APRIL 7, 2008

Open Market Transfer Plan
The DOE will begin to post vacancies on its web site
http://schools.nyc.gov/)
beginning April 15, as per our contract. As principals continue to learn of vacancies they will be added to the site throughout the transfer period, which ends Aug. 7. When a position has been filled the listing will be removed from the site. You will be asked to complete an online registration form, which involves creating a user ID and password. Once you do this you’ll be able to electronically apply to any and all vacancies in your current license area. There is room on the online application for a cover letter and resume. You will also be able to apply to transfer to schools that have not advertised a vacancy. If you choose to do this your application will be kept on file should a vacancy subsequently arise. Upon submitting an application, a confirmation page will appear, Print a copy of it for yourself and keep it on file. Candidates also may be considered at job fairs, which will be posted on line.

Summer Session
The DOE’s Division of Human Resources began accepting online applications for summer session openings on April 2. To apply for a position, go to
http://schools.nyc.gov/offices/dhr
and click on the hyperlink in the “Time Sensitive Information” section. Only online applications will be processed. Applications must be submitted by May 7 to preserve applicants’ retention rights and for applications to be considered timely. After applying online, members should print out a hard copy of their application and write down their application confirmation number. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Special Representative Amy Arundell at aarundell@uft.org.

Letters in the File
If you have received a letter in the file, please let me know immediately. Kathy Sharko has instructed me to fax copies of these letters to her so that we can fight them. Remember, if you are required to do classroom or hall bulletin boards, their format is up to you. While supervisors may make suggestions for improvement, the contract expressly forbids supervisors to discipline you for the appearance and format of your bulletin boards, the arrangement of your room, or the length of segments of your lesson.

School Surveys
Teachers who have not received surveys may request a bar code to fill it out online. Call 1-800-690-8603. As of this printing, we still do not have the bar codes for the paras.

Miscellaneous
Your chance to “Speakout” in the New York Teacher
Got something on your mind that you’d like to share with your colleagues? Is there an issue in your school, an educational priority, a cause for celebration or a source of constant aggravation that you just know other educators would enjoy, sympathize with, or want to know about? Send an idea for the “Speakout” column of the New York Teacher or write it up in about 800 words and email it to:
mspielman@uft.org
Include some brief information about where and what you teach (or taught) and how you can be contacted. Please let members in your school know about this writing opportunity, too.

Coming next month: SBO’s and a delegate election.