FIGHT
CUOMO WEEK We are entering the most critical month in our fight to
protect our schools and our students from Governor Cuomo's disastrous education
agenda. During the week of March 9, all
schools will be conducting activities to engage and draw support from members
of their communities. Therefore, on the morning of Thursday, March 12, we will
assemble in front of the school from 7:30 to 7:50 to protest against Governor
Cuomo’s agenda. Make signs and encourage parents to join us. As a show of
solidarity, we will all link arms. If you can, “wear red for public ed.” I will submit photos to the New York Teacher newspaper, and we will
share them on social media.
Continue to bombard social media and
message boards. Get the message out to friends and family how Cuomo’s plans
will destroy public education and our profession. Keep writing to your elected
officials.
MARCH 4 THUNDERCLAP This coming Wednesday, when our
member lobbyists (including Mr. Gossett and myself) are in Albany talking to
state lawmakers about the real issues facing public schools, it’s crucial that
public school educators dominate the conversation on Facebook and Twitter about
what our students really need and the threat posed by Gov. Cuomo’s education
agenda. That’s why we are asking members to participate in their borough’s
social media thunderclap where we all tweet out and post on Facebook the same
message at the same time. Join our thunderclaps. The way it works is you sign
up to have a tweet or Facebook post sent on your behalf at the exact same time
as hundreds of other educators from that borough. Each borough’s thunderclap
will be released at different times over the course of March 4, creating a
rolling wave that will focus attention on social media on the things that
really matter to our schools: fair funding, relief from high-stakes testing,
smaller class sizes and more. If you’d like to participate in more than one
thunderclap, feel free to do so.
Go to:
http://www.uft.org/join-our-thunderclap-tell-gov-cuomo-what-allkidsneed
Or “like” the PS 123K UF Action Page on Facebook and click the link.
FYI Under the CFE lawsuit
settlement that Governor Cuomo refuses to follow, the State of New York owes
the DOE public schools $2.5 billion. Out of that, PS 123K is owed $2,213,540.16!
SABBATICALS Eligible teachers who want to study to enhance their teaching skills or
restore their health if they are ill may request a sabbatical leave for the
2015–16 school year. For study sabbaticals, coursework must be related to your
teaching assignment. Restoration of health sabbaticals must be approved by the
medical director.
Sabbatical guidelines, deadlines and applications can be found on the DOE
website and in the sabbatical section of the UFT website. Applications for the
study sabbaticals will be submitted on SOLAS and are due no later than March
17.
ANTI-BULLYING
TRAINING A six-hour training
in the prevention and intervention of bullying, discrimination and harassment
is now required for certification by the New York State Dignity for
All Students Act. This course is mandated for all teachers and school-related
professionals who apply for their state certificate on or after Jan. 1, 2014.
The UFT is an approved provider of this course and offers it at 52 Broadway and
in the union’s borough offices at a cost of $25 for paras, $50 for all other
members and $100 for nonmembers. Check the UFT Safety Workshop page for
dates, times and registration information or call 212-598-9287.
Our next chapter meeting will be on Wednesday,
March 18 during the lunch periods with Kathy Sharko.
CONTACTS
UFT Welfare Fund: (212) 539-0500
Teachers’ Retirement System:
1-888-869-2877
UFT Brooklyn Borough Office:
(718) 852-4900
