October 1, 2009

Welcome Back
Welcome back Ms. Cordero. Welcome Ms. Lomonaco, Ms. Martin and Ms. Del Candida to our staff.

Congratulations to Ms. Amenta, Ms. Lomonaco, Mrs. Quiles and Mrs. Wagner on the birth of their babies. My apologies if I forgot anybody.

A few friends have retired or transferred. We wish them well.

We wish to express our sadness at the passing of Gail Goldberg, a former colleague at P. S. 123K.

PREPS, CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS
There will be one staff conference each month during a lunch period and one mandatory grade conference each month during lunch. This was SBO’d in the spring. Each teacher is entitled to one prep period each day. These periods are for unassigned professional work. A prep is a prep, whether or not it is a “common” prep. If you already had a grade conference for the month, you may not be forced to give up your prep or lunch for any reason whatsoever. If you choose to give up your prep to attend PD or meetings, that is your choice. NOWHERE in the contract does it say “every teacher on the grade will be responsible for grade-wide meetings with Administrators, Coaches and any demonstration lessons.”

LESSON PLANS
As the educator responsible for providing classroom instruction to your students, you are responsible for developing lesson plans and can determine their format, organization, notation and content. Your supervisor may suggest, but cannot require or insist upon, a particular format unless you have received, or are about to receive, a “U” rating. Your supervisor may enter your classroom and ask to see your lesson plan, at any time, but cannot collect them on a regular basis or cumulatively.

INVESTIGATIONS
If the police should arrest you in school for any reason, work-related or not, contact me IMMEDIATELY so that I could call the UFT borough office for assistance. If you are arrested, you must notify Mrs. Greene and the Office of Personnel Investigations in writing. The UFT will provide legal assistance if you are arraigned. If you are arrested for any actions arising out of the disciplining of a student, you should immediately apply to both the DOE and the city Corporation Counsel for representation. If you face criminal or civil charges as a result of disciplinary actions taken against a pupil while you were doing your job, the DOE must provide you with legal representation. You should immediately contact your district representative or your UFT borough office for assistance in getting a DOE attorney.
If you are arrested outside of school for ANY reason, during vacations, weekends, evenings, etc., you must contact OPI IMMEDIATELY. Since your fingerprints are already on file with the DOE, once you are fingerprinted, the DOE will learn of your arrest before the ink is dry.
If an investigator questions you in school, even as a witness, say nothing. Your statements can be held against you. Contact me so that I can call the UFT borough office to arrange for representation.

CONTACT INFORMATION
Office of Special Investigations
65 Court Street – Room 922
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone #: 718-935-3800
Fax #: 718-935-3925/3927

Office of Personnel Investigation
New York City Department of Education
65 Court Street - Room 223
Brooklyn, New York 11201
Telephone: 718-935-2666/2668
Fax:718-935-4366

UFT BROOKLYN BOROUGH OFFICE
335 Adams Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201718-852-4900

INTERNET
Be careful when it comes to online networking sites such as Twitter, MySpace and Facebook. Once you make a post, it is there for the world to see. It is not be advisable to have students on your Facebook friends list. Things can so easily be misinterpreted by parents.

Do NOT access internet porn sites, or store such material on any DOE computer or personal laptop that you bring into school. Teachers who have done so have had their hard drives seized by the DOE.

PARKING
The parking permits are now good until November 1. The default method is that the principal gets one permit and ALL other DOE personnel (UFT, assistant principals, DC37, custodians) sign for one each day, first come, first served.

CONTACTING ME
You have the right to contact me regarding any issue at all, or to show me any letter or document. Nobody can tell you anything different, and you don’t need permission. The contract protects you. Check the prep schedule for when I am free, or e-mail me at the e-mail address listed above.

LEAVES
Before taking any kind of leave, call John Settle at the UFT Brooklyn Borough office.

YOU MUST REGISTER TO VOTE BY OCTOBER 9 IF YOU WISH TO VOTE IN THIS YEAR’S MAYORAL ELECTION!