Wednesday, June 02, 2021

UFT-DOE COME TO AGREEMENT TO BRING BACK MARATHON MONDAYS AND TUESDAYS BUT SBO OPT OUTS ARE AVAILABLE

Below is the latest from the UFT on the school day for 2021-22. There is finally an agreement with the DOE to continue marathon Monday and Tuesday as the default time schedule for single session schools.

Apparently, going back to Article 6A, as we reported on last week, where schools would use a default schedule with two dismissal times for different groups of students each day, was not practical. The DOE decided to negotiate to provide some real, viable options. 

The main problem now is if a Principal and UFT Chapter don't agree on the schedule, it is then up to the principal to make the decision to use the default one.

Dear UFT Member,

With the resumption of fully in-person learning next school year, the city Department of Education and the UFT have agreed to go back to the normal collective bargaining agreement and re-establish the “pilot” workday agreement that was in effect from 2014 until the pandemic hit. The only changes are:

 

  • Parent teacher conferences will now be held remotely.
  • There are two additional school-based options (SBOs) that your school can consider for the school day if you work in a single-session school.

 

In September, single-session schools will again have a default school day of six hours and 20 minutes Monday through Friday, with 80 minutes for professional development on Monday afternoon and 75 minutes on Tuesday comprised of 40 minutes for parent engagement and 35 minutes for Other Professional Work (see Default Workday Configuration for Teachers for details). Four three-hour parent teacher conferences will be held over the course of the school year; the DOE will communicate the dates of the September and May conferences. Multi-session schools will return to a standard school day and workday of six hours and 50 minutes.

Teachers in both single-session and multi-session schools will now be able to conduct all evening parent-teacher conferences remotely, and they will be able to conduct the afternoon conferences remotely if their commute allows.

School chapters and principals may use the SBO process in the DOE-UFT contract to modify certain contractual provisions governing the workday at their school. With this agreement in place, the SBO process can begin to move forward. SBO votes will take place electronically.

 

Pre-approved SBO options

Pre-approved SBOs have already been okayed by the DOE and the UFT, but they must be approved in an SBO vote by 55% of the members of the chapter who actually vote.

Two new pre-approved SBOs for single-session schools:


·     Six-hour and 50-minute school day: The school day will be 6 hours 50 minutes for teachers, paras and students from Monday through Friday. Under this option, there is no 155 minutes of extended time for professional development, parent engagement or Other Professional Work. There are two 40-minute conferences (faculty and grade/department) each month between October and May, which will now be scheduled during the school day or held remotely at an agreed-upon time. If held during the workday, these conferences would replace either a lunch or a prep. If held during a prep, teachers will be expected to complete the work of a prep remotely. There will be two afternoon and evening parent teacher conferences instead of four.

·     Six-hour and 50-minute workday including 30 minutes without students: The school day will be 6 hours and 20 minutes for students. Teachers and paras will spend another 30 minutes each morning on common planning, professional learning and/or office hours. Schools must determine how each 30-minute session will be used at the time of the SBO. There will be two afternoon and evening parent teacher conferences instead of four.

 

The following pre-approved SBOs remain in effect:

 

·     100/55 option: Similar to the default workday, except there is 100 minutes of professional development on Monday and 55 minutes of parent engagement on Tuesday.

·     80/40/35 option: Similar to the default workday, but the 75 minutes for parent engagement and Other Professional Work on Tuesday are broken up across two days.

·     80/75 before-school option: The extended time allotted for professional development, parent engagement and Other Professional Work is moved to the mornings, before students arrive.

·     Combined conferences for multi-session schools: The faculty and department conferences are held on one day each month between October and May.


All of the options available to schools are spelled out in the June 1 Memorandum of Agreement for the 2021-22 school year.

Read the full agreement »

Thank you for everything you do.

 

Sincerely,

Michael Mulgrew's Signature

Michael Mulgrew
UFT President

27 comments:

TJL said...

Absolutely bizarre.

I'm not surprised the DOE wants the detention PDs but considering the default was the 37.5 minutes, we could've stalled and demanded something from the DOE in return.

Especially insane is the one sbo option where you have to give up your duty free lunch. Who would vote for that?

Also the inclusion of "remote work" is a massive Trojan horse that any wise person will vote against.

Anonymous said...

I don't want to stay late every day with kids who are going to struggle to get reacclimated to a normal length school day, let alone a longer day- so I'm fine with the old schedule. Knowing that PTC are now remote is a win- let's celebrate small victories.

Anonymous said...

Where does it say the prinicpal can decide if no agreement?

Anonymous said...

Ditto

Anonymous said...

Once again, elementary teachers ruin everything. I’m tired of hearing about elementary school dismissal. If parents aren’t there to pick the kids up, drop them in the auditorium and call it a day.

As a middle school teacher, I don’t want 80 and 75 torture sessions and getting home after 6 pm Monday and Tuesday’s. Give me the 255 dismissal and I’m happy.

Those 80 minute PD sessions are the worst thing ever. I hated extended day, but I hate this much more.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for posting this James. I am seeking some help if anyone can assist with these two questions. Unfortunately I find that this is the place to go for help rather than reps. I am a fairly new chapter leader and would like to know if

A) A "school" is defined by itself or as a campus, meaning what is the exact basis of how a school is deemed a single session or multi session? Is it the school itself or is it the entire campus? If my school is operating let's say on a period 1-8 for all teachers and students I am assuming we are a single session school. But within my campus there are several schools with different points of entry and release times so the campus is on different schedules. So is my school single session or multi session?

B) Reading today's email from Mulgrew which you posted, can the UFT of a school vote on an SBO choice that was in the menu without the principal's approval? I was told that the principal has to agree to even hold an SBO so with all these options can we just vote or do I have to ask permission to vote on one of the options? If the principal decides in the end, why are these options anyway?

Thank you in advance. Any advice on these two questions for clarity is appreciated everyone.

Anonymous said...

THANK GOD that there are no options for extended learning. When the bullshit 2005 contract happened we had to tutor small groups of kids. As much as I hate Unity, I am very glad that that ain't happening again.

James Eterno said...

Default is marathon Monday and Tuesday. An SBO requires the principal to sign off on it. If principal does not want the SBO, it is dead.

Anonymous said...

Why do people want marathon PD Monday’s ? What am I missing? As a middle school teacher, extended day was better. All the kids went home.

Anonymous said...

Another doe winner. I have 2 remote classes, both with nobody who speaks English. I talk, they don't understand me. Why bother?

Anonymous said...

Because everyone wants to spend as little time with the students as possible, funny because they claim to love the students.

Anonymous said...

Got it, thanks

Anonymous said...

You are single session. And yes the prinicpal must agree to what you want to do. If prinicpal and chapter leader don't agree. It stays default.

Anonymous said...

Remote PTC is great news for parents and teachers... Never want to go back to that nightmare again!

Anonymous said...

Speaking of the new school year changes, I was told today that all ATRs are going to be assigned to the same school they have now. In otherwords, no rotation and no new assignments. An AP at my remote school told me, and I called the UFT to confirm and they said it is true. The DOE does not want to keep moving people and the UFT was pushing for them to place the ATRs. This was bad news for me as I was looking forward to not dealing with this school again. It seems that we are stuck with whatever school we are at. UFT stated I could go on open market if I don't want to return to the same school. I think I will rather retire. Heads up to ATRs if you were not aware of this.

Anonymous said...

Ya. This was actually posted in this blog last week... Go back and find the post.. Lots more detail there for you to read

Anonymous said...

So much for Meisha changing anything. She’s falling in line like the good little bureaucrat she is.

Anonymous said...

Do you get ctle for the extended day PD?

David Suker said...

80% graduation rate in my school. Us teachers rock!

Anonymous said...

Have a feeling the next contract will finally include a 7 hour full day for all teachers as part of any significant salary increase.

TJL said...

Sadly 7:37 hit the nail on the head. It's so strange too, since most of the insufferable people in my building are my coworkers. I'd much rather spend the time working with the students who are motivated and need a hand. Now we get more CRT and whatever other fads the DOE is embracing shoved down our throats.

Going back to 2005 the only problem with the 37.5 (besides the non-raise due to the time for money) was rogue principals who tried to sneak in quasi 6th classes. The grievances were won against that though and it became what is now termed "office hours".




TJL said...

Also: Ask any of your friends in the private sector about the perils of being attached to email and being expected to be "always on". Introduction of remote work particularly after hours is a big problem that needs to be nipped in the bud now. There is good reason why people have homes for their home lives and then offices for work lives. Work gets done at work and only between (for example) 8:00 and 2:50.

Conferences this year were a disgrace and a complete waste of time. I remember having to find a diner to conduct them from (and having to pay to do so) because in the fall SSAs made us leave the building. Parents not showing up to their appointments. Cameras off (just like school!).

From the parent's perspective, you want to actually meet your child's teacher, the person you're entrusting your child to for 7 hours a day. A teleconference doesn't cut it. This just gives the public another reason to hate us and won't help when we negotiate. Public support is important and right now we're about as popular as rats and cockroaches.

Anonymous said...

TJL,

You hit the nail on the head. I couldn't agree more.

Working at home* (which should be an oxymoron, BTW), or remotely, is a slippery slope.

*What I mean is our home is our home, our "safe space," for lack of a better term, and our work space is the school building where we engage with our clientele: students. Lesson planning is another matter altogether.

David Suker said...

80% what are youse guys at 90? 95?

😂😂😉

This is fraud! I’m on record. This is disgusting. Fire me now you hypocrites!!!

David Suker said...

My name is David Suker and I don’t consent to this.

Anonymous said...

Here is a fundamental and important insight:

UFT Teachers are paid too little relative to the cost of living in NY city

Anonymous said...

951 Yes. And the paras even more so.