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Union organizing on the rise
Petitions from workers seeking union representation doubled during President Joe Biden’s presidency, compared with the numbers during Donald Trump’s term as president, according to new figures released by the National Labor Relations Board.
Hostile world for transgender students
Transgender and questioning high schoolers experience high rates of bullying and depression in an increasingly hostile political and social landscape, according to new data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Get mental health support services 24/7
UFT members and their families now have access to mental health support by phone, text or online chat, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The new mental health helpline, an initiative of the union’s Member Assistance Program (MAP), is staffed by...
Organizing for the win
More than a hundred 3- and 4-year-olds with disabilities at the Mosaic Pre-K Centers in Queens will now receive the related services they need to thrive, the culmination of a two-year organizing effort by the union and the broader school community.
Marian Thom, founding member of the Paraprofessionals Chapter, dies
Marian Thom, a dynamic force for Asian American causes and a founding member of the UFT Paraprofessionals Chapter, died on Sept. 4 after a nine-month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 88.
Mapping out a path to learning
The latest online mapping tools can do much more than get us from point A to B. With features such as data collection and media integration, online maps can be used in the classroom to take student activities in completely new directions.
Preparation periods
Among the many meaningful contractual rights UFT members have is time carved out for teachers to do unassigned professional work. Whether they teach elementary, middle or high school, teachers are generally entitled to five preparation periods per...
Taking BRAVE steps to end bullying
Two factors have contributed to the increase in bullying in recent years: the pervasiveness of social media and lingering stress from the pandemic. But no matter the reason, the surge has prompted educators to address the issue more urgently.
Eyeglasses and contact lenses
As a member of the UFT Welfare Fund, you and your eligible dependents can obtain optical services annually. Learn all you need to know about your optical benefit.
Building an ofrenda
High school Spanish teacher Dianne-marie Cotto of World Journalism Preparatory in Queens has her class create an elaborate ofrenda (or altar to the dead) to help them better connect to the Mexican celebration El Dia de los Muertos.
Relief for joint pain
UFT Welfare Fund members, both in-service and retired, and their families now have special access to Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) thanks to a new partnership between the UFT Welfare Fund and the hospital.
Para-lyzing process
New York City schools, particularly in District 75, are in dire need of paraprofessionals, who provide essential support services for children with disabilities. The shortage won’t get resolved until the city Department of Education streamlines its...
Push to improve pension COLA
Delegates at the UFT Delegate Assembly approved a resolution calling for the union to push for a fairer cost of living adjustment for New York City public employee pensions.
Kudos to Annawa Naing, PS/IS 78, Queens
The school-based special education committee — created as part of the 2023 DOE-UFT contract — gave Naing the tool she needed to fight to ensure special education students in her school receive the services they are entitled to.
Making the most of parent-teacher conferences
Leading with the positive, focusing on a student's specific goals and having parents be assured that an educator has a plan to further their child's needs are among the best ways to have more effective parent-teacher conferences.
‘Scaffolding students’ dreams’
Will Dulin, a third-year teacher at Pathways to Graduation in Jamaica, Queens, takes pains to truly see his CTE students, helping them to forge pathways to educational success even when they can't quite envision them themselves.
Invitational Golf Outing
It was a great time for a great cause — raising money for the UFT Disaster Relief Fund — as members made their way out to the links at the Silver Lake Golf Course on Staten Island.
A pink tide
A pink wave crested over New York City school buildings on Oct. 16 as UFT members wore pink to work to raise awareness about breast cancer. The annual tradition is a way to celebrate survivors, pay tribute to lost loved ones and colleagues, and...
NYC Association of Foreign Language Teachers/UFT conference
The NYC Association of Foreign Language Teachers/UFT's fall conference featured language-specific workshop sessions for teachers of Spanish, French, Greek and Russian.
UFT is dialed in for its candidates
UFT members hit the phone lines and fanned out from New York City to Philadelphia and Scranton, Pennsylvania, this fall to campaign for Kamala Harris for president, as well as other pro-union, pro-education candidates down the ballot on Nov. 5.
Members say there’s no debate
UFT members said the stakes could not be higher this presidential election season as members, elected officials and guests came together at UFT headquarters on Sept. 10 to avidly watch the presidential debate between Democrat Kamala Harris and...
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.