Evaluate that.

 

A teacher is more than a test score.

NYSUT is launching a new web ad today to celebrate the hard work and dedication of our teachers and to make it clear that, to their students, teachers are far more than just test scores. Watch real students talk, in their own words, about the affection, admiration and respect they have for their teachers. 

Watch and share our new ad at the NYSUT Member Action Center, and listen to real students explain why their teachers are more than just test scores! 

More and more, lawmakers are trying to measure the value of New York state's teachers by the results of flawed and unfair high-stakes tests. But tests don't measure our love of teaching. Tests can't assess all the long, extra hours our teachers put in every week. And tests will never account for the passion, commitment and dedication we have to helping each and every one of our students reach their full potential.

Watch and share our new ad at the NYSUT Member Action Center, and listen to real students explain why their teachers are more than just test scores! 

Students get it. It's time for us all to help lawmakers understand, as well.

A teacher is more than a test score.

Tell lawmakers to #evaluatethat.

In solidarity,
 
Andrew Pallotta
NYSUT Executive Vice President

P.S.:  Please watch and share our new ad. And support our call for a two-year moratorium on the use of high-stakes tests in decisions regarding teachers and principals.

 

 

7th Grader Foreign Language Students Cook for Woodstock Soup Kitchen

Throughout March, students in my 7th grade Introduction to Foreign Languages classes participated in a French Food Service Project, made possible by an OTA mini grant. Students researched recipes from French-speaking countries and then prepared a dish for the class to enjoy. Each class voted on the best dish, based on its taste and ability to serve a group of forty people. Christine Downs, OCS School Lunch Manager, visited both classes and taught students how to convert a recipe for four into one that would serve forty.

AFT-MD Announces list of Labor-endorsed candidates

AFT-Maryland announced today the list of the Labor-Endorsed candidates for the 2014 Primary election. The list includes endorsements for state-wide races—including Governor and Attorney General—as well races for state senate, state house of delegates, and local, and county-wide races.

Contract Ratified!

June 6, 2014 – Happy Last Day of School!

CONTRACT RATIFIED

We would like to thank all of you who provided feedback and voted for the tentative agreement. The vote was 244 yes & 13 no votes.

The negotiations team would also like to thank you for your patience as we are in crunch time both in our classrooms and in negotiations. We hope that you had a chance to carefully read the information about our tentative agreement, attend your MHFT site meeting for details and vote on this contract.

We would like to provide you with additional information regarding our process and the survey results.

SCTA Building Representative Election Results

East

Matt Rivera 113

Michael Jannace 110

John Finta 105

George Jacobsen 91

Rob Regan 89

Joseph Kistinger 65

William Carmon 48

Warren Meahan 37

Kevin Schnupp 27

 

North

Alison Sinacore 92

Jean-Marie Riegger 68

Philip Barbera 66

Corinne McMahon 64

Tom Cestaro 63

Sue Hance 61

Michelle Esp 57

Jen Conti 56

Mark Wojciechowski 56

Ray Pickersgill 40

Joe Zarzycki 39

 

Sagamore

Tiziano Torquato 48

James Virga 40

Dan Hamilton 39

Lisa McGovern 36

 

Samoset

TJ Nardolillo 39

Matt Golini 12

 

TA

Maryellen Scarola 65

Patrick Hill 61

Lisa Alfiero 57

Lisa Ficken 50

Lisa Ortiz 37

Pennsylvania bill would cut seniority-based layoffs

From the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette

HARRISBURG -- Legislation that would allow schools to furlough teachers for economic reasons and to suspend teachers according to their performance evaluations cleared a House committee Wednesday.

Current law allows districts to lay off professional employees only for reasons related to declines in student enrollment or changes in the organization of a school or district.

And when schools do furlough teachers, state law requires the lost jobs to be selected according to seniority, so that the newest employee is the first to go. Under the bill headed to the House floor, teachers instead would be selected for furlough according to their performance rating.

Teachers rated "failing" would be the first chosen for furlough, followed by those rated "needs improvement," followed by those rated "proficient" and finally teachers labeled "distinguished." Seniority would guide how suspensions are allocated within a rating category.

"We need to give our school districts flexibility. That's what this bill is designed to do," said Rep. Tim Krieger, R-Westmoreland, who sponsored the proposal. "It is not designed to hurt teachers. I would argue that it helps good teachers. It helps students."

The proposal cleared the House Education Committee 16-8, with two Democrats joining Republicans in support. One of those Democrats was Rep. Jake Wheatley of the Hill District, who said seniority should not be the only factor deciding which teachers are let go.

Months ago, when the panel took testimony on the proposal, city schools superintendent Linda Lane wrote in support of considering performance in furlough decisions. She said a workforce reduction in the summer of 2012 forced the district to let go 16 of its most effective teachers, though 12 returned.

School districts statewide were required this year to put in place a new evaluation system for teachers. David Broderic, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania State Education Association, the state's largest teachers union, said the evaluations are an "untried, untested method" for use in furlough decisions.

He also argued that by allowing districts to suspend teachers because of tight budgets, legislators are "focusing on ways to cut more educators from our classrooms," rather than trying to reverse funding losses that led to the elimination of education jobs in Pennsylvania.

Rep. Steven Santarsiero of Bucks County -- who, like most Democrats, opposed the bill -- gave a similar reason.

"What we are doing here today is taking the first step of paying for cuts in education by increasing class sizes," he said. "And that, Mr. Chairman, is a bad, bad bargain for children of this commonwealth."

The bill is of interest to House Republican leaders, said spokesman Steve Miskin, and Gov. Tom Corbett also favors it.

"The administration supports this legislation, as it will provide local schools the flexibility to manage their staff and budgets to ensure that students are provided with a high-quality education," Tim Eller, spokesman for the Department of Education, said.

Karen Langley: klangley@post-gazette.com, 1-717-787-2141 or on Twitter @karen_langley.

CCCFT Spring 2014 Election Results

Here are the results of the CCCFT Spring 2014 Election:

Coordinator:

Walter Hudsick: 23

David Shapiro: 48

Historian:

Jared Leising: 67

Treasurer:

Brian Bansenauer: 66

Membership Communications Co-Chairs: (2 positions)

Scott Rowley: 26

Leah Schubert: 37

Louise Spiegler: 57

Contract Managment Co-Chairs: (2 positions)

Chris Byrne:65

Jill Lund: 62

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