n 2013, the small, rural communities of Mohawk and Ilion merged to provide students with more academic and extracurricular options, forming the Central Valley Central School District. In 2021, Central Valley adapted yet again, becoming part of a network of community schools to ensure that students are getting their basic needs, like food and housing, met.

NYSUT is asking for $100 million in the coming state budget to expand the community schools model across the state, and the union has been inviting lawmakers to tour community schools to learn about the value of this potential investment.

“This is an investment in our school children on the front end,” Person told guests during the visit. “If you want clean streets, if you want empty prisons, if you want a thriving community and public education system, you invest in community schools. Because they invest in communities and support students’ needs wherever they come from.”

chool-Related Professionals who rise to the challenge every day will now find themselves on a better footing in their workplaces, thanks to a new law.

“This bill couldn’t have happened on a better day, School-Related Professionals Day,” said Kim McEvoy, SRP At-Large Director on the NYSUT Board and member of the Rondout Valley Federation of Teachers and School-Related Professionals. “This bill will provide protections for NYSUT members and members of other unions, and secure better working conditions for more than 100,000 SRPs, as well as other civil servants.”

The amendment to Section 80, S.5487/A.6586, allows for more protections for SRPs during layoffs and job recalls. Previously, during a reduction in forces, “bump and retreat” provisions were only applicable to some public service employees. Additionally, there was no uniform procedure in place regarding rehiring methods based on length of service — or “Last in, First out.” Instead, employees displaced due to layoffs could be replaced by someone younger or less experienced, ultimately creating a financial incentive to harm long-time employees who might be more expensive.

t’s not cheap to live in East Hampton. Perched along the tip of eastern Long Island, and famous for sweeping beachfront vistas, it’s long been the playground of the rich and famous and encompasses some of the nation’s most expensive real estate. But it’s also home to a school district. And like every other district across New York, it relies on a dedicated staff of School-Related Professionals to keep it going. SRPs like Dexter Grady, head of the district’s grounds department.

Grady is president of the East Hampton Union Free School District SRP Association, representing 120 members, including paraprofessionals, grounds workers, mechanics, bus drivers, custodians, IT staff and more. “It costs a lot to live here in Suffolk County,” said Grady. “Making sure we’re paid a decent wage is very important.”

Recognizing the value of attracting and retaining SRPs, earlier this year district leaders agreed to reopen the local’s contract to improve salary and benefits. They also extended the agreement through June 30, 2028, three additional years. “They want to make sure they have the paras … they fear that down the road they might start losing them since it’s so expensive,” said NYSUT labor relations specialist Laura Graves, who serves the East Hampton local. Many SRPs commute to the district due to soaring housing costs.

group of over 80 library professionals said “yes!” to the union this November on Long Island. NYSUT won voluntary recognition for staffers at the Emma S. Clark Memorial Library in East Setauket in Suffolk County after a whirlwind organizing campaign. It began in mid-September when NYSUT organizers visited the library to gauge staff interest in forming a union. And it ended in early November when the library’s board of directors voluntarily recognized the local after a supermajority of staff signed union cards.

Colin Kasprowicz, the library’s head of technical services and a member of the organizing committee, said “this was the right time” to unionize, noting that attempts over the last 40 years have been unsuccessful. “But we have a younger staff, and we’re living in a period of American history where unions are viewed positively. There’s lots of media coverage about union strikes and people organizing to fight for fair wages and working conditions.”

But most of all, Kasprowicz continued, the staff wants to preserve what they already have. “Over the last 20 years, our administration and board of directors have worked with us to improve working conditions, benefits and pay,” he said. “This is the time to lock in what we’ve earned and deserve … and lay a foundation for future generations of staff.”

nder the theme “Reset, Revive and Reclaim: Bringing Generations of NYSUT Members Together,” nearly 100 NYSUT Women’s Committee members paid tribute to trailblazing women of the past and charted a course for the year ahead.

Committee co-chairs and event organizers Leslie Rose, Latrice Curry and Marne Brady welcomed attendees, with Rose pledging to “build the bonds of sisterhood” by keeping women’s issues at the forefront. Curry noted there are currently more than 30 regional and local women’s committees and was “excited to continue doing the work of the largest standing committee at NYSUT.”

In a nod to the theme of forging connections between past and present female union leaders, Brady asked “what can I do to make this mountain taller so that the women coming after me can see farther?”

Highlights at the November convening included workshops about protecting reproductive freedom for women and educating members about their workplace rights as women, mothers and mothers-to-be.

YSUT Secretary-Treasurer J. Philippe Abraham joined a distinguished panel of union leaders from across the globe to share experiences, analyze issues and discuss emerging workforce trends.

The 12th annual International Further and Higher Education and Research Conference, held in Mexico City, was co-hosted by Education International and its member organization, Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educaciòn. The event brought together union leaders to strategize in support of a global Go Public! Fund Education campaign, an urgent call for governments to invest in public education as a fundamental human right.

Abraham, representing the American Federation of Teachers, led a workshop session titled “Effective Organizing Strategies in a Changing Workplace.” He saluted the work of the more than 300,000 AFT members working in higher education. “Higher education, via community colleges and our four-year public and private colleges and universities, is a public good that serves as a pathway to individual improvement, civic and democratic health and economic growth,” he noted.

Tell me about your job and why you love what you do.

When my own children were younger, I was very active and involved with my children’s PTA at each school building level. Before getting back into the workforce, I provided home daycare and was instrumental in their daily growth and development. Volunteering in the school atmosphere when my children were young helped me make the decision to return to the workforce as a teaching assistant.

When I was first hired, there was no requirement for post high school credits. The district helped and guided me with the necessary steps to fulfill the requirements needed for a teaching assistant certification. Why I love my job? The relationships that I have built with my past and current students and various staff throughout the district are very strong.

Why did you join the union?

I joined the union 23 years ago, after being hired as a 1:1 teaching assistant. At this time, the benefits of joining the union were explained to me. I wanted to have a voice within my working environment. What better way than to join, listen and get involved. I became a building rep 20 years ago because I wanted to hear the information, process it correctly and share with my co-workers within the building. This position helped me build stronger relationships with employees throughout the district, making them feel comfortable coming to me with questions and concerns, knowing that I held all conversations in strictest confidence. Many members do not know how to have their concerns brought forward and addressed. I pride myself in the way that I disseminate information. I have held the position of treasurer and most recently secretary.

rom an October Take a Look at Teaching convening in Nassau County to a December school visit in Lockport north of Buffalo, it’s easy to come away with the same message: students are interested in teaching.

More than 150 students from several Long Island schools gathered at Long Island University to hear from New York State Teachers of the Year, Board of Regents Chancellor Lester Young and NYSUT Executive Vice President Jaime Ciffone. The event was organized by 2021 New York State Teacher of the Year Jen Wolfe, who wanted to bring TALAT clubs and classes from around Long Island together to introduce students to several aspects of the teaching profession, including how to build a classroom community, teaching wellness and the basics of the job.

Being a teacher…
I had never put much thought into how I want my students to remember me. As a middle school reading teacher, too often I am stuck in the moment, concerned with how and what they learn in my class. Instead of wondering about my legacy, I focus on being creative and engaging in order to reach my students.

I truly love my students, and I hope they know that. Many will bring their friends by to introduce them to me, some will come and spend their lunch period with me, or visit me just to say hello several times throughout the day. I enjoy being home base for these kids. I am happy to be able to provide a space for them to come during lunchtime, so they can escape the hectic cafeteria or outdoor recess. Many of my students have tough circumstances, both in and out of school, and I like to provide a place where they can just be a kid.

I am lucky enough to receive multiple notes of thanks and praise throughout the school year from my students. But one of my greatest joys is when I get contacted by former students, often through the school email. Many of them write to ask me how I am, how my current students are, some will even ask about my own children. I’ve had several girls send me photos from their quinceañeras. One of my favorites was when a former student sent me his college graduation photo along with his graduation photo from eighth grade. I was so proud to see that he graduated from college. And yes, I am proud that he remembered me and wanted to share that moment with me.

hanks to the continued pressure of NYSUT and child hunger advocates, more kids are getting the food they need to thrive at school.

Two government measures that went into effect this year — the USDA’s decision to reduce the Community Eligibility Provision threshold from 40 percent to 25 percent, and the additional $134.6 million CEP state subsidy in this year’s budget — have given more students across the state the opportunity to receive meals at no cost, and for schools to get fully reimbursed for them.

Kingston City School District began offering free breakfast and lunch to all 5,975 of its students this year. “Children are receiving nutritious meals and now they can focus on things other than hunger. Many of these students come from households that are food insecure most of the month,” said Laurie Rosen, president of the Kingston Teachers Federation. “This also lessens the embarrassment that came along with not having money on their lunch card and parents unable to catch up.”

cores of retiree activists traveled to the Capital Region in September for the 2023 NYSUT Retiree Contiguous ED 51–53 meeting. Led by Florence McCue, ED 51–53 at-large director, the annual event charts the retirees’ agenda for the year ahead and determines what resolutions the group will propose at the NYSUT Representative Assembly in May. Ron Gross, NYSUT second vice president, whose office coordinates retiree issues, and NYSUT Executive Vice President Emeritus Alan Lubin, were on hand for the event.

Other event highlights included a tribute to longtime union activist and UFT founder George Altomare, who died in August; presentations about the history of NYSUT Retiree Councils and New York’s National Education Association retiree group; and sessions about farmworker rights, federal Social Security legislation and the statewide union’s Fix Tier 6 VOTE-COPE campaign.

NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN THAT NOMINATING PETITIONS FOR EACH OF THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED THROUGH 5 PM, MONDAY, FEB. 12, 2024, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CRITERIA AND PROCESSES OUTLINED BELOW.

It’s What We Do

YSUT Member Benefits is pleased to announce the availability of the premium Calm subscription as a free benefit for all NYSUT in-service and retiree members. This service provides members with unlimited access to the full Calm library of sleep, meditation and relaxation content. Members can add up to five dependents (age 16 or older) to receive their own premium Calm subscription.

To learn more about how to sign up for the Calm service, visit memberbenefits.nysut.org and then click on “Free Member Benefits.” From that landing page, you can also explore each of the following benefits available at no cost to members.

Feeling anxious or stressed? The Peer Support Line — staffed by trained in-service and retired individuals who understand the unique professional and personal challenges of NYSUT members — is a confidential helpline that can provide answers, resources and empathetic support when you need it.

Like many Americans, you may have concerns related to credit or debt issues. All NYSUT members (both in-service and retiree) are eligible to receive a free, no obligation debt consultation with a Cambridge Credit Counseling certified counselor. Members can speak with a Cambridge loan counselor, attend a NYSUT Student Loan Workshop, or visit the Cambridge Student Loan Portal through this benefit.

embers and retirees of the state Employees’ Retirement System can use Retirement Online to avoid making phone calls or mailing in forms. Sign in for instant access to information about your benefits and convenient tools to make changes to your account.

Apply for a loan. See how much you can borrow, what your repayment amount would be and whether your loan would be taxable — all before you apply. And, if you are eligible, apply online, too.

Apply for retirement. When you are ready to retire, you can apply for a service retirement benefit, choose your pension payment option, sign up for direct deposit and upload paperwork.

I’m a New York City public school teacher and a United Federation of Teachers member. Should I contact one of the teacher-members listed below if I have questions about my pension?

No, you shouldn’t. UFT members, meaning educators who work in the New York City public school system, should contact the Teachers Retirement System of the City of New York with questions about retirement, disability and death benefits. The TRSNYC system is a separate entity from NYSTRS and includes more than 200,000 in-service members, retirees and beneficiaries.

Thanks for clearing up the confusion. How would I get more information about my benefits through TRSNYC?

The UFT provides a wealth of pension information on their webpage at UFT.org/your-benefits/pension. It also publishes a regular column in the UFT’s member publication New York Teacher, called “Secure Your Future,” and offers speakers for districtwide pension meetings or faculty conferences, and a full slate of workshops and pension clinics at UFT offices. UFT members are advised to reach out to their local borough office to schedule a preliminary consultation if they’re planning to retire, make a career change or resign. During this private consultation UFTers will receive an estimate of their retirement allowance and answers to any questions about retirement benefits. To schedule a UFT borough office consultation, call 212-331-6311. The three teacher-members for the Teachers Retirement System of the City of New York are Tom Brown, TBrown@UFT.org; David Kazansky, DKazansky@UFT.org; and Victoria Lee, VLee@UFT.org.