UFT Weekly Update -- September 12, 2008

Get final class size info to your DR on Monday, Sept. 15
The 10-day period in which principals must reduce oversize classes ends Sept. 15. That morning, obtain from your school secretary the school’s RACL, which indicates class sizes, and then use that information to report the number of oversized classes in your school to your District Representative as early in the day as possible so the union can file demands for arbitration. You do not need to send the RACL to your DR. Class size limitations are in Article 7M of the contract. (You can file a class-size grievance after Sept. 15, but the regular time limits for all grievances will apply.)

Get final class size info to your DR on Monday, Sept. 15
The 10-day period in which principals must reduce oversize classes ends Sept. 15. That morning, obtain from your school secretary the school’s RACL, which indicates class sizes, and then use that information to report the number of oversized classes in your school to your District Representative as early in the day as possible so the union can file demands for arbitration. You do not need to send the RACL to your DR. Class size limitations are in Article 7M of the contract. (You can file a class-size grievance after Sept. 15, but the regular time limits for all grievances will apply.)

Citywide chapter leader meeting this Thurs., Sept. 18
A citywide chapter leader meeting will be held this coming Thursday, Sept. 18, at 52 Broadway on the second floor, starting at 4 p.m. At this “nuts and bolts” meeting, you will be briefed on the union’s initiatives and campaigns and there will be an opportunity to discuss any problems that have arisen in the first weeks of the school year.

UFT launches “School Tone” campaign in schools
You will be receiving a School Tone poster at your school this coming week or next. Please post it on your UFT bulletin board. The poster marks the launch of the second phase of the UFT Safety and Health Department’s “Safe Secure Schools” campaign. Teachers and students need safe and orderly classrooms and schools for teaching and learning to occur. We want members to know that the UFT is here to help establish that climate.

The union can provide the following direct services:

a safety walk-through by UFT safety specialists in conjunction with DOE and NYPD/school safety personnel;
an incident analysis;
a review of the school’s safety plan and recommendations for improvements;
training on the Student Code of Conduct, suspension procedures and Chancellor’s regulations governing safety;
crisis intervention training;
violence prevention training; and
help integrating student support services and discipline to help students change behavior
The poster advises members to ask you, their chapter leader, to request these services if needed. If your school would like assistance, please contact your district rep or your borough safety rep.

Join the UFT for the United Way’s Sept. 20 Day of Action
Join the UFT team in standing up for better quality education, income and health opportunities for all New Yorkers by participating in the United Way’s LiveUnited Day of Action on Saturday, Sept. 20. It’s a simple way to raise awareness that all of us – individuals, businesses, community organizations and government – can and must work more closely together to bridge the gaps that exist in our city. The walk starts at City Hall Park in Manhattan and ends in Brooklyn’s Cadman Plaza Park for a LIVE UNITED Volunteer Festival. Dozens of community-based organizations are providing information on their work and related volunteer opportunities. Bring friends and family. Everyone is invited to join our team – you’ll find it listed on the registration form as “UFT.” The walk is free – no donations are required but every walker must register. It takes just 5 minutes, so sign up today!

A violation of the parking agreement in your school? File an appeal
The UFT and the city have set up the appeals processes agreed to in the Aug. 26 parking agreement. If you and your principal in a school cannot agree on a method of allocating parking permits, if your principal has not consulted with you, or if your principal is taking permits off the top and leaving the rest for UFT members without your consent, send an e-mail as soon as possible to parkingdispute@uft.org to appeal this violation of the parking agreement. If your school wants to appeal the number of permits that it was issued or the number of spots that it was allotted, you may send the appeal to the city at Parkingplacards@cityhall.nyc.gov. As for the impractical requirement of VIN numbers in situations where permits will be pooled, we are in discussions with the city and the DOE to eliminate the need for VIN numbers or any other kind of individual identification on the permits. If you have any questions, please contact your district rep.

Encourage new members to attend UFT orientations
Now is the time to show our newest members just how supportive and helpful the union can be as they launch this most challenging of careers. All borough UFT Offices are hosting events continuing a series which began this summer, providing opportunities to learn and ask questions about, among other things, salary, pension, health benefits and UFT Welfare benefits, licensing and certification, and planning and managing effective instruction. Encourage new members to visit the New Teacher page and register for one of these orientations.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And on uft.org don’t miss:
Obama delivers major education policy address

UFT posts $10,000 reward for missing educator

Report highlights school overcrowding in Manhattan


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To Do:
Online updates of your school safety plan must be completed by Sept. 26 and submitted to your Safety Administrator for review. See our Safety Plan Check List as a preliminary guide. Make sure that all teachers, parents and students in your school have received the Discipline Code and proper training with respect to the code. Your school should have a school safety committee that meets monthly during the school year. The first item should be the review of the school safety plan, which will be available online to be updated.
Make sure that your school has a SAVE Room and a removal process as part of the Safety Plan. (Chancellor's Reg A443 1.05MB). Please contact your borough safety liaisons and district reps for technical assistance.
You should receive your COPE packets by Sept. 15. Please devote a chapter leader meeting to COPE to start the campaign. We need you to enroll more members in COPE and encourage them to vote. Packets will include a list of who in your school contributes to COPE and who doesn’t, COPE enrollment forms, and voter registration forms. Make sure you personally reach out to each member in your school who does not contribute to COPE, and be sure to send in all the completed COPE cards in the self-addressed stamped envelope enclosed in your packet. Be sure to mail in any completed voter registration forms to the Board of Elections by Oct. 10 so that members are eligible to vote in the Nov. 4 presidential election. Help us build the UFT’s political power member by member!
Every new teacher without prior teaching experience is entitled to a mentor. (Teaching Fellows have a mentor assigned by the program in addition to the school-based mentor.) The chapter leader is a required member of each school’s New Teacher Induction Committee. If new teachers in your school do not have an official mentor by now, or if you have any questions about the mentor program, contact your district representative or send an e-mail to mentoring@uft.org.
Print out and share the poster for the Oct. 19 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk. Walkers in each borough can join UFT teams, and contact information is on the poster.
All new chapter leaders and new delegates MUST send in their election certification to the UFT Membership Department or they will not receive mailings and email that directly affect their positions.
Tell us if non-secretaries are doing secretarial work. In March, an arbitrator ordered the DOE to “cease and desist” from assigning the duties and responsibilities of a licensed school secretary to any other title. The duties and responsibilities of secretaries are spelled out in Circular 31. Please notify School Secretaries Chapter Leader Jackie Ervolina immediately at mjeuft@aol.com if any person in your school who is not a licensed school secretary is doing secretarial work. Specify the name of the person improperly doing secretarial work in your school, that person’s title and the specific secretarial work that the person is performing.
Make sure your members, especially new teachers, know about Dial-A-Teacher, free teacher help with homework to students – and parents – over the telephone. And for parents who need help helping their kids, the program also offers sympathetic advice. Callers can get help in 15 languages. Students need only call 212-777-3380 any school day, Monday through Thursday, between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For Your Information:

Understanding the latest in school allocations: After nearly five months of rallies, and school- and community-based actions by UFT members and the Keep the Promises coalition, the City Council in June adopted a budget that contained no classroom cuts. The Department of Education has allocated to individual schools most of the $129 million that the Council added, as well as the $63 million in CFE funds that the department had withheld from schools. No school faced a loss in funds and some received an increase for this school year. To find out how much additional money your school received, for help making sense of the allocation spreadsheet, and for a list of questions you may want to ask your principal regarding the use of these additional funds, please check out our school allocations guide at uft.org.

Save the Date for Obama campaigning: The UFT will be organizing buses to travel to Pennsylvania on Saturday, Oct. 25 and Saturday, Nov. 2 for door-knocking at union households to get out the vote for Obama in this battleground state.

Teacher’s Choice telephone survey: UFT members will be contacted by phone next week asking them to participate in a Teacher’s Choice survey being conducted by Councilman Eric Gioia. Please encourage your members to participate in this telephone survey.

File grievances online: Remember that chapter leaders must now go to the UFT Web site to file all Step 1 grievances on behalf of members in their chapter. You must be logged in to the UFT Web site to have access to the private chapter leader section, where the grievance form will be housed under the heading “Grievance Briefcase.” If you have not already done so, you must also sign up for an account at www.uft.org and verify your union membership on the profile page of your account. If you have any questions about the new online grievance process, contact the grievance liaison/contract coordinator in your borough office.

2008-09 calendar: The 2008-09 school year calendar has been posted on the UFT Web site. Please go here to view the calendar. Please remind members that those who wish to observe additional holy days may take them as religious observance days.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the News:
Backdoor to the future: Unable to make headway in negotiating a contract that substantially weakens the tenure of DC teachers, Superintendent Michelle Rhee is looking for ways around the contract, according to the Washington Post. In what Washington Federation of Teachers President George Parker calls a “backdoor process of firing teachers,” Rhee is teaming with the State Education Superintendent to try and replace the current renewable five-year licenses with terminating ones, forcing teachers to then apply for a license with new criteria that could include student performance.

Show me the money: Though 42 percent of adults with BAs would be interested in switching careers to become teachers, a foundation report says, many wouldn’t switch unless starting pay was at least $50,000, says the Detroit Free Press. The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation also reports that incentives and stronger preparation programs would help lure career-changers.

Strike two: English and Welsh schools are looking at a second strike in one year. The leadership of the National Union of Teachers maintains that a proposed 7 percent pay increase over three years will amount to a pay cut in real terms after accounting for inflation, reports the UK’s Independent. Rank-and-file members will get strike authorization ballots. Last April, a one-day strike kept two million students home.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Calendar:

Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 16 & 17: There will be a sabbatical workshop 4:15 to 6 p.m. at the Manhattan borough office. RSVP to 212-598-6800.

Wednesday, Sept. 17: The History of NYC Public School Governance, a forum featuring education historian Diane Ravitch, New York State Regent Betty Rosa, and educator and community activist Jitu Weusi will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Murry Bergtraum HS. For more information, see the flyer.

Thursday, Sept. 18: A high school workshop Designing Study Sabbatical Proposals that Work!, from 4:15 to 6:15 p.m. at 52 Broadway, will guide prospective applicants in writing successful proposals which are rigorous and applicable to their teaching assignments. For more information, contact Gregg Lundahl at 212-598-9281 or Glundahl@uft.org.

Saturday, Sept. 20: In Classroom Management: Strategies to Consider, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 52 Broadway, learn practical, beginning-of-the-year techniques for immediate use in the adolescent classroom. This is a perfect workshop for any new teacher and was designed specifically for those searching for new strategies for dealing with the middle school student. To register or to get more information, call Sue Picicci at 212-598-9282 or e-mail spicicci@uft.org. There is a $20 fee. A light breakfast will be provided.

Tuesday, Sept. 23: There will be an open house for paraprofessionals for the Bilingual Pupil Services Program from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at 131 Livingston Street, Brooklyn in the 6th floor conference room. Learn about the benefits of being a program participant, which includes training, guidance and mentoring to become a New York State-certified teacher of bilingual elementary/middle school education; teaching experience in bilingual/ESL classroom or bilingual special education setting; paid tuition in an accredited teacher education program; same salary and benefits as UFT paraprofessionals. Contact Samuel Cheung at scheung@schools.nyc.gov or Hyeon Yun at hyun@schools.nyc.gov, or call 718-935-3913. Go here for additional information.

Thursday, Sept. 25: The UFT Special Education Committee will meet 4 to 6 p.m. at 52 Broadway, sixth floor, with special guest Linda Wernikoff, Executive Director, Special Education Initiatives, Division of Teaching & Learning. The topic will be Changes in Special Education Referral Process and the Excusal Provisions. For reservations, call 212-598-9546. To be admitted, you must print out and bring this flyer.

Thursday, Sept. 25 and Friday, Sept. 26: Special free preview for educators of Bodies…the Exhibition, which features real human bodies dissected to show various internal systems, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, and 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday. RSVP for reservations and for further information.

Friday, Sept. 26: Come to an open house for educators at the Met, 4 to 6 p.m., free with museum admission. Learn about resources and programs especially designed with you in mind. Join an orientation to the Nolen Library and Teacher Resource Center, gallery-based workshops, and informational sessions. Refreshments and free teacher resource materials are provided, and afterward enjoy the Museum, which will be open until 9 p.m. Reservations required. For further information about teacher programs call 212–570–3985 or email teachers@metmuseum.org.

Wednesday, Oct. 1: There will be a meeting of Lesbian & Gay Teachers, 6 to 8 p.m., at the LGBT Center, 208 West 13th St., Manhattan. E-mail: lgta@aol.com; phone : 212-933-4544 or 646-660-3303.

Thursday, Oct. 2: A sabbatical workshop will be held at the Staten Island borough office at 4 p.m. RSVP to 718-605-1400.

Thursday, Nov. 13: Save the date: The UFT Jewish Heritage Committee/JLC Educators Chapter Fall Gala will honor Robert Morgenthau, Manhattan District Attorney at 6:30 p.m., at the Captain’s Ketch Restaurant in downtown Manhattan. Details to follow.

Tuesday, Nov. 18: Save the date for a retirement dinner honoring Angela Reformato Solomon. The former chapter leader of the guidance chapter will be feted at Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach. See the flyer for details.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Professional Committees
UFT Professional Committees offer a wide range of workshops, presentations, and exchanges enabling all members to take an active part in their professional growth. Unless indicated, meetings are at UFT Headquarters at 52 Broadway. Check lobby for location. For further information contact us at 212-598-7772.

ATSS/UFT (Assn. of Teachers of SS)

Friday, Sept.19, 4:30 p.m., GMNY Planning Meeting.
Friday, Oct. 3, 4 p.m., Executive Board Meeting.
ELAC/UFT (English Language Arts Council)

Wednesday, Sept. 24, 4:30 p.m., Reading Strategies for Differentiated Instruction Workshop.
Humane Education

Saturday, Oct. 4, 10:45 a.m., A Field Trip @ Queens County Farm Museum.
Italian-American

Friday, Sept. 26, 6 p.m., Festa Italiana @ the Bronx UFT.
Math Teachers

Monday, Sept. 29, 8 a.m., TBA.
NYCAFLT/UFT (NYC Assn. of Foreign Language Teachers)

Saturday, Sept. 13, 9:30 a.m., Planning Committee Meeting.
NYC Music Teachers Association/UFT

Saturday, Sept. 13, 8:30 a.m., A Year in Song: A Workshop by Michael and Jill Gallina.
NYCATA/UFT (NYC Art Teachers Assn.)

Friday, Sept. 19, 4:15 p.m., General Meeting at the New Museum (235 Bowery at Prince St).
Tuesday, Sept. 23, 4:30 p.m., Open Executive Board.
Monday, Oct. 6, 5:30 p.m., Pre-Conference Dinner.
Players

Friday, October 10, 4 p.m., Board Meeting.
Science

Friday, Sept. 19, 7:15 p.m., Using the Digital Resources of the Journal of Chemical Education at NYU (32 Waverly Place).
Veterans

Wednesday, Sept. 24, 4:30 p.m., General Meeting.
Editor: Paul Schickler

Contributors include: Shelvy Abrams, Carmen Alvarez, Bob Astrowsky, LeRoy Barr, Joe Colletti, Jeanette Downes, Aminda Gentile, Gino Giustra, Carol Haupt, Ron Isaac, Robert Kleppel, William Levay, Gregg Lundahl, Nyree McCray, Deidre McFadyen, Michael Mendel, Sue Picicci, Ellen Procida, Amina Rachman, Brigit Rein, Marvin Reiskin, Anthony Rivera, Sterling Roberson, Servia Silva and Howard Solomon.

A citywide chapter leader meeting will be held this coming Thursday, Sept. 18, at 52 Broadway on the second floor, starting at 4 p.m. At this “nuts and bolts” meeting, you will be briefed on the union’s initiatives and campaigns and there will be an opportunity to discuss any problems that have arisen in the first weeks of the school year.

UFT launches “School Tone” campaign in schools
You will be receiving a School Tone poster at your school this coming week or next. Please post it on your UFT bulletin board. The poster marks the launch of the second phase of the UFT Safety and Health Department’s “Safe Secure Schools” campaign. Teachers and students need safe and orderly classrooms and schools for teaching and learning to occur. We want members to know that the UFT is here to help establish that climate.

The union can provide the following direct services:

a safety walk-through by UFT safety specialists in conjunction with DOE and NYPD/school safety personnel;
an incident analysis;
a review of the school’s safety plan and recommendations for improvements;
training on the Student Code of Conduct, suspension procedures and Chancellor’s regulations governing safety;
crisis intervention training;
violence prevention training; and
help integrating student support services and discipline to help students change behavior
The poster advises members to ask you, their chapter leader, to request these services if needed. If your school would like assistance, please contact your district rep or your borough safety rep.

Join the UFT for the United Way’s Sept. 20 Day of Action
Join the UFT team in standing up for better quality education, income and health opportunities for all New Yorkers by participating in the United Way’s LiveUnited Day of Action on Saturday, Sept. 20. It’s a simple way to raise awareness that all of us – individuals, businesses, community organizations and government – can and must work more closely together to bridge the gaps that exist in our city. The walk starts at City Hall Park in Manhattan and ends in Brooklyn’s Cadman Plaza Park for a LIVE UNITED Volunteer Festival. Dozens of community-based organizations are providing information on their work and related volunteer opportunities. Bring friends and family. Everyone is invited to join our team – you’ll find it listed on the registration form as “UFT.” The walk is free – no donations are required but every walker must register. It takes just 5 minutes, so sign up today!

A violation of the parking agreement in your school? File an appeal
The UFT and the city have set up the appeals processes agreed to in the Aug. 26 parking agreement. If you and your principal in a school cannot agree on a method of allocating parking permits, if your principal has not consulted with you, or if your principal is taking permits off the top and leaving the rest for UFT members without your consent, send an e-mail as soon as possible to parkingdispute@uft.org to appeal this violation of the parking agreement. If your school wants to appeal the number of permits that it was issued or the number of spots that it was allotted, you may send the appeal to the city at Parkingplacards@cityhall.nyc.gov. As for the impractical requirement of VIN numbers in situations where permits will be pooled, we are in discussions with the city and the DOE to eliminate the need for VIN numbers or any other kind of individual identification on the permits. If you have any questions, please contact your district rep.

Encourage new members to attend UFT orientations
Now is the time to show our newest members just how supportive and helpful the union can be as they launch this most challenging of careers. All borough UFT Offices are hosting events continuing a series which began this summer, providing opportunities to learn and ask questions about, among other things, salary, pension, health benefits and UFT Welfare benefits, licensing and certification, and planning and managing effective instruction. Encourage new members to visit the New Teacher page and register for one of these orientations.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And on uft.org don’t miss:
Obama delivers major education policy address

UFT posts $10,000 reward for missing educator

Report highlights school overcrowding in Manhattan


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To Do:
Online updates of your school safety plan must be completed by Sept. 26 and submitted to your Safety Administrator for review. See our Safety Plan Check List as a preliminary guide. Make sure that all teachers, parents and students in your school have received the Discipline Code and proper training with respect to the code. Your school should have a school safety committee that meets monthly during the school year. The first item should be the review of the school safety plan, which will be available online to be updated.
Make sure that your school has a SAVE Room and a removal process as part of the Safety Plan. (Chancellor's Reg A443 1.05MB). Please contact your borough safety liaisons and district reps for technical assistance.
You should receive your COPE packets by Sept. 15. Please devote a chapter leader meeting to COPE to start the campaign. We need you to enroll more members in COPE and encourage them to vote. Packets will include a list of who in your school contributes to COPE and who doesn’t, COPE enrollment forms, and voter registration forms. Make sure you personally reach out to each member in your school who does not contribute to COPE, and be sure to send in all the completed COPE cards in the self-addressed stamped envelope enclosed in your packet. Be sure to mail in any completed voter registration forms to the Board of Elections by Oct. 10 so that members are eligible to vote in the Nov. 4 presidential election. Help us build the UFT’s political power member by member!
Every new teacher without prior teaching experience is entitled to a mentor. (Teaching Fellows have a mentor assigned by the program in addition to the school-based mentor.) The chapter leader is a required member of each school’s New Teacher Induction Committee. If new teachers in your school do not have an official mentor by now, or if you have any questions about the mentor program, contact your district representative or send an e-mail to mentoring@uft.org.
Print out and share the poster for the Oct. 19 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk. Walkers in each borough can join UFT teams, and contact information is on the poster.
All new chapter leaders and new delegates MUST send in their election certification to the UFT Membership Department or they will not receive mailings and email that directly affect their positions.
Tell us if non-secretaries are doing secretarial work. In March, an arbitrator ordered the DOE to “cease and desist” from assigning the duties and responsibilities of a licensed school secretary to any other title. The duties and responsibilities of secretaries are spelled out in Circular 31. Please notify School Secretaries Chapter Leader Jackie Ervolina immediately at mjeuft@aol.com if any person in your school who is not a licensed school secretary is doing secretarial work. Specify the name of the person improperly doing secretarial work in your school, that person’s title and the specific secretarial work that the person is performing.
Make sure your members, especially new teachers, know about Dial-A-Teacher, free teacher help with homework to students – and parents – over the telephone. And for parents who need help helping their kids, the program also offers sympathetic advice. Callers can get help in 15 languages. Students need only call 212-777-3380 any school day, Monday through Thursday, between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For your information:
Chapter Leader training: The first part of chapter leader training will take place the weekend of Sept. 20-21 at the Princeton Marriott Hotel Conference Center at Forrestal in Princeton, NJ. The training session is for new chapter leaders. If you are a new chapter leader, please register as soon as possible. The application form is posted in the chapter leader section of the Web site. You need to sign up at uft.org and verify your membership to enter the chapter leader section. You must submit a $100 deposit with your application to guarantee your registration. Your check will be deposited ONLY if you do not show up, or if you do not cancel within 48 hours of the training. If you have any questions, call Melody Rondinelli between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. at 1-212-598-6861.

Understanding the latest in school allocations: After nearly five months of rallies, and school- and community-based actions by UFT members and the Keep the Promises coalition, the City Council in June adopted a budget that contained no classroom cuts. The Department of Education has allocated to individual schools most of the $129 million that the Council added, as well as the $63 million in CFE funds that the department had withheld from schools. No school faced a loss in funds and some received an increase for this school year. To find out how much additional money your school received, for help making sense of the allocation spreadsheet, and for a list of questions you may want to ask your principal regarding the use of these additional funds, please check out our school allocations guide at uft.org.

Save the Date for Obama campaigning: The UFT will be organizing buses to travel to Pennsylvania on Saturday, Oct. 25 and Saturday, Nov. 2 for door-knocking at union households to get out the vote for Obama in this battleground state.

Teacher’s Choice telephone survey: UFT members will be contacted by phone next week asking them to participate in a Teacher’s Choice survey being conducted by Councilman Eric Gioia. Please encourage your members to participate in this telephone survey.

File grievances online: Remember that chapter leaders must now go to the UFT Web site to file all Step 1 grievances on behalf of members in their chapter. You must be logged in to the UFT Web site to have access to the private chapter leader section, where the grievance form will be housed under the heading “Grievance Briefcase.” If you have not already done so, you must also sign up for an account at www.uft.org and verify your union membership on the profile page of your account. If you have any questions about the new online grievance process, contact the grievance liaison/contract coordinator in your borough office.

2008-09 calendar: The 2008-09 school year calendar has been posted on the UFT Web site. Please go here to view the calendar. Please remind members that those who wish to observe additional holy days may take them as religious observance days.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the News:
Backdoor to the future: Unable to make headway in negotiating a contract that substantially weakens the tenure of DC teachers, Superintendent Michelle Rhee is looking for ways around the contract, according to the Washington Post. In what Washington Federation of Teachers President George Parker calls a “backdoor process of firing teachers,” Rhee is teaming with the State Education Superintendent to try and replace the current renewable five-year licenses with terminating ones, forcing teachers to then apply for a license with new criteria that could include student performance.

Show me the money: Though 42 percent of adults with BAs would be interested in switching careers to become teachers, a foundation report says, many wouldn’t switch unless starting pay was at least $50,000, says the Detroit Free Press. The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation also reports that incentives and stronger preparation programs would help lure career-changers.

Strike two: English and Welsh schools are looking at a second strike in one year. The leadership of the National Union of Teachers maintains that a proposed 7 percent pay increase over three years will amount to a pay cut in real terms after accounting for inflation, reports the UK’s Independent. Rank-and-file members will get strike authorization ballots. Last April, a one-day strike kept two million students home.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Calendar:
Saturday, Sept. 13: A NYC Walk to Beat the Clock for HPV/Cervical Cancer Prevention & Awareness, a 4K walkathon from 8 a.m. to noon, begins at Carl Schurz Park at East End Avenue and East 86th Street on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. For more information, visit the organization’s Web site.

Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 16 & 17: There will be a sabbatical workshop 4:15 to 6 p.m. at the Manhattan borough office. RSVP to 212-598-6800.

Wednesday, Sept. 17: The History of NYC Public School Governance, a forum featuring education historian Diane Ravitch, New York State Regent Betty Rosa, and educator and community activist Jitu Weusi will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Murry Bergtraum HS. For more information, see the flyer.

Thursday, Sept. 18: A high school workshop Designing Study Sabbatical Proposals that Work!, from 4:15 to 6:15 p.m. at 52 Broadway, will guide prospective applicants in writing successful proposals which are rigorous and applicable to their teaching assignments. For more information, contact Gregg Lundahl at 212-598-9281 or Glundahl@uft.org.

Saturday, Sept. 20: In Classroom Management: Strategies to Consider, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 52 Broadway, learn practical, beginning-of-the-year techniques for immediate use in the adolescent classroom. This is a perfect workshop for any new teacher and was designed specifically for those searching for new strategies for dealing with the middle school student. To register or to get more information, call Sue Picicci at 212-598-9282 or e-mail spicicci@uft.org. There is a $20 fee. A light breakfast will be provided.

Tuesday, Sept. 23: There will be an open house for paraprofessionals for the Bilingual Pupil Services Program from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at 131 Livingston Street, Brooklyn in the 6th floor conference room. Learn about the benefits of being a program participant, which includes training, guidance and mentoring to become a New York State-certified teacher of bilingual elementary/middle school education; teaching experience in bilingual/ESL classroom or bilingual special education setting; paid tuition in an accredited teacher education program; same salary and benefits as UFT paraprofessionals. Contact Samuel Cheung at scheung@schools.nyc.gov or Hyeon Yun at hyun@schools.nyc.gov, or call 718-935-3913. Go here for additional information.

Thursday, Sept. 25: The UFT Special Education Committee will meet 4 to 6 p.m. at 52 Broadway, sixth floor, with special guest Linda Wernikoff, Executive Director, Special Education Initiatives, Division of Teaching & Learning. The topic will be Changes in Special Education Referral Process and the Excusal Provisions. For reservations, call 212-598-9546. To be admitted, you must print out and bring this flyer.

Thursday, Sept. 25 and Friday, Sept. 26: Special free preview for educators of Bodies…the Exhibition, which features real human bodies dissected to show various internal systems, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, and 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday. RSVP for reservations and for further information.

Friday, Sept. 26: Come to an open house for educators at the Met, 4 to 6 p.m., free with museum admission. Learn about resources and programs especially designed with you in mind. Join an orientation to the Nolen Library and Teacher Resource Center, gallery-based workshops, and informational sessions. Refreshments and free teacher resource materials are provided, and afterward enjoy the Museum, which will be open until 9 p.m. Reservations required. For further information about teacher programs call 212–570–3985 or email teachers@metmuseum.org.

Wednesday, Oct. 1: There will be a meeting of Lesbian & Gay Teachers, 6 to 8 p.m., at the LGBT Center, 208 West 13th St., Manhattan. E-mail: lgta@aol.com; phone : 212-933-4544 or 646-660-3303.

Thursday, Oct. 2: A sabbatical workshop will be held at the Staten Island borough office at 4 p.m. RSVP to 718-605-1400.

Thursday, Nov. 13: Save the date: The UFT Jewish Heritage Committee/JLC Educators Chapter Fall Gala will honor Robert Morgenthau, Manhattan District Attorney at 6:30 p.m., at the Captain’s Ketch Restaurant in downtown Manhattan. Details to follow.

Tuesday, Nov. 18: Save the date for a retirement dinner honoring Angela Reformato Solomon. The former chapter leader of the guidance chapter will be feted at Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach. See the flyer for details.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Professional Committees
UFT Professional Committees offer a wide range of workshops, presentations, and exchanges enabling all members to take an active part in their professional growth. Unless indicated, meetings are at UFT Headquarters at 52 Broadway. Check lobby for location. For further information contact us at 212-598-7772.

ATSS/UFT (Assn. of Teachers of SS)

Friday, Sept.19, 4:30 p.m., GMNY Planning Meeting.
Friday, Oct. 3, 4 p.m., Executive Board Meeting.
ELAC/UFT (English Language Arts Council)

Wednesday, Sept. 24, 4:30 p.m., Reading Strategies for Differentiated Instruction Workshop.
Humane Education

Saturday, Oct. 4, 10:45 a.m., A Field Trip @ Queens County Farm Museum.
Italian-American

Friday, Sept. 26, 6 p.m., Festa Italiana @ the Bronx UFT.
Math Teachers

Monday, Sept. 29, 8 a.m., TBA.
NYCAFLT/UFT (NYC Assn. of Foreign Language Teachers)

Saturday, Sept. 13, 9:30 a.m., Planning Committee Meeting.
NYC Music Teachers Association/UFT

Saturday, Sept. 13, 8:30 a.m., A Year in Song: A Workshop by Michael and Jill Gallina.
NYCATA/UFT (NYC Art Teachers Assn.)

Friday, Sept. 19, 4:15 p.m., General Meeting at the New Museum (235 Bowery at Prince St).
Tuesday, Sept. 23, 4:30 p.m., Open Executive Board.
Monday, Oct. 6, 5:30 p.m., Pre-Conference Dinner.
Players

Friday, October 10, 4 p.m., Board Meeting.
Science

Friday, Sept. 19, 7:15 p.m., Using the Digital Resources of the Journal of Chemical Education at NYU (32 Waverly Place).
Veterans

Wednesday, Sept. 24, 4:30 p.m., General Meeting.
Editor: Paul Schickler

Contributors include: Shelvy Abrams, Carmen Alvarez, Bob Astrowsky, LeRoy Barr, Joe Colletti, Jeanette Downes, Aminda Gentile, Gino Giustra, Carol Haupt, Ron Isaac, Robert Kleppel, William Levay, Gregg Lundahl, Nyree McCray, Deidre McFadyen, Michael Mendel, Sue Picicci, Ellen Procida, Amina Rachman, Brigit Rein, Marvin Reiskin, Anthony Rivera, Sterling Roberson, Servia Silva and Howard Solomon.