NTU Update - March 11, 2016

Dear Colleagues,

1) Advisory Board Update – Carole A. Graves, past Newark Teachers Union President and Special Ed Teacher in the Newark Public Schools, has announced her candidacy for the Newark Public school Advisory Board election to be held April 19, 2016. Her campaign will be reaching out for volunteers.

2)      Water Update - No one is to drink or use any water from any NPS school, traditional or charter, until we hear from a reliable source that it's okay to do so. At this point, they simply cannot be trusted.  We are pushing for on-site lead testing of any student or staff member who requests it.

3)      Negotiations Update – The NTU Negotiations committee continues to meet on a bi-weekly basis in order to review all the demands we have gotten for members.  We are hoping to be able to begin formal negotiations with the district soon.  In support of this effort, it was brought to our attention that a recent PERC decision (see attached) has ruled that a bargaining unit CAN seek arbitration for steps that have been frozen as a result of an expired contract.  We will be moving forward on a grievance pursuing this matter further.

4)      NPS Advisory Board Meeting – Wednesday March 16! Arts High!  - The attack upon our prescription plan was Cerf’s way of saying that imposition is going to be his way of negotiating. We must take the time this weekend to make personal calls to active members and encourage them to come out to the next Advisory Board Meeting. We cannot and should not rely on other organizations to fight our battles.

Headlines about unpaid furloughs of teachers and staff in Chicago Public Schools are an ominous warning to us here.  The same conditions exist here.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-cps-furlough-days-met-20160304-story.html

So please make every effort to rally your brothers and sisters to organize car pools, childcare, etc.

5)      Hall of Fame Dinner: The 18^th Annual Albert Shanker Scholarship Awards Dinner is May 18^th, 2016.  If you are a full member of the NTU, your son/daughter is eligible to apply.  If you are a full member of the NTU and you are a Paraprofessional in our public school district who is currently attending college then you are eligible to apply.  

This year, the Newark Teachers Union is proud to induct Thomasina Lemon into the Newark Teachers Union Hall of Fame.  Tommie worked in Newark for over 25 years and served as a NTU Building Rep and Vice President.  She continued to be very active in the labor movement even after she left the Newark Public Schools. 

6)  NTU Member Recognition (EXTENDED DEADLINE): As part of the celebration of NTU’s 80th anniversary, we will be honoring NTU members nominated by their peers at the Hall of Fame Dinner.  If you or a colleague would make a candidate, please go to our website and fill out the nomination form!  The deadline is next Tuesday, so hurry up!

               7) Upcoming NTU Workshops:

·       Tuesday, March 15, 2016, 4:15 – 5:30pm in the NTU Conference Room –“Teaching to the Emotions: Using Brain-based Research for Classroom Management”. This workshop is geared for all grade levels and/or all subjects. The workshop will introduce (1) how brain-based-learning works; (2) how to apply neuroscience in the classroom; (3) how the emotions play an important role in classroom work, memory, and classroom management; and finally (4) brain-based student-engagement strategies. Presenters are Jose R. Ortiz and Nancy Ortiz/Bilngual-Special Education Teachers@ Luis Munoz Marin School.

·       Tuesday, March 29, 2016, 4:15 – 5:15pm in the NTU Conference Room – “Let’s Learn Kahoot!” Kahoot! is a free, fun game-based learning geared for any subject, language, and/or devices, and for all ages! Participants must have an iPhone, and an iPad, tablet, laptop or chrome book.  Presenter: Vilma Mosquera-Bilingual Teacher from Wilson Avenue School.

·       Wednesday, March 30, 2015 from 3:45 -5:45pm in the NTU – ERC Center. “Spark Up!:  Navigating the SPARK Curriculum Website”. This workshop is geared for physical education teachers with little or no experience using the Spark Curriculum website for designing lesson plans aligned with NJCCCS. Please bring your laptop or Chromebook (Optional). Presenters are Physical Education Teachers: Alicia Malave-Diaz, Belmont-Runyon Elementary School and Anthony Lardieri, Luis Munoz Marin Elementary School.

·       Wednesday, April 6, 2016, 3:45 – 5:15pm in the NTU Conference Room – “Professional Improvement Fund at Its Best” in the NTU conference room. Come and learn how to maximize on thoroughly completing the PIF forms accurately so it can be processed in a timely and quick manner. A complete hands-on guide/powerpoint presentation with Justin Petino, PIF-NTU Committee Chairperson/Physical Education Teacher at East Side High School and Awilda Rodriguez, PIF Committee representative/ESL Teacher at Benjamin Franklin School/NTU-ERC Resource Center. Occupancy is 25 people.

Please email:  ERC@newarkteachersunion.com  in the subject area please type the name of workshop you are interested in attending. Then provide us the following: your name, your school name, your email address, your school phone number and your personal cellphone number where you can be reached.

7) Surveys – Reminder, on our website, we have surveys for class size, contract demands, and involuntary transfers.  This information is regularly shared with our attorneys and NPS to resolve issues, so please utilize them!

In Solidarity,