June 14, 2010

RALLY AGAINST BUDGET CUTS
The Municipal Labor Council is holding a rally at City Hall on June 16, 2010 at 4 PM to protest the state and city budget cuts. Education cuts don’t heal. These cuts are hurting our students, our communities and our colleagues. If you will be attending, please meet at the front of the school at 3:05. We will travel together by subway. You may bring protest signs. T-shirts will be distributed at the rally.

PEER INTERVENTION PROGRAM
The Peer Intervention Program (PIP) helps tenured teachers and guidance counselors who are struggling in their program and who volunteer to participate. Teachers/guidance counselors who meet these criteria get help from experienced and specially selected colleagues. All assistance is given on a voluntary, confidential basis and is tailored to the participating member's strengths and weaknesses in their program.

If you have switched grades, or have returned to the classroom after being out of the classroom, and would like assistance, the PIP may be able to assist you.

You may enroll online at:
http://uft.wufoo.com/forms/request-for-assistance/http/true
For more information, call (212) 844-0600.

RATINGS
If you have worked for 20 days or more, you will receive a rating from the principal within the last 10 days of the school year, but not less than four days before the end of the school year. It will either be Satisfactory (“S”), Unsatisfactory (“U”), Doubtful (“D”) or Not Applicable (“N/A”). Tenured teachers’ rating sheets can only have their rating, as well as attendance information. If you are a probationer, the “U” rating could lead to discontinuance of your probationary period.

Since there are ramifications to a “D” or a “U” rating, you should go the UFT Brooklyn borough office at 335 Adams Street immediately at the end of the day you receive your rating for assistance. Specialists there will help you file an appeal of your adverse rating and explain the various options available. Contact me as well and I will forward the information to our district rep.

ROOM CHANGES
If you are changing rooms, while you must leave school furniture, bookcases, etc. in your old room, you may take materials which you own. As far as Teacher’s Choice materials, this is a quote from an official with the UFT:

“Teacher's Choice materials technically belong to the school. If the teachers who are moving need the materials for next year, then they should move with the materials.”

OPEN MARKET TRANSFERS
If you want to switch schools, access the Open Market Transfer Plan. ANY pedagogue may transfer to another DOE school without the principal’s release through August 7. After that, you may only transfer if she releases you. For more information, visit: http://www.uft.org/news/teacher/qa/open_mkt_plan/
To apply, go to:
https://www.nycenet.edu/offices/dhr/transferplane/

RESIGNATIONS
If you are resigning, you must give the principal 30 days notice. If you are retiring, do not resign.

END OF YEAR PARTY
Our end of year party is on June 24 at O’Neill’s. Please give payment of $50 per person to Mrs. Berberena or myself ASAP.

TEACHER’S CHOICE
We do not yet know how much we will get for Teacher’s Choice this upcoming school year. Keep checking UFT.org and the DOE web site periodically. I will email as many people as I can when I hear.

SUMMER CONTACTS
UFT Brooklyn Office
(718) 852-4900
M-Th, 9-4

UFT Headquarters
(212) 777-7500
M-F, 9-4

Should an issue arise this summer, call the UFT Brooklyn office first.