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UFT members get on board
Energized UFT members paired up with their fellow union members from the Philadelphia Teachers Union and AFT Pennsylvania on Sept. 21 to get out the vote for Kamala Harris in the battleground state.
Don’t phone it in
Cell phones in schools distract from teaching and learning and can threaten students’ mental health by feeding an addiction to social media. Barring them from classrooms makes sense, but any citywide ban has to be carefully conceived and implemented...
Introducing the UFT Swag Shop
Late-night impulse buys at the UFT Swag Shop!
UFT celebrates class size milestone
The UFT traveled to IS 145 in Queens on Sept. 4 to celebrate the school's achievement in bringing all 6th-grade classrooms into compliance with the state class size law limits. This year, 6th-grade classes will have a limit of 23 students, down from...
Using Teacher’s Choice
Teacher’s Choice, initiated by the UFT over 30 years ago, allows school staff members to exercise their professional judgment to purchase supplementary supplies and materials to improve the educational experience for their students. Here are answers...
Wear your union pride
UFT members can now wear their union pride on their sleeves. The UFT Swag Shop, a cyber store that offers UFT-branded merchandise, went online on Sept. 25. The woman-owned store based in Detroit sells products made exclusively in the United States by...
Solar panels on city schools get green light
The UFT celebrates passage by the City Council of a bill mandating rooftop solar panels for all public buildings, including public schools. UFT Vice President for Middle Schools Richard Mantell says the legislation will result in healthier...
UFT presses city to pay up
At an Oct. 3 press conference on the steps of City Hall, UFT President Michael Mulgrew and UFT Family Child Care Providers Chapter Leader Tammie Miller demanded that the city pay 47 child care providers who lost out on two months’ payments after the...
Native American Month resources
The month of November is recognized as a time to celebrate and honor the history, culture and contributions of Native Americans, Alaska Natives and all Indigenous people of North America.
Gratitude is good for you
Counting your blessings isn’t just a nice thing your elders probably advised you to do. It’s also a key practice for both mental and physical health.
Literature as Healing: The Art of Bibliotherapy
Happy National Book Month! Celebrate with the Brewing Wellness Podcast as we discuss the power of literature in healing and personal growth. Sherry Reiter, LCSW, a “poetry therapist” and founder of the Creative Righting Center, talks with Vincent Corletta, an ELA teacher from Queens, about practical strategies to bring reading and writing into your own wellness journey. For more on Sherry’s work, visit thecreativerightingcenter.com
Am I able to team up with other staff members to pool funds to enable a larger purchase using our Teacher's Choice funds?
Yes, you can. If two or more program participants wish to pool all or any portion of their Teacher's Choice funds to purchase an item for a shared class or assignment, each must complete their own Teacher’s Choice accountability form. All...
Are the items I purchased with Teacher’s Choice funds my own? Can I keep them if I resign or transfer schools?
Items purchased with Teacher’s Choice funds are the property of the DOE. These purchases must remain at your school for use in your classroom or office assignment; they cannot be taken to a different location if you transfer to a different school...
Can I opt out of Teacher’s Choice?
If you do not wish to participate in Teacher’s Choice, you should submit a Request for Non-participation (opt-out) form to your school by the deadline indicated for that particular school year.
Will I forfeit my Teacher’s Choice payment if I do not submit receipts for my purchases?
If you receive Teacher’s Choice funds in your paycheck and do not submit an accountability form with receipts by the January deadline, the DOE will take back the money from a future paycheck.
How do eligible members receive their Teacher's Choice funds?
Members receive their Teacher’s Choice allotment as part of their regular paycheck, not as a supplemental check, usually in mid-to-late November each year. Since Teacher’s Choice is treated as a post-net payroll adjustment, the funds are nontaxable.
What types of purchases are not permitted under Teacher's Choice?
Teacher’s Choice will not reimburse purchases of furniture, fees for trips or performances, gifts for students, computer accessories for home use, power tools, appliances or equipment that requires special wiring or installation, among others. Also...
Which school staff members receive funding from Teacher’s Choice?
Classroom teachers, paraprofessionals, school counselors, social workers and psychologists, occupational and physical therapists, school nurses, school secretaries, lab specialists, reading coaches and single shepherds all receive funds through...
How is Teacher’s Choice funded? Is it a contractual right?
The New York City Council created Teacher’s Choice decades ago after intense lobbying by the UFT. Teacher’s Choice is not guaranteed from year to year; the UFT has to lobby for funding for the program in every year’s city budget. Teacher’s Choice is...
Italian-American Heritage Committee Dinner 2024
More than 50 educators indulged in Italian cuisine and culture on Oct. 22 when the UFT Italian American Heritage Committee staged its annual fall dinner at Mario’s Restaurant, a staple for Italian Americans for more than 100 years on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx.
Next steps on class size
The UFT's new class size committee is mounting a member-driven campaign to educate school communities about the state law that limits class sizes, share success stories and provide school chapters with steps they can take to move the process forward.
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks 2024
UFT members took strides in the fight against breast cancer in all five boroughs of New York City and on Long Island to raise awareness and money for the union’s annual October fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. Many wore pink and walked in tribute to colleagues who have battled the disease.
What enteral formula coverage is provided by the Welfare Fund?
Enteral formulas are liquid food products that are specially formulated and designed to increase the amount of various food elements and nutrients that will maintain proper physiological function of the body process. They may also be used to correct...
Health care negotiations stalled
The following notification was emailed to all members as part of the UFT Update on Oct. 17, 2024.
Pink Day 2024
UFT members from all five boroughs of New York City wore pink on Oct. 16, 2024, to raise awareness about breast cancer.
Resolution calling for a fairer pension COLA for UFT retirees
The UFT will campaign to establish fair and sustainable cost-of-living adjustments to pensions for retired UFT members and other city workers by significantly improving the COLA benefit.
UFT on NYC's inability to provide special education services
UFT President Michael Mulgrew sent a letter to NY State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa outlining concerns with the city's inability to provide mandated special education services.
Find your flow
In the spirit of Optimistic October, let’s look at the intertwined issues of burnout and work-life balance from their starting points, when they’re easiest to control and keep in check.
UFT demands NYC pay childcare providers the money they are owed
UFT President Michael Mulgrew, union leaders, and the chair of the City Council Education Committee on Wednesday demanded New York City to stop stalling and pay childcare providers the more than $500,000 they are owed for caring for city children.
UFT Social Media Terms of Use
All registered UFT social media accounts, including Facebook pages and groups, Instagram accounts, Threads accounts, X accounts and TikTok accounts, (together "UFT social media accounts") are places for the UFT and its members to share ideas and...
Navigating Seasonal Changes
In the Season 6 premiere of the Brewing Wellness podcast, Jessica Torres, a licensed master social worker with the Victim Support Program, talks with District 11 Representative Dana Falciglia about navigating the transition into a new season. Listen in as they discuss both the highs and the lows in the change of season and ways to manage the emotions that often come along with these shifts.
NYC Association of Foreign Language Teachers/UFT fall conference 2024
The NYC Association of Foreign Language Teachers/UFT staged its fall conference — titled “World Language Learning: Achieving Authentic Real World Connections” — on Sept. 28 at UFT headquarters in Manhattan. The annual event featured language-specific workshop sessions for Spanish, French, Greek and Russian.
Guidance on providing mandated services and absence coverage in ICT classes
See an excerpt from the Nov. 2016 Principal's Weekly on guidance on providing mandated services and absence coverage in ICT classes.
Special Education Frequently Asked Questions
See frequently-asked questions regarding special education.
How can I sign up to receive text messages from the Federation of Nurses?
The Federation of Nurses have started using texting as a method to send important updates to our members. To sign up, Use this link while on your mobile device (you’ll be asked to grant access to your text messaging app) or text "FON" to #86366. You...
Your Rights
Know your rights as a member of the Federation of Nurses.