February 6, 2008

Value-Added Scheme
The DOE has unleashed a “Value-Added” program. The principals of almost 300 elementary and middle school schools volunteered for the study, which was conducted in the fall of 2007. The DOE kept their identities confidential, despite the union’s repeated demands for a list of the participating schools. Most principals have not even informed their teachers that they were part of the study. The DOE is considering using the information gathered in granting tenure, evaluating teacher performance and awarding bonus pay. This is in violation of the contract and state law. If you are graded A, B, C, D or F, let me know IMMEDIATELY. The union will use any legal means necessary to stop this.


COPE
If you haven’t done so, please sign up for COPE, the Committee on Political Education. Your voluntary contribution pays for political actions which go a long way toward helping improve learning and working conditions in our public schools. Your COPE contributions help the UFT lobby for laws and budgets that help educators help their students. UFT lobbying helped increase City Council funds for Teacher’s Choice this year. COPE also helped us fight against dangerous changes like vouchers, tuition tax credits and attempts to strip workers of hard-won union rights. It also won 55/25. Please see me now to sign up.


Supreme Evaluation Afterschool Program
If you are considering working the Supreme Evaluation Afterschool Program, you must consider this important piece of information. While the pay is good, this program is operated by a private company and not by the DOE, which means that there is no union protection. You will not be able to grieve assignments, working conditions, or terminations for any reason, and the pay is not pensionable. You are not covered by the DOE if you are injured on the job.


Miscellaneous
Check the bulletin board in 251 for UFT workshops, activities and events.

Remember to keep the doors to 251 and 451 shut and locked (451 must be manually locked). Children may not enter these rooms for any reason. If they do enter 451, we risk losing our vending machines!

Mayoral control has led to several reorganizations, no-bid contracts, endless, redundant paperwork, micromanagement and marked increases in letters in the file, amongst other problems. If you are fed up with this, then attend the UFT Task Force on School Governance meeting in Brooklyn on Tuesday, Feb. 12, at the Brooklyn UFT, 335 Adams St., 24th floor, at 4:30PM. Let me know if you will be joining me there.

You may contact me at 123uft@optonline.net

You have the right to have a letter removed from your file three years from the date that it was issued. Schedule an appointment to check your file. See me if you have any questions.

55/25 updates at uft.org: Now, on the home page of the UFT Web site, you can click on the fuchsia “55/25 Update” button for the latest updates on the progress of 55/25.

The UFT’s “Know Your Rights” manual, an abbreviated, A-Z ready reference, is online at

https://www.uft.org/member/rights/your_rights