y the time you receive this issue of NYSUT United, the race to Nov. 8, Election Day, will have begun. Hopefully you already have plans in place for voting.

There’s a lot at stake in this election, and NYSUT needs every member vote to elect pro-public education, pro-labor candidates in Washington, D.C. and Albany. Funding for public schools, colleges and hospitals; ensuring safe schools for all; repealing receivership and fighting for tier equity are all on the ballot.

Check your mailbox and visit nysut.org/Vote for the 2022 NYSUT Voter Guide. It features a list of union-endorsed candidates at the state and federal levels, to help members identify pro-public education choices. (See page 4 for the full list.)

Thanks to mail-in and early voting, making your political voice heard has never been easier. Early voting runs Oct. 29 through Nov. 6. You can apply in-person for an absentee ballot at your county board of elections until Nov. 7. If you choose to vote by mail, make sure your ballot is postmarked no later than Nov. 8.

YSUT endorses candidates who support educators and public education, and who align with our union values. The criteria for earning union endorsement is a demonstrated commitment to labor and education issues.

Endorsed candidates receive grassroots support from NYSUT members, including phone banking, door knocking and literature distribution. The union also makes financial contributions from voluntary donations through VOTE-COPE, the union’s non-partisan political action committee.

To view the complete NYSUT 2022 Voter Guide and search for endorsed candidates in your area, visit nysut.org/Vote.

That simple phrase was the “Aha!” moment a few years ago for Albany Public Schools TA President Laura Franz when she attended a presentation about bringing community schools into the Albany City School District.

“When you think of all the ways our students experience stress, that’s where I see community schools responding,” Franz told participants at NYSUT’s Community Schools Summit in October. “Whether it’s hunger, physical illness, mental health challenges, poverty — so many kids are in pain.”

“When we can reduce barriers, we know kids will thrive,” said United Federation of Teachers Vice President Karen Alford. “It’s a matter of addressing the educational, emotional, social and health issues that can stand in the way of learning.”

NYSUT hosted the Community Schools Summit to bring together teams of educators, administrators, school board members and parents who want to start or expand community schools in their districts.

ime is running out. If you have a federal student loan and work for a public or non-profit employer, you could have your entire student debt balance forgiven. But you must act now. Oct. 31 is the deadline to take advantage of the waiver that relaxes Public Service Loan Forgiveness rules.

The good news: So far, the U.S. education department reports that it has approved more than $13 billion in debt relief for more than 211,000 public service workers.

The bad news: Officials estimate that fewer than half of eligible borrowers have applied.

“We’re trying to get the word out to everyone,” said NYSUT President Andy Pallotta. “Thousands of members have attended NYSUT’s student loan debt webinars. We want our members to get the relief they deserve.”

housands of adjunct faculty and other part-time educators now qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness under a union-backed law signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul earlier this fall.

In a big win for union activists, the law expands eligibility under state labor law by giving educators credit for work outside the classroom. The law would apply a multiplier to faculty’s in-class hours so that they can meet the federal 30-hour full-time definition and qualify for PSLF.

Now, those who regularly teach three classes per semester will likely qualify for loan forgiveness and those who combine their teaching with other public service work will also have an easier time qualifying.

“Many adjuncts work the equivalent of full-time but have been overlooked because only their classroom hours were counted,” said Professional Staff Congress President James Davis, who represents about 30,000 faculty and staff at CUNY. “This legislation recognizes the full-time work performed by many so-called part-time faculty.”

fter more than a year without a contract and facing a hostile bargaining team on the other side of the table, the Broome Community College Faculty Association knew it had to take action. Against the odds, they landed a buzzer-beater deal, a fair pact containing pay raises and online class-size caps comparable to their peers at area community colleges.

For over a year, college negotiators were trying to strip out the soul of their previous contract; gutting class size restrictions for online classes and taking away caps on payments for retiree health insurance. The Broome CCFA wanted only what their colleagues at other area colleges such as Corning Community College and Tompkins Cortland Community College had gotten: a fair deal with a modest pay increase.

“Community college is a key step on the pathway to a better job, economic security and higher quality living for our students,” Broome CCFA President Suzanne Shepard said. “If we’re not investing in the people dedicated to helping our students reach those heights and preserving key student supports like smaller online class sizes, it sends the wrong message about our college’s priorities.”

ocial studies teachers Matt Root and Mark Parrish wanted their Participation in Government students at Cicero-North Syracuse High School to use their mandatory community service time more meaningfully. They found the solution in a cafeteria closet.

The North Syracuse district boasts a median household income of $76,523, well above the statewide average of $68,304. Root and Parrish know the other side of those numbers. Nearly 30 percent of district students are eligible for free or reduced lunches. Many live in poverty.

The veteran educators, both members of the North Syracuse Education Association, decided they could combat hunger with help from their government students. Each week, these students would use their community service hours to assemble and distribute food for their peers in need. Root says the program was mind-blowing for his students.

n celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, NYSUT highlighted the importance of literacy at an October event held in partnership with the Labor Council of Latin American Advancement and Capital District Latinos. Union volunteers distributed scores of free books at the Albany event.

“Giving children books of their own is one of the best ways to spark a lifelong love of reading,” said J. Philippe Abraham, NYSUT secretary-treasurer, whose office oversees the statewide union’s social justice program.

“The union is happy to come together with like-minded organizations to make a difference in the lives of children.”

Union volunteers also helped staff a food pantry and clothing giveaway. Capital District Latinos offers the region’s first culturally responsive food bank, providing Hispanic food staples not always found at mainstream food banks. The event was open to all residents in need, regardless of ethnicity or income level. Citing the importance of the effort, Abraham noted that “many families who don’t qualify for SNAP benefits still struggle to put food on the table.”

ith Hurricane Ian bringing devastation to Florida in late September, NYSUT has turned its disaster relief efforts to helping members recover from the storm’s damage.

More than 100 people died in the storm, most the result of drowning. Hurricane Ian slammed into the Fort Myers area of Southwest Florida as a Category 4 storm with 150 mph winds that pushed water inland, ravaged barrier islands and gutted coastal buildings.

Miriam Hanan, NYSUT’s retiree services consultant for Florida, still hasn’t heard from many members living in the impacted zones, despite sending out a statewide text urging members to check in following the hurricane.

With thousands of NYSUT retiree members in Florida, the statewide union is deeply concerned about the recovery and welfare of those living in impacted areas, said Secretary-Treasurer J. Philippe Abraham, whose office handles the NYSUT Disaster Relief Fund, the union’s 501(c)3 charitable organization.

Education is such an important piece in a child’s life. Many students call school their home away from home. As an educator I have found that a student must have trust, faith and confidence in the staff at school.

My job is very exciting and busy. I am the pre-K representative for on-boarding and orientation with the Human Capital Department for newly hired pre-K paraprofessionals. I provide an overview of expectations, roles and responsibilities while in the prekindergarten setting.

In this role, I visit classrooms to model for pre-k paraprofessionals how to maintain a safe, healthy learning environment for students and encourage positive adult-child interactions including modeling hygienic support for pre-K students.

I also observe prekindergarten paraprofessionals to ensure performance roles are being carried out with fidelity and provide positive feedback. Also important to mention, I suggest and explain constructive approaches to conflict resolution between teacher and paraprofessional.

Another exciting part of my role is I get to plan and present staff development sessions in collaboration with teachers to more than 300 staff, including community-based organizations.

Why did you get involved with your union?

I wanted to be a support to all paraprofessionals. That is what my mentors did for me when I became a part of the RCSD.

or staff tasked with keeping hundreds of students fed on a daily basis, getting the food out on time is a top priority.

But keeping themselves healthy and safe is just as important. Workers are familiar with the known dangers — the hot stove, sharp knives and meat cutter. But some hazards are less visible.

The 44th annual School-Related Professionals Leadership Conference, NYSUT’s largest leadership, professional development and networking opportunity for SRPs, features a session geared specifically for kitchen workers.

Kitchen safety: It’s on the menu is designed for professionals in food service, custodial and maintenance. Presenter Keith Wrightson, assistant director of health issues for the American Federation of Teachers, is an expert on worker protections who has published several reports on worker safety.

or Michelle Rossi and her mother, Anna Rossi, there’s strength in numbers.

Anna is a math teacher and, growing up, Michelle used to beg to grade her tests and quizzes. “She always said, ‘You’re not going to understand any of it,’” Michelle recalls, laughing.

Now, this mother and daughter work side-by-side, teaching math in classrooms across the hall from one another at Oneonta High School, where Michelle was once a student.

or Billy Green, teaching isn’t about his students learning from him. He’d rather learn with them.

“The kids should feel validated, they should be talking in the classroom, they should not be sitting there for 45 minutes listening to me,” the effervescent Green said. “If there’s 30 kids in a classroom, I should have heard 30 voices in 45 minutes.”

An unabashed rebel with a self-described Ph.D. from UCLA — “University of the Corner of Lexington Avenue” — Green’s chemistry class is as much about the voice of the youth as it is the periodic table. For one student who nearly flunked his class, Green challenged him to write a rap about the content on the midterm he had missed. The aspiring rapper not only demonstrated proficiency, he got hooked on chemistry.

alamanca teachers Brooke Canale and Brandy Kinney have been honored by the New York State Board of Regents for their outstanding work educating students — and the community — about the Holocaust and human rights. The pair received the Louis E. Yavner Teaching Award in September.

Canale, a social studies teacher, and Kinney, an English language arts teacher, have been working more than a decade together on interdisciplinary lessons and creative projects to spark interest in human rights education.

State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa praised the pair’s work on an “Atrocity Museum” project that had students research human rights issues and work with the school’s technology department to create 3-D printed artifacts.

heater teacher Meagan Millar just wants her students to be themselves.

Kids are forced to be someone they’re not all the time, said Millar, so creating a place like the theater, where they can be real, is important.

“You can just be yourself and leave all your baggage at the door, and the kids really buy into that,” Millar said. “It’s amazing to see what develops from there.”

Millar, a member of the Niagara Falls Teachers, discovered the power of drama when she was a child. She grew up in Niagara Falls, auditioning for roles at the community theater. When she got to high school, she was excited to finally be able to take drama classes at school under the able direction of drama teacher Kate Muldoon.

She came back to the Niagara Falls City School District 11 years ago, first as a teaching assistant, then as the performing arts teacher in the elementary schools.

ach fall, the American Cancer Society hosts Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks from Jones Beach to Buffalo, and NYSUT members are with them every step.

NYSUT has been a statewide flagship sponsor for 20 years. During that time, union members have raised more than $16 million to support groundbreaking breast cancer research, ensure greater access to quality care, influence public policy and provide critical patient support.

The Strides walks have become a fall favorite, with union members contributing year after year to the battle against breast cancer.

ed by At-Large ED 51–53 Director Florence McCue, retirees from across New York state and Florida gathered in September for the annual NYSUT Retiree Contiguous ED 51–53 meeting.

Participants adopted resolutions for the upcoming NYSUT Representative Assembly, learned the history of retiree councils and got updates about hot-button political issues on the union radar.

Both Ron Gross, NYSUT second vice president, and NYSUT Executive Vice President Jolene DiBrango welcomed attendees. “It’s wonderful to have so many retirees on hand for this important event,” said McCue.

5 Answers

Carolyn Scott, president, East Syracuse-Minoa United Teachers

“I would ask the administrators to communicate more. When something happens with a student, they don’t always feel it necessary to tell us. As mandated reporters, we need to go and raise a red flag if we see something concerning, talk to the student and report it to the necessary folks. But when something happens to students, that doesn’t always come back to us.”

Sarah Borowiec, Teachers Association of Cheektowaga-Sloan

“There are shortages everywhere without enough health professionals working in our buildings and helping our students. I think there are way more students who need help than can be offered right now with the staffing that we have, and I think there is a shortage of professionals even available to be hired.”

It’s What We Do

YSUT Member Benefits is excited to announce the launch of a Peer Support Line, which is available at no cost to all NYSUT members and their families. Created through a partnership between NYSUT Program Services, Member Benefits and Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care, this confidential helpline can provide answers, referrals and empathetic support to callers when it is most needed.

The Peer Support Line is staffed by trained in-service and retired individuals employed by Rutgers University who understand the unique professional and personal challenges of NYSUT members.

Rutgers is incredibly experienced in the peer support arena and runs more than a dozen support/crisis lines that utilize this model. These types of services help to establish a lasting relationship with individuals based on shared experiences while providing resources and support.

embers of the New York State and Local Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) receive benefits beyond a lifetime pension. Did you know that most members can take out a loan against their retirement contributions? If you are an active member (on the payroll of a participating employer), have at least one year of service credit and have a certain minimum amount of contributions in your account, you can apply for a loan against those contributions.

Retirement Online is the fastest, most convenient way to apply for a loan through ERS. You can see how much you are eligible to borrow, what the repayment amount would be and whether your loan will be taxable. If you already have a loan, you can find your current balance and manage your loan payment in Retirement Online. To register (if you don’t already have an account) or to sign in, go to web.osc.state.ny.us/retire/sign-in.php.

Once you submit a loan application and we issue a check, you are responsible for repaying the loan. ERS members must repay loans through payroll deductions within five years. When you apply, you can choose the minimum payroll deduction, which would pay off your loan in five years, or you can pay more to pay off your loan sooner. You can increase your payroll deduction amount, make additional payments or pay your loan in full at any time with no prepayment penalties.

Members of the Yonkers Federation of Teachers, led by Samantha Rosado-Ciriello, gave away 40,000 books at an event this fall. Led by President Kara McCormick-Lyons, White Plains TA members handed out 30,000 free books at a May event.