November 1, 2013

From the UFT

 

NEW EVALUATION SYSTEM
Check the Teacher Evaluation System section of the UFT website for the latest information, including the new complaint form that teachers signed up at UFT.org were notified about earlier this week.

In the Students with Disabilities section of the UFT website, there is a new reader-friendly checklist to help teachers of students with disabilities navigate the new evaluation process. The checklist will help teachers make sure they have the information they need about their students, classes and assessments. It contains, for example, a section on what teachers should know about their students’ IEPs. The checklist will also help teachers discern whether their school is doing all that it needs to do for the teachers’ students, such as following special education laws on class-size limits for self-contained classes and on the maximum number of students with disabilities in Integrated Co-Teaching classes.  

SHARE MY LESSON                                                                                                             Less stress in moving to the Common Core Learning Standards is the idea behind upcoming Share My Lesson webinars from the AFT-sponsored website, sharemylesson.com. You can register for free Share My Lesson webinars, each at 8 p.m. on Wednesday nights in November. Subjects include math, writing, science, English Language learners and test anxiety, among others. Each session features a different Common Core expert. More information is available on the website. Share My Lesson, with more than 250,000 total resources, is a free platform developed by teacher for teachers.

 HEALTH BENEFITS TRANSFER PERIOD                                                                         The 2013 Health Benefits Transfer Period will begin on Friday, November 1, 2013 and continue through Saturday, November 30, 2013. Participation is not mandatory and if you are currently enrolled in an insurance plan and you wish to keep that plan for the coming year, you do not need to do anything. 

The transfer period (also known as “open enrollment”) is the only time during the year that you have the opportunity to make changes to your City health benefits without experiencing a qualifying event such as a marriage or the birth of a child. Changes made to your elections will go into effect on the first full payroll period of January 2014.

For more information, go to http://schools.nyc.gov/Offices/DHR/default.htm#time_sensitive

 

FROM OUR CHAPTER

PARKING PERMITS      

                                                                                                                                                                       As of the publication of this newsletter, the new parking permits still have not arrived. When they do, I will have them numbered and ready for sharing as quickly as possible.

This past year there have been too many abuses of the privilege of using the parking permits. All people using these permits must sign for them at the desk outside of 106A. Every permit must be returned at the end of the school day. There are no exceptions. 

ROOM KEYS      
                                                                                                                                                               During the lockdown drill on October 31, there were doors which could not be locked by the teachers who had the classes at that time because the keys to those rooms were not in the box in the main office where they belong. Please remember that your room keys must be returned to the main office before you leave at the end of each day. Likewise, if you are being prepped by a teacher pushing in, please leave your keys with that teacher for the period so that the cluster can lock the door. This is for the safety and well-being of the children.

ELECTION  DAY              
                                                                                                                                                                 Tuesday, November 5, 2013 is Election Day. For staff, it is a Chancellor’s Conference Day, which is 6 hours and 50 minutes. Therefore, our hours on Election Day are from 8:00AM until 2:50PM.

PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES     
                                                                                                                                                             Parent-Teacher Conference Day is on Thursday, November 14. The afternoon and evening conferences are both on that date, as SBOd in the spring.

CONTACT  INFO      
                                                                                                                                                               UFT Brooklyn Office: 335 Adams Street     (718) 852-4900                                 

Call Theresa Samuels, John Capuano or John Settle, regarding ALL leaves.            

Call Theresa Samuels or Elizabeth Perez concerning certification and licensing.

UFT Welfare Fund (212) 539-0500

Teachers’ Retirement System 1-888-869-2877

UFT.ORG    
                                                                                                                                                          Register with UFT.org to get the latest news and updates from the UFT.

 

 

 



September 30, 2013

FROM THE UFT

NEW EVALUATION SYSTEM

As one part of the union’s effort to help members make the transition, every UFT borough office is holding workshops this fall on various aspects of the new system. Members are strongly encouraged to attend one. There is online registration for almost all workshops. The workshops and the online registration links can be found in the event listings on UFT.org Go to UFT.org, place the cursor on “News,” then click on “Calendar.” You can filter your search by borough under “Where” to see the choices on the UFT.org calendar.

Additionally, the UFT has created two online inquiry forms about the new evaluation and support system — one for teachers and one for chapter leaders — to help get questions answered quickly. These forms are among the resources on the new system posted in the UFT website’s Teacher Evaluation section, which will be the hub of information going forward. Posted on this page are a list of samples of teacher artifacts as outlined in the state education commissioner’s ruling on the evaluation system, the quick-start guide and the commissioner’s ruling. 

                                                                                                                                                            INITIAL PLANNING CONFERENCE

On or before the last Friday in October, all teachers and the principal (or an assistant principal) must have an individual, face-to-face conversation to discuss the teacher’s goals and priorities for the school year. At this initial conference, the teacher chooses the observation option he or she wants for that school year. In addition, the principal and the teacher discuss the components of the Danielson rubric and address any questions or concerns that the teacher may have.

If their initial planning conferences were held at a time which had not been mutually agreed upon between the teacher and the evaluator, the teacher has the right to a follow-up conversation with the evaluator. During the follow-up conversation, the teacher can opt to change his or her choice of an observation option. Teachers may also request a follow-up conversation if the initial planning conference was perfunctory. For members who have not yet had initial planning conferences, please ensure they understand that if their evaluator schedules a time for the conference that doesn’t work for the teacher, the teacher can decline and suggest an alternate time.

SESIS

If teachers perform SESIS work outside of the regular school day, they must get the principal’s permission first. Otherwise, they will not be paid.

 

DEPENDENT INFORMATION

Members may have received a letter telling them to submit proof of eligibility of their dependents.  They must do so by October 4 to continue healthcare coverage for their eligible dependents.

PARA SALARY DIFFERENTIALS

The DOE has launched its online salary upgrade application for in-service paras. Applications must be filed within six months of completing course work in order to receive retroactive payments. New paras must file within six months of their hire date. Supporting documentation must be submitted by certified mail to the Division of Human Resource, Office of Salary Services, 65 Court, Room 815 or in person at the HR Connect walk-in center, Room 102. Although the DOE will continue to accept paper applications, it is encouraging paras to file online.         

FROM OUR CHAPTER

STAFFLOUNGE     

In order to comply with the new Chancellor’s Regulations regarding sustainability, personal appliances such as microwaves and refrigerators must be in a central location in each school. Therefore, Room 309 is once again the staff lounge.

Please empty your leftover items from the refrigerators and clean up after yourself to reduce the chance of pest infestation.

Please remember that students are not to be sent to 309.                 

PARAS AND TRIPS

Paras are not required to pay for field trips. It is advised that you charge students a little extra to cover their cost of admission.

NEXT CHAPTER MEETING

Our next chapter meeting will be held on October 16,  with our UFT district rep, Kathy Sharko.

 PARKING SIGNS

For six months I have been contacting the DOT, the chancellor’s office, the NYPD and local officials to have the missing Willoughby Ave. parking restriction signs replaced. I am now working in conjunction with our team member from the CFN to remedy the situation.

E-MAIL

We are not permitted to use DOE e-mail for union purposes. If I don’t have your current non-DOE e-mail address, please send an e-mail to 123uft@optonline.net so that I may communicate with you if necessary.