Teachers in Districts 4 and 5 in Manhattan who achieved tenure this spring were recognized for their hard work at tenure celebrations in June. At the District 4 celebration at PS/MS 57 in East Harlem, teachers enjoyed performances by the school’s drum band and cheerleading squad. During the June 7 ceremony, each teacher’s principal spoke about his or her accomplishments. “It was very rewarding to hear my principal speak about what she thinks I do well,” said Nicole Horne, a teacher at PS 112 in East Harlem who has worked with her co-teacher — who was also granted tenure — to implement Response to Intervention (RTI) techniques in their 1st-grade classroom. “It was a special ceremony and I felt honored.” Kimberly Mazalatis, a math teacher at Global Neighborhood Secondary School in East Harlem, left the event with a sense of pride. “It was great that they recognized the hard work of so many teachers in the district in front of their peers, principals and the superintendent,” she said. At the District 5 event on June 22 at the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building in Harlem, a celebration for newly tenured teachers was coupled with a reception recognizing teachers and paraprofessionals with 25 years or more of service. Among those honored was UFT Manhattan Borough Representative Dwayne Clark. “It was nice to see people who still have a love for this going strong at 25 years,” said Conchita Fluitt, the chapter leader at PS 197 in Harlem, who received tenure this year. “And it was nice to have a celebration to honor us and acknowledge that we worked hard.”

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