.
UFT teaching artists enhance many city schoolsApr 27, 2006
More than 100 Lincoln Center teaching artists currently work with more than 100 mostly public K-12 schools and colleges throughout the metropolitan New York City area.
UFT joins rally against criminalization of immigrantsApr 27, 2006
The UFT joined tens of thousands of legal and undocumented immigrants at an April 11 rally calling for a fair shot at citizenship for all.
Harlem parents protest charter school planApr 27, 2006
Shocked and angry over the city Department of Education’s plan to place a charter school in the building that houses PS 154 in Harlem, more than 200 parents, teachers and students rallied in protest outside the school on April 10.
Gibbs president cancels ‘faculty appreciation dinner’ as contract fight continuesApr 27, 2006
Lynn Salvage, president of the Katharine Gibbs School, canceled a faculty appreciation dinner April 7 at the last minute, telling teachers that the UFT planned to disrupt the event.
Activism on the menu at para luncheonApr 13, 2006
With leadership at a turning point in the UFT paraprofessionals chapter, the mood among members attending the annual Paraprofessionals Festival and Awards Luncheon reflected a new sense of sadness, renewal and readiness.
The good (even great) and the not so great of 37.5 minutesApr 13, 2006
The consensus about how the 37.5-minute tutoring sessions are going is … that there is no consensus.
UFT gets DOE to rescind tuition penaltyMar 30, 2006
At the UFT’s urging, the DOE agreed that employees who live outside of New York City but gave their correct addresses when registering their children in city public schools should not be penalized.
Dissed againMar 30, 2006
About 100 parents rallied outside Tweed Courthouse on March 13 to protest their exclusion from decision-making on the Department of Education’s expansion of the lead teacher program to up to 100 schools next fall.
UFT Pension Handbooks availableMar 30, 2006
Pension handbooks for all tiers are available at UFT headquarters and can be ordered by members and non-members.
TRS to provide free credit monitoring for some membersMar 30, 2006
The Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) has arranged for all members whose personal TRS records were obtained or may have been obtained by an identity theft ring to receive free credit-monitoring service for one year.
Something stinksMar 30, 2006