UFT members from schools throughout District 10 in the Bronx filled the cafeteria of PS 37 on March 15 for a Meet the President meeting with UFT President Michael Mulgrew, who updated them on the challenges facing city public schools.

More than 1,000 paraprofessionals from around the city gathered in midtown Manhattan on March 12 for their annual festival and awards luncheon.

More than 250 counselors celebrated their 12th annual UFT Guidance Counselors Conference with a busy day of workshops, speakers and exhibits at UFT headquarters on March 12.

More than 320 educators citywide celebrated the lunar new year, the Year of the Monkey, at the Joy Luck Palace in Chinatown on March 11. For 30 years, UFT celebrants have gathered to feast on Chinese specialties and to enjoy the colorful dragon dancers.

This is the March 10 issue of the Queens parent newsletter.

This is the March 11 issue of the Manhattan parent newsletter.

More than 1,100 UFT members traveled to Albany on March 9 for the union’s annual Lobby Day. State legislators addressed members at the convention center just before the educators fanned out to lobby their local elected officials to call for an increase in school funding, more Teacher Centers, an end to the charter equity gap and further expansion of the Community Learning Schools initiative.

UFT Secretary Emil Pietromonaco testified before the New York City Council Committees on Education and Finance regarding the preliminary FY 2017 education capital budget.

“Open a World of Possible” was the theme of this year’s UFT Early Childhood Education Conference, which drew 450 educators from across the five boroughs to UFT headquarters on March 5.

An overflow crowd of 250 UFT members from District 75 and District 79 gathered in Manhattan to meet UFT President Michael Mulgrew. He discussed the Union Loud and Proud campaign, classroom management and education policy and took members’ questions.