NYSUT United March/April 2026
Why educators are empowering the next generation with civics education and media literacy
Contents
Deputy Director of Communications: Anna Gronewold
Lead Editor/Copy Desk Chief: Clarisse Butler Banks
Assistant Editors/Writers: Riley Ackley, Emily Allen, Ben Amey, Molly Belmont, Catherine Rizos
Photography: J. El-Wise Noisette, Kimberly Pennant, Chris Sutorius
Lead Designer: Nicole Clayton
Art and Production: Dana Fournier, Cora Horner
Online Communications Coordinators: Katie Bartlett, Jiayi Kong
Editorial Support: Amanda Boespflug, Julie Malec
Editorial and Production Department: 518-213-6000 and 800-342-9810 (toll-free)
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NYSUT United (ISSN 21587914) and nysut.org are official publications of New York State United Teachers. NYSUT United publishes six issues from September to June.
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NYSUT Affiliated with AFT 
NEA AFL-CIO
800 Troy-Schenectady Road, Latham, NY 12110
518-213-6000
800-342-9810President: Melinda Person
Executive Vice President: Jaime L. Ciffone
Second Vice President: Ron Gross
Secretary-Treasurer: J. Philippe Abraham
ELECTION DISTRICT DIRECTORS: Jeff Orlowski, Donna Walters, Darla Schultz-Bubar, Jennifer Austin, Adam Urbanski, Andrew Jordan, Mary Patroulis, David Chizzonite, Jeanette Stapley, Laura Franz, Joseph Herringshaw, Juliet Benaquisto, Melissa Tierney, Sparrow Tobin, Sean Kennedy, Anthony Nicodemo, Tomia Smith, Nicole Brown, Robert Richardelli, Kevin Coyne, Kevin Toolan, Laura Spencer, Karen Blackwell Alford, Tabia DaCruz, Mary Vaccaro, Servia Silva, MaryJo Ginese, Mary Atkinson, Anthony Harmon, Michael Mulgrew, Elizabeth Perez, Victoria Lee, Richard Mantell, LeRoy Barr, Felicia Wharton (CUNY Higher Ed, PSC), Penelope Lewis (CUNY Higher Ed, PSC), Roberta Elins (Community Colleges), Alissa Karl (SUNY Higher Ed, UUP), Jeri O’Bryan-Losee (SUNY Higher Ed, UUP), Thomas Tucker (SUNY Higher Ed, UUP), Philip Rumore, Jaime Francey-Henry, Dora Leland, Loretta Donlon (Retiree), Joan Perrini (Retiree), Thomas Murphy (Retiree)
Alternate Directors: Sue Raichilson, Melissa Tierney
To Our
Members
And in the middle of it all are our students — absorbing it, questioning it, trying to figure out what’s true and what isn’t.
That’s why civics education, including media literacy, must be a priority.
Because democracy today doesn’t just operate in legislative chambers. It operates in algorithms. It operates in timelines and trending topics. If young people cannot evaluate sources, detect bias, verify information, and understand how narratives are shaped, then we are asking them to participate in a system they haven’t been fully prepared to navigate.
And we have to acknowledge something important.
After No Child Left Behind, schools across this country dramatically reduced the time devoted to social studies, particularly in elementary grades. In many districts, minutes spent on civics and history dropped sharply as tested subjects took center stage. What wasn’t tested was too often pushed aside.
We narrowed the focus. And in many places, we narrowed students’ exposure to civic learning.
Now, in an era defined by misinformation and polarization, we’re seeing the impact of that shift.
COMING UP
March 6-8
NYSUT Social Justice Academy Winter Conference, Albany
March 9-10
NYS Board of Regents meets, Albany
March 9-10
NYSUT Committee of 100
March 21
World Poetry Day
State budget due
April 13-14
NYS Board of Regents meets, Albany
April 17-18
NYSUT Health & Education Professionals Conference, Ossining
April 17-19
Somos New York Conference, Albany
Workers Memorial Day
April 29
NYSUT Board of Directors meeting, Albany
April 30-May 1
Local & Retiree Council Presidents Conference, Albany
May 1-2
NYSUT 2026 Representative Assembly, Albany
On the Cover
Why educators are empowering students with civics education and media literacy
Cover design by Dana Fournier
NYSUT continues priorities push in state budget and legislative session
he release of the executive budget set the 2026 legislative session in Albany in full swing. Once again, NYSUT continues to work with its partners in government to make sure our schools are funded, our professions are protected, and our state remains a great place to live and raise a family.
The statewide union applauded the governor’s push to continue fully funding public schools. The executive budget proposal provides a total of $39.6 billion in school aid, a year-to-year increase of nearly $1.6 billion, and increasing the Foundation Aid funding formula by nearly $780 million. However, this Foundation Aid formula increase only represents a 1 percent increase for over 450 of the nearly 700 school districts across the state.
“This is a great start, but it is not enough to sustain our districts,” NYSUT President Melinda Person said during her budget testimony to the joint Assembly and Senate Education committees. Foundation Aid should be just that: a foundation, a starting point to build upon. NYSUT continues to call on the Legislature to increase the amount of Foundation Aid flowing to districts and to update the formula to represent the true cost of funding public schools.
UUP marks start of contract negotiations with state
n early February, United University Professions gathered to mark the start of contract negotiations with New York state. A hybrid kick-off event on Feb. 3, hosted by UUP President Fred Kowal and the union’s negotiations team, drew strong attendance in person and online — with 800 members joining virtually — demonstrating membership strength and a high level of optimism for this round of negotiations.
UUP leaders noted that the February start was the earliest in recent memory and emphasized the importance of reaching an agreement before the current four-year contract expires in July.
Kowal described the negotiations team as highly motivated. “We want to work hard and get the best possible contract done before our current contract expires.”
Mel Stern – Advocate, activist, leader
While an in-service member, Stern served as a NYSUT Election District director and president of the Half Hollow Hills Teachers Association. In retirement, there was no rest as he was strongly encouraged to become the next president of Retiree Council 20. He also served as co-president of the Half Hollow Hills Retiree Chapter.
As RC20 president, Stern immediately embraced numerous committees. Some of his most memorable efforts were his work with the Retiree Advisory Committee and Political Action Committee. He passionately knocked on doors, made phone calls, sent emails and wrote postcards for NYSUT-endorsed candidates. He attended political rallies and helped districts that needed peer support.
“We honor him for his political activism and support of retiree causes,” said Patti Helfand Parisi in her nomination of Stern for Legacy Fund recognition. Stern served as a NYSUT, AFT and AFL-CIO delegate.
He has earned both in-service and retiree awards. In 2018, Stern was honored as a NYSUT Retiree Member of the Year.
“He has been a guiding force with his dedicated service and commitment to all things union,” Helfand Parisi said.
To honor an in-service or retiree activist from your area, visit nysut.org/LegacyFund.
Perry educators deliver maternity leave in new contract
athryn Luczak had saved up as much sick time as she could over the past nine years, but two unpaid maternity leaves during that time had left the Perry Professional Educators Association member with only 11 days she could use when she found out she was unexpectedly pregnant with baby number three. A two-time fertility patient with her older children, Luczak said this third pregnancy was a beautiful gift, but completely unplanned.
“I was freaking out,” she recalled. “I was going to have to take unpaid time to stay home for the normal eight weeks after another C-section, and we were going to be hurting as a family of five with three kids under five.”
Luczak, a universal pre-K teacher at Perry Central School for 13 years, said she immediately looked at her contract and, to her surprise, found new language establishing 40 days of paid maternity leave from the district that is not to be deducted from accumulated sick leave.
“I chased our president, Rod, down the hall and cried and hugged him,” Luczak said.
“She told me ‘You absolutely saved me,’” said PPEA President Rodney Allen.
Allen, a physical education teacher, said this was an issue that had been discussed for years. “There’s so much stress on a young family, and most mothers burn up all their sick days especially moms having second and third babies or who have C-sections — they just don’t have any days left.”
1 in 5 Confronting childhood poverty in New York
student in Ilion missed school for a week. When he finally returned to class, he explained that he hadn’t had access to a washing machine; he couldn’t come to school in dirty clothes.
Another student — a 9-year-old in Rochester — missed school because he wanted to stay home to protect his mother in a house with no locks.
These are just two of the stories captured in 1 in 5, a new short-form NYSUT film about the devastating impact of childhood poverty in the Empire State.
New York state is one of the wealthiest regions in the world — a global leader in industry, finance and innovation. Yet, one in five children in this state lives in poverty; meaning that more than 760,000 students are not getting their basic needs met.
[ Fighting for you ]
New York now requires social media companies to put warning labels for youth on their platforms
esearch studies have repeatedly called attention to the fact that social media is dangerous for kids, but now social media companies themselves will be forced to warn people of the dangers of using their platforms.
Gov. Kathy Hochul recently signed legislation that requires social media platforms to display warning labels explaining the dangerous impact certain features have on young users’ mental health, like warnings found on tobacco, alcohol and certain foods.
“Keeping New Yorkers safe has been my top priority since taking office, and that includes protecting our kids from the potential harms of social media features that encourage excessive use,” said Hochul.
The labels are required for all platforms that use addictive feeds, autoplay or infinite scroll, and warnings will appear at first use, and periodically during continued use. Users will not be able to bypass or click through the warnings.
‘It’s time for the state to do right by us:’
Members talk about why they’re attending statewide Fix Tier 6 rally
ver the course of the year, NYSUT held rallies from Brentwood on Long Island to Buffalo and dozens of communities in between to demand fair treatment for Tier 6 members; in March, we are taking our fight to Albany for the biggest Fix Tier 6 rally yet.
— Rachel Ebling, West Seneca TA
On March 8, 15,000 public sector workers — union members all— are expected to come together for the Statewide Rally to Fix Tier 6 at MVP Arena.
At the rally, which includes NYSUT, NYS AFL-CIO, PEF, CSEA, NYSNA and unions representing police, firefighters and other public sector workers from across the state, members will call on state lawmakers to lower retirement ages and reduce penalties, so that educators and other civil servants can retire with the dignity they deserve.
NYSUT members say they’re attending this epic rally in New York’s capital to demand a just retirement and sustainability for their profession.
Truth Talks marks Black history centennial, explores educational history
hough Black History Month was first recognized as a national celebration by President Ford in 1976, its roots date to 1926, making this year the centennial celebration of Black Americans’ many contributions to our country’s history.
With that Black history milestone in mind, NYSUT hosted a new discussion in its Truth Talks series, which seeks to feature the expertise of NYSUT members and amplify the voices of communities whose histories and stories have been overlooked in traditional narratives.
The virtual discussion was moderated by United Federation of Teachers member Zakkiyya Rock and featured a welcome from NYSUT Secretary-Treasurer J. Philippe Abraham, who emphasized that the history of Black Americans is an essential part of American history and our current reality.
“Black history is not a side story, it is a central story. It is American history,” said Abraham.
Capital city to host 2026 RA
s the Nation prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, democracy is a fitting theme for all of the upcoming celebrations and commemorations.
And as NYSUT leaders and delegates prepare to return to Albany for the statewide union’s annual policymaking convention under the theme “Democracy • Solidarity • Action,” they will be tasked with writing the next chapter of the union’s story.
“We know that our collective strength depends on action, democracy and solidarity — not as slogans, but as daily practice,” said NYSUT President Melinda Person. “This year’s Representative Assembly is a call to turn shared values into real-world change.”
It’s What We Do
Michele Witte
After Tyler’s funeral, Witte began investigating to see if her son’s death was an isolated incident.
It turned out, it wasn’t.
“I still have autopsies and reports in my basement from 20 years ago, when I was sorting through all these deaths and asking myself, ‘How could this happen?’ Witte said.
She and another mother whose child died in the same way joined forces with Kids in Danger, a nonprofit dedicated to advocating for safety improvements in child products, including cribs, toys, bathtub seats, highchairs and strollers.
In 2011, thanks to the efforts of Witte and other resolute parents, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the manufacture, sale and resale of drop-side cribs and prohibited their use in childcare facilities and other public accommodations.
After that happened, Witte turned her attention to improving reporting requirements for incidents involving children, leading to the introduction of Tyler’s Law, which mandates that hospitals, medical examiner offices, and coroner offices report to the CPSC incidents related to the death or serious injury of a child because of a product or durable good. Currently, it’s up to the manufacturer to self-report or for parents to notify the federal agency.
“There are very few organizations that deal with child safety so, right now, it just falls back on the parents,” said Witte.
Witte said strengthening the reporting system will improve the federal agency’s ability to investigate and remove dangerous products from the market.
Last July, Tyler’s Law was introduced at the federal level.
H.R. 4340 — Tyler’s Law is currently in committee. “We’ve had zero pushback,” Witte said. “It’s really bipartisan.” Witte said the passage of this law will feel uniquely personal. “What’s happened over the last 20 years, it was about a lot of kids,” Witte said. “Tyler’s Law is about my kid.”
Tyler’s death is still listed as an accident, she said, because there was no such thing as death by consumer product in the late 1990s.
“We’ve come so far and so many lives were saved because of having tougher standards for child products and getting unsafe products off the shelves, but Tyler’s Law is about having a way to find out about defective products before a tragedy happens,” said Witte. “This is, for me, the last piece of the puzzle.”
For more about Witte and Tyler’s Law, visit nysut.org/itswhatwedo.
Getting to know … Deirdre Mostiller
Deirdre Mostiller is a transportation aide for the Buffalo School District and treasurer of the Transportation Aides of Buffalo. Mostiller was interviewed by Jo Ann Sweat, a member of the NYSUT SRP Advisory Committee and the Buffalo Educational Support Team.
Tell me about your job; why do you love what you do?
I work as a transportation aide with students who attend agency schools such as Summit Academy, St. Mary’s School for the Deaf and several other facilities. As an aide, the work we do depends on the support the students need. Sometimes the little ones need help up the stairs. I help them cross the street. It depends on their disability. I help transport three autistic students on my first run and one student on my second run for morning and afternoon.
I love working with special education students; I have been doing this job for 12 years. I love connecting with the kids. It is so rewarding. I am on standby now so I get different kids every day, but when you have a route and have the same kids every day you can’t help but get attached.
SRPs work together to build peer mentoring programs
chool-Related Professionals gathered from across the state this winter to share their ideas for new peer mentor pilot programs, plans they’ve been carefully crafting since they were accepted into the NYSUT SRP Peer Mentoring Program last October.
Strategies varied, but the goals were the same: increase SRPs’ professional confidence, boost morale, improve retention, and enhance student growth.
“The NYSUT SRP Peer Mentoring Program walks leaders through the steps of creating a program for their local and builds a community of experienced professionals to help guide the next generation of educators,” said NYSUT Second Vice President Ron Gross, whose office leads SRP initiatives.
Launched in 2024, the program is designed to help SRP leadership teams develop peer mentor programs in their school districts. SRPs agree that training and mentoring are critical to recruitment and retention strategies, but few districts have programs in place.
Making connections for student success
ichael Catalano, Ed.D., a school counselor and member of the Saugerties Teachers Association, describes his upbringing as an unconventional one, where school wasn’t easy and success didn’t always feel like it was within reach. “It was a bumpy road, to say the least,” said Catalano.
Now in his 27th year as a counselor at Saugerties Senior High School, Catalano finds himself on the other side of the equation, helping students work through issues and build their own paths to success.
“Sometimes kids struggle, and I remember how I was as a kid and some of the things I went through,” Catalano said. “I’m sure there were a lot of people who wondered, ‘Will this guy ever figure it out?’ But there were key people who were there for me still, so it’s almost like giving back.”
Civics and Media Literacy: NYSUT educators ask for support to build democracy-ready citizens
Civics and Media Literacy:
very day in his classroom, seventh grade social studies teacher Dean Bacigalupo introduces students to the revolutionary ideas born out of America’s Declaration of Independence.
“It’s worth remembering that the American Revolution did more than sever political ties with Britain, it transformed who we are as a people,” said Bacigalupo, Ed.D. “Colonists stopped being subjects and became citizens.”
The shift from subject to citizen isn’t just the foundation of civics education; it’s the cornerstone of our democracy. As we approach the nation’s 250th anniversary, NYSUT is calling on the state to reinvest in this crucial framework.
“Civics is not just another subject; it is the living thread that connects our nation’s founding to our present and future,” said Bacigalupo, president of the Island Park Faculty Association and chairperson of NYSUT’s Social Studies Subject Area Committee.
Congratulations Class of 2025 NBCTs
62 earn profession’s gold standard
irby Mosenthal has what it takes to go the distance.
In 2025, the Croton Teachers Association member earned National Board Certification — widely known as the “gold standard” of the teaching profession — and completed the New York City Marathon, the largest marathon in the world, for the second time.
“Both require a lot of discipline,” Mosenthal said. “A group of students came down to watch and cheer at the marathon, and a lot of them are the same students who were in one of the focus groups I ran for National Board, so it was really cute that they were part of both.”
A high school counselor, Mosenthal is the only 2025 National Board Certified Teacher for her certificate area in New York state: School Counseling/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood.
Fighting cancer with friendship
rom The Golden Girls to Friends to Gilligan’s Island, iconic characters from classic film and television co-mingled at NYSUT’s Central New York Leadership Conference in Saratoga Springs last fall.
“We do a theme every year and this year, we are celebrating friendship,” explained Central Valley Teachers Association President Tara VanCauwenberge, dressed as Louise Sawyer from Thelma & Louise.
More than 300 participants from over 70 NYSUT locals attended and took part in the conference’s longstanding tradition of raising money for the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer campaign. This year’s fundraising and theme, “Thank You for Being a Friend,” was orchestrated by VanCauwenberge, Oneida BOCES TA President Dede Giffune, and Chittenango TA President and NYSUT Board Member David Chizzonite.
“I don’t know anyone who has not been affected [by cancer], and this is just such a great event where we’re able to bring so many educators to represent the cause and do some excellent leadership collaboration,” VanCauwenberge said.
Yonkers retirees are ‘Union for Life’
nion for Life is more than just a catchy phrase for the Yonkers Federation of Teachers; it’s a matter of fact. YFT members — both in-service and retired — serve side by side on union committees and the union’s exec board and work together to help mentor new teachers.
“We value our retirees as much as we value our in-service members. Whatever needs or issues that the union has, we look at our membership as a whole and fill in with the people best suited for what the need is,” said Yonkers FT President Samantha Rosado-Ciriello. A daytime rally? Retirees can step in. Contract fight? ”We call upon our in-service and retirees equally,” she said.
Yonkers retiree Florence McCue, who serves as the at-large retiree representative to the YFT executive board, agreed. “We work shoulder to shoulder with our in-service colleagues,” she said, noting that retirees also pay local dues.
Smart deductions now, peace of mind later — even in retirement
f you’re like so many of us, our lives have never felt busier — from responsibilities at work to taking care of our families to (maybe) finding a little time for ourselves. NYSUT Member Benefits can help members with getting a little of that free time back, reducing stress and saving money.
With payroll or pension deduction for our endorsed programs, you can forget about potentially missing important due dates for bills; instead, enjoy the convenience of automated payments, reduced fees, and/or the elimination of service fees. Approximately 88 percent of NYSUT members have these payment options available to them. If your local association has arranged for payroll deduction with its employer, you are eligible to use this payment option.
Meanwhile, pension deduction is available to those retirees collecting a monthly pension benefit from the New York State Teachers’ Retirement System, Teachers’ Retirement System of the City of New York, New York State and Local Retirement System, New York City Board of Education Retirement System, or receiving a monthly lifetime annuity from TIAA.
DiNapoli: Pension fund operates at highest ethical and professional standards
s state comptroller, one of my most important jobs is running the $291.4 billion New York State Common Retirement Fund —the fund which pays the pensions of NYSLRS retirees.
A recent independent review of the Fund’s investment operations and policies has confirmed the Fund operates with the highest ethical and professional standards. This is the fifth such review with high marks under my watch.
I am pleased on many levels. First and foremost, because it backs up my commitment to protecting your financial security in retirement. Since taking office, I have set the highest standards to make sure the Fund is one of the best in the nation — and we are! I’m also pleased the review confirms that my knowledgeable staff manages our assets in the most efficient and effective manner possible.
[ Your TRS Pension ]
Post-retirement earnings: How much is too much?
Technically, yes. Sections 211 and 212 of the Retirement and Social Security Law determine New York state public employment by New York State Teachers’ Retirement System retirees under age 65. The current Section 212 earnings limit, as determined by the state Legislature, is $35,000 per calendar year.
However, a two-year extension of Chapter 55 of the Laws of 2025 (Part VV), relaxes the earnings limit from April 9, 2022, to June 30, 2027, for work at a public school district or BOCES. Post-retirement employment with a charter school, community college, SUNY, or any other public employment is not covered by this law and is still subject to the $35,000 calendar year earnings limitation.
[ Resources for You ]
Free poster celebrates Jane Goodall’s legacy
YSUT celebrates Women’s History Month with a new poster honoring Jane Goodall. A world-renowned primatologist and anthropologist whose groundbreaking research transformed our understanding of the natural world, Goodall traveled to Tanzania in 1960 to study chimpanzees in what is now Gombe Stream National Park. She was the first to observe chimpanzees making and using tools; a behavior previously thought to be uniquely human.
At a time when women were largely excluded from fieldwork and scientific leadership, Goodall broke barriers and paved the way for generations of women in science. In 1977, she founded the Jane Goodall Institute, which supports conservation and development programs across Africa. Central to the Institute’s mission is its work to empower young women by providing access to education, family planning, high-quality healthcare and clean water.
Downloadable pdf versions and printed copies, in limited quantities, are available to NYSUT members.
Visit nysut.org/publications.
Privacy Notice
800 Troy-Schenectady Road
Latham, NY 12110-2455
800-626-8101
Plan No.: 503; EIN: 22-2480854
Notification of Availability of Privacy Notice
[As required by 45 Code of Federal Regulations Part 160.520(c)(1)(ii)]
In the course of providing you with access to health benefits, Member Benefits has access to information about you, which may be considered protected health information (PHI) under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) regulations. As a participant of Member Benefits, you were previously provided, either through publication in the NYSUT United publication or USPS mail, with a Privacy Notice describing our privacy practices, legal duties and rights concerning your PHI.
If you would like to receive another copy of our Privacy Notice, you can download a copy from our website at memberbenefits.nysut.org, contact Member Benefits’ Privacy Official at 800-626-8101 or by email at PrivacyOfficial@nysut.org, or submit a written request for a copy to the Privacy Official at the above address.
Sincerely,
Board of Trustees
NYSUT Member Benefits Trust
IRS mileage rate increased for 2026
The IRS has announced that the business standard mileage rate for 2026 will be 72.5 cents per mile, up 2.5 cents from the 70 cent rate in 2025.
[ classifieds ]
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Audit notice
NYSUT continues its practice of providing members with access to the union’s certified audit for their review. The annual audit for the fiscal year ending Aug. 31, 2025, is available and can be found on the NYSUT Member Center at nysut.org/audit. Members may request a hard copy by contacting the NYSUT Accounting Department at 1-800-342-9810, or by sending an email to finance@nysut.org.
[ passings ]
[ NYSUT Member Benefits Trust Summary Plan Description ]
Plan Number: 503
New York State United Teachers Member Benefits Trust
800 Troy-Schenectady Road, Latham, NY 12110-2455, 800-626-8101
2026 Summary Plan Description March 2026
J. Philippe Abraham, Chairperson
Roderick P. Sherman, Secretary
Amber Chandler
Loretta Donlon
Carolyn Kube
Natalie McKay
Anthony Nicodemo
Kevin Peterman
Angelina Rivera
Mike Sill
Peggy Jacobsen
Attorney
Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein, P.C.
1350 Broadway, Suite 1420
P.O. Box 822
New York, NY 10018
Weaver and Tidwell, LLP
6720-A Rockledge Drive, Suite 510
Bethesda, MD 20817
Consultant
The Segal Company
333 West 34th Street
New York, NY 10001-2402
[ Local Unions in Action ]
Westbury TA pajama jam a cozy time
Catskill Teachers Association
The Catskill TA made a splash at its annual Literacy Fair held Jan. 30. Nearly 100 pre-K–3 students and their families dove into an under-the-ocean themed night of reading, crafts and fun. Students enjoyed two story sessions, earned prizes for completed reading logs, and every child went home with three free books.
“It was a truly fantastic celebration of reading!“ said local President Kelly Konsul.
Guilderland Teachers Association
“The team decided to focus on food insecurity and literacy within our local community. Several of our schools have conducted Lasagna Love events.” About 30 GTA members have worked together to make and donate over 50 pans of lasagna to date. The GTA has also partnered with AFT and First Book to hold two large book giveaway events.
A global nonprofit and grassroots movement, Lasagna Love “aims to positively impact communities by connecting neighbors with neighbors through homemade meal delivery.”
Liberty Faculty Association
About 30 LFA members volunteered their time to help run different activities and staff community informational tables at the third annual “All Things Liberty WinterFest.” The community event is sponsored by the Liberty Central School District.
“Over 250 community members and children came out,” said LFA President Kevin Ferguson. More than two dozen community groups participated, with tables and activities set up at both the middle school and high school.
“This year, we gave out more than 200 books to students in our community. Additionally, through a kind and generous donation from the Sullivan County Federation for the Homeless, the Liberty Faculty Association was able to distribute cases of free school supplies. These supplies included folders, notebooks, pencils, pens, crayons, and various writing journals and stationery.”
Kudos
It’s an honor
Samantha Berl, Wheatland-Chili Federation of Teachers, received the “Golden Apple Award” by News 8 – WROC. Berl, a teacher at T. J. Connor Elementary School, was nominated by fellow teacher Rachael Ashby.
In print
Constance Fischer, Windsor Central School Teachers Association retiree, has co-authored and illustrated a children’s book called The Story of Cheese. The book recalls the journey a lonely, stray, orange cat makes to being the library cat in Dallas Center, Iowa. It is available at online retailers.
Catherine Harper, William Floyd United Teachers retiree, has published her debut novel, I am the House. Told from the perspective of four historic houses, this historical fiction is for anyone who has ever wondered, “if these walls could talk.” The book is available online at Barnes & Noble.
Henry I Padrón-Morales, Rochester TA retiree, has published Dos/Two for K-2 grade learners. Join Clarita as she explores her bilingual reality in New York and Puerto Rico. The illustrations provide a visual landscape full of symbolic imagery to spark conversation. Visit www.hipocampochildrensbooks.com.
Judith Prest, Capital Region BOCES retiree, has written Ordinary Miracles: Nature Poems and Photographs. Published by Spirit Wind Books, the book is available from the author via email at judith@spiritwindstudio.net or 518-275-3404.
Matthew Rozell, Hudson Falls TA retiree, has written The Things Our Fathers Saw, an award-winning collection of “never-before-told stories of World War II by the men and women who were there.” For more info or to order the books, visit matthewrozellbooks.com.
Mike Vreeland, Liberty Faculty Association retiree, has published his debut middle-grade novel, Dumpster Man. About an accidental 12-year-old superhero, the book features lots of action with reluctant readers in mind. The book is available at several online retailers, or visit dumpstermanbook.com.
Lindsey Williams, Owego-Apalachin TA, has published Where the Valley Widens, the story of a young teacher’s “coming of age in a time of unprecedented change in our education ecosystem.” For more info, visit lindseywilliamsmusic.com.
Kudos recognizes the accomplishments of NYSUT members. Have good news you’d like to share? Email united@nysut.org; include Kudos in the subject line.
NYSUT United | March/April 2026
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NYSUT represents teachers, school-related professionals, higher education faculty, professionals in education, human services and healthcare, and retirees.
Thanks for reading our March/April 2026 issue!