Dear parents, grandparents, guardians and education activists,
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are staying warm this winter season.
Check out the upcoming events and news you can use below.
In unity,
Nicholas Cruz
UFT Director of Community and Parent Engagement
ncruz@uft.org
Upcoming events
- Saturday, Dec. 7: Come to a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion event at 10 a.m. at Celia Cruz High School of Music, 2780 Reservoir Ave. High school seniors can get free assistance filling out their FAFSA applications. College Goal New York, the sponsor of the event, is also looking for volunteers to assist students. Register as a student or volunteer »
- Saturday, Dec. 7: One Hundred Black Men, Inc. will host a reentry suit giveaway from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Union Baptist Church, 240 W. 145th St. in Manhattan. Along with free suits, pants and dress shirts in various sizes, there will be a career resource fair. See the flier »
- Saturday, April 4: The UFT will host its 5th annual Men in Education Symposium from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway in Manhattan. There will be workshops about mentoring, fatherhood and empowerment. For a flier and to register, see the event listing »
News you can use
- Free High School Equivalency course in the Bronx: The State University of New York (SUNY) Bronx Educational Opportunity Center at 1666 Bathgate Ave. invites adults to register for a free High School Equivalency course. Registrants must be New York residents who meet income eligibility requirements and reach required scores on the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE). Registration is in person on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:30 to 11 a.m. Classes start in January. Find out more »
- Help the effort to have a full-time counselor in every elementary school: Most public elementary schools in the city have a school counselor only part-time or don't have a counselor at all. If you want to be part of a UFT campaign to get a full-time school counselor in every elementary school to assist with bullying, anxiety, concerns about school work or other issues, please fill out the UFT’s short survey and sign up for the campaign. Take the survey »
- Get a free anti-bullying workshop from the UFT: The UFT BRAVE Campaign offers a wealth of anti-bullying resources to parents, students and educators. Those resources include free anti-bullying workshops for PTAs, students or staff. Request a BRAVE workshop now »
- Donate to bring toys to needy families: This Saturday, in an event sponsored by Harley Davidson and Children's Aid, Santa will ride on his motorcycle to deliver toys, games and gift cards to families experiencing hardships due to trauma, domestic violence and poverty. To help make the magic happen, make a donation »
Census 2020
The national 2020 Census starts in March, and there's a lot at stake for New Yorkers. Using data derived from the Census, the federal government distributes billions of dollars in education and school food programs. What's more, if New York doesn't get better at getting its residents counted, we could lose as many as two seats in Congress, giving other states a stronger say in national policy and a stronger voice in the dispersal of federal funds. To learn more about why the Census matters, read and share a UFT Census fact sheet »
Here are more ways you can get involved in the fight to make New York count!
- Volunteer to get the word out: Help get out the word about the 2020 Census by volunteering as a Census ambassador in your neighborhood. Find out more »
- Apply for a job: The U.S. Census Bureau is looking for employees to assist with the 2020 Census count, including Census takers making $25 per hour. These are temporary jobs with flexible hours. Learn more and apply »