Thursday, March 18, 2021

ONE DAY IN-PERSON ONLY THIS WEEK FOR HIGH SCHOOL UFTERS WITHOUT ACCOMMODATION

Dear _________,

We told the city and the DOE that our high school members needed only one day this week in school buildings to set up their classrooms and programs for safe in-person instruction. We are happy to report that the DOE issued revised guidance today on the staff workday for March 18 and 19. Staff with in-person programs cannot be required to report both days. Principals, however, have the discretion to bring staff in on one of the two days. Staff may choose to report both days, but principals may not require them to do so.

Tomorrow (Thursday) or Friday marks the first day back inside your school building since November for many of you. We understand this transition may be challenging and have been working ahead of your return to ensure your safety. Still, we are counting on you to be the eyes and ears of the building and to alert us immediately if you see any issues upon your return.

We have already reached out to your chapter leaders, and your COVID-19 building response team will be making sure the processes and procedures are in place for safety protocols, personal protective equipment and other COVID-related concerns. The building response team consists of members of your school staff who take on the following roles: BRT leader, special needs coordinator, emergency officer, assembly point coordinator, recorder, school nurse, custodian and school safety agent(s).

In addition to this school-based building response team, the UFT has sent health and safety liaisons to check that the PPE and safety protocols we established in September remain in place at your building.

High schools will be observing the more stringent in-school testing regimen that the city agreed to adopt in December when elementary and District 75 schools reopened:

●Mandatory weekly testing: Twenty percent of all in-person students and staff in all open school buildings will be randomly tested on a weekly basis.

●Student consent: No student will be allowed to stay in school for in-person learning without a testing consent form signed by their parent or guardian.

Answers to many questions on building safety can be found on our Safety FAQ, which is updated regularly to reflect the latest information.

Please alert your chapter leader and call our special safety hotline at 212-331-6317 to report unsafe conditions or protocols that are not working correctly at your school.

Your devotion to your students and your flexibility this school year are unmatched, and you deserve to feel safe in your workplace. Working together, we will make sure our school communities remain safe.

Sincerely,

Michael Mulgrew

UFT President

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

The only things I’m devoted to Mikey are my family and my paycheck. Everyone else can go fuck themselves.

Anonymous said...

Another opt-in period is coming. Reprogramming again. Yay.

TeachNY said...

What day? Where did you read this? Curious because then I have to wait to start a new unit...

Anonymous said...

Chancellor has been saying multiple times that are looking at anther opt in period. It's only a matter of time. The amount of re programming this year is beyond ridiculous.

Anonymous said...

DeBlasio said he wanted another opt-in. Mulgrew agrees. They're going to limit the spacing requirements from six to three feet. The minimum case thing will go by the wayside too. I feel bad for the blended teachers who are getting screwed and abused by the system.

Anonymous said...

Agreed 302. No one can keep up. And the people running the show (the circus) cannot stick to a single plan.

TeachNY said...

I thought the quote was “right now it’s not possible....” Doesn’t look like it’s going to happen.

Shelley said...

Two more book recommendations:
Anti-Education by F. Nietzsche
The Education of Henry Adams by Henry Adams

Anonymous said...

Right now? Correct not possible

Tomorrow though? Definitely a chance

Anonymous said...

And once again, when will the Eva Moskowitz Charters resume on site instruction—did they get a special waiver for full remote till the fall?

Anonymous said...

Coronavirus in Israel: 8,874 students, 646 teachers sick

https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/coronavirus-in-israel-8874-students-646-teachers-sick-662473

Despite being one of the most vaccinated countries in the world.

Anonymous said...

Did solidarity ask why the 1.9 trillion didn't get us paid for spring break last year? Or an exact date of negotiating this?

Anonymous said...

Dear James,

Can we be honest here and finally admit that the best position in the DOE right now is being an ATR. Period! Got my informal paperwork back from last week's driveby. I really wish I was an ATR with no classes. How distrurbing to see comments from the ATR's about how bad they got it. You guys have no idea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am asking my principal to excess me so I can be an ATR and I hope he does it for me.

Unknown said...

When we left the buildings in November the schools were ghost towns with hardly any students in attendance. The hallways were clean, shiny and quiet and the students that were actually in attendance were all on their laptops any way.....pandemic times history will show us all how great we educators really are.

Anonymous said...

9:07 are you aware that certain rights tenured teachers have, ATRs do not. Rights regarding absences among them.

Anonymous said...

9:07: You say that now but when you become an ATR you lose all your Seniority Rights. You are lowest on the totem pole. You have no say in any classes you teach, what teacher teams you can be on and you are always treated like an outsider. You will always be looked down by other teachers in the school. Even though they will say you are one of them, they know you aren't. You are also given menial tasks. In one school, I was once giving out programs in the auditorium while in another on open school night I was the greeter and signed parents in. This is what I'm doing after 23 years in the system. In the school I'm in now I actually got a full teaching program because I'm here for the year. Most ATRs would change with you in a second.

Anonymous said...

As far as I understand, if you are a tenured ATR you have the same rights as any other teachers as per Mr. Sill. I have never heard of different absences rights for ATRs.
ATRs are regular teachers, who more often than not were excessed from their positions.

James Eterno said...

ATRs have same rights on absences as other teachers.

I don't understand the thinking that being an ATR is wonderful. I was an ATR for three months. I felt lost. I tried hard to get a regular gig and when I got one, I didn't want to go back to ATRing.

Anonymous said...

As they change social distancing to 3 feet...

This is at a time when the two age groups with the highest NYC #COVID19 positivity rates (and are getting tested the fewest) are 0-4 (9.91%) and 13-17 year olds (8.52%) and as high schools prepare to reopen Monday: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/covid/covid-19-data.page

Anonymous said...

You know the saying..."the grass is always greener"....and then reality hits...."ouch".

Anonymous said...

Yes, ATRs have the same rights regarding absences as positioned teachers. You also have the same raises, but you also have little access to per session. Really the only way you get per session in a school is if nobody else applies for it. Forget comp time.

Anonymous said...

If I had to be a real teacher and. It an ATR, I would think of leaving the system.

As an ATR, as long as you are reliable, nobody beaks your chops. What is so bad about that ?

So the other teachers don’t think you are a real teacher? That’s ok. Pay me, give me benefits, pension, 403B and summers off and I’ll be cool.

To anyone who feels this job is a career, I feel for you.

Anonymous said...

139,

I’m an ATR and I work paid coverages and have jobs outside the doe that I work whenever I have the time that are more convenient.

I don’t want to work per session then drive home at 6 pm for 2 hours.

Anonymous said...

Hey, all you "science" fans! Now THREE FEET is safe. I mean, I'm so relieved. You gotta love "science." You know, "science." Gravity accelerates at 9.8 m/s per second in a vaccum, except for when the CDC changes its collective minds, or the grand wizard Fauci declares it. What a JOKE. This just illustrates the ABSURDITY of the 'science.' Maybe Fauci will next tell me to wear a diaper on my head, too. I already do, actually. It's my UFT membership.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Eterno, I'm respectfully asking you this question. After the last 12 months, how is it plausible to believe reduing social distane measurement by 50% somehow "ok?" Did the CDC demonstrate this in a lab experiment somehow? I'm not asking you to read their minds, but I do wish to know your opinion on this, and whether or not that Mulgrew email re: this subject is just for show?

Anonymous said...

Mayoral candidate Maya Wiley out with a statement calling on the city to restart 5x a week instruction for all kids this school year.

Anonymous said...

Mayor announcing at 230 a more aggressive reopening due to 3 feet guidelines by cdc. Wow. I'm sure mulgrew and Randi are ready.

Anonymous said...

2:25- ready to roll over maybe.

Shelley said...

Many love being an ATR. Hell, even back in the bounce about the borough days, the floating and rotating ATR, once parking or transportation was mapped out, had an easier job than most classroom instructors. Not much of the political bullshit that all schools have. Not much of a lesson plan and grade book drudgery. You had to get used to the regulars treating you like shit, fearing you, avoiding you, snickering and whispering behind your back, but you were soon off to pastures new, where you knew that Principals (did I spell that homophone right? Does it fucking matter?) would never give you a shot at redemption, for what god only knows, certainly those idiots had no idea . . .for you could teach, almost any subject better than what you saw going down in classrooms in dozens of schools, but you had the mark as clear as Cain, you had done something and the UFT guys who didn't know the irony in their characterization, called you a trouble maker, a moniker every trade unionists wears with dignity and honor. And you knew they were all scabs in the same count, though they said you must pay dues.

"After God had finished the rattlesnake, the toad, and the vampire, He had some awful substance left with which He made a scab. A scab is a two-legged animal with a corkscrew soul, a waterlogged brain, and a combination backbone made of jelly and glue. Where others have hearts, he carries a tumor of rotten principles."
--Jack London

Anonymous said...

Yes, at ATR is a good fit for someone who does not like the responsibilities that come with teaching. One solution is for ATRs to trade positions with teachers in teaching positions. Then we make everyone happy. And I agree you do have a label on you and it feels like banishment. I guess to each his own.

Anonymous said...

Like anything in the doe as a teacher, it all depends on the principal.

My first year as an ATR, the principal was not a nice person who created cliques. So, working for them as an ATR was miserable.

My last two years including this year, the principals have been good people, so I have enjoyed the job again even as an ATR.

If you are a teacher, everything depends on the principal, not the principle.

The tone of a school all comes from the principal.

Anonymous said...

Ohhhhhh to be an ATR and have no classes like my friends. One makes phone calls I think. Another watches TV and cooks while doing outreach to spanish speaking families. Hey at 129K in May I will trade with any one of you. I wish that was a rule. Yes let's trade ATR person. Come on over to my school and be subjected to random observations remotely which now count towards my end of year rating. Come on over and learn Nearpod and all the other Platforms. Come on over and teach 5 periods a day. I'm really sick of these ATR's complaining. Seriously you guys have no idea what's going on and how great you have it. You are getting paid a six figure salary to do what? Check people in when they arrive in an auditorium? Did someone write that above? Are you kidding? If you are an ATR with no classes or do menial tasks please stop please just stop.

Anonymous said...

As a teacher, my job is not to make friends in the building- and it doesnt bother me if i dont. as a former ATR- i wish i could rejoin the pool. i miss those days. I used to complain- but it was only pretend so people didnt know how good i had it.
oh well -

Anonymous said...

If you are an atr(speaking from experience), I recommend you get a kindle or subscribe to a good streaming service bc while others are miserable being harassed by APs, you will have time to read, nap and catch up on the latest Netflix or hbo shows at the same time collecting a full salary.

However, you won’t be viewed as a ‘real teacher’. Hahahahahaah

Anonymous said...

4:34: I was an appointed teacher for 20 and a half years in the same school in a needy school with poor administration so I do know what is going on in the schools. When we had to go through a rehiring process, we were given the option to put ourselves in the ATR pool by not reapplying. More than half reapplied even though they didn't like it there just to avoid becoming an ATR. If you were a good teacher and did your job, you wouldn't have to worry about observations. If you are so miserable leave. You don't know what it's like being an ATR. You can become and ATR, just do something to get a 3020a. After the hearing you can become and ATR and relish in its many benefits!

Anonymous said...

919,

Very ignorant statement. Either you are an admin or a doe shill.

Observations all depend on one thing and that is does the observer like you or not? I have had it in both ways.

In years past, when the admin likes me, it’s all 3’s and maybe a 4 sprinkled in. When the observer doesn’t like you, it is mostly 2’s witg maybe a 3 thrown in(maybe). All depends on what the observer wants to see.

I have two decades in the system. For you to think that if you do your job, then you need not worry about observations shows you know nothing about the doe.