Dear Colleagues,

1)    Respect the Contract Update – Reports of RTC success keep coming in; sadly, so do reminders of why we fight. At an NPS discipline hearing last week, a teacher was disciplined for coming in 10 minutes late (five 2 minute occurrences) while the district neglected to take into consideration that he had spent the last five years staying a half hour late each day assisting disadvantaged students.

He will not stay late any more.

We have scheduled to resume negotiations with the Newark Public Schools on 10/19. Let's show our negotiations team we support them by fighting within the

Colleagues,

1)       Respect the Contract: Attendance Counselors - Teachers, Aides and Clerks are NOT Attendance Counselors!! If the NPS wants Attendance Counselors then they should call them back to work. Schools have been asking staff to call parents any time their students are absent during their lunch or perp periods.  There isn't enough time in your day; instruction, prep periods, etc are NOT to be used to do someone else's job. Use the tools in our Respect the Contract toolkit to protect yourself!

2)       Respect the Contract: Prep Period Survey - Prep Periods are NOT free periods...they

Click here

ARE YOU LOSING YOUR PREPS??? Are they having a “lack of sub emergency” every day? Are you NOT getting paid for your coverage? Start Respecting  the Contract.

CLASS COVERAGE COMPENSATION (p.25)

“In case of emergency, which shall include an unavailability of sufficient per diem substitutes on a particular day, teachers in school, elementary, secondary, or special, shall be permitted during their preparation periods, if they so elect to volunteer, to substitute for an absent teacher. Any teacher performing such duties shall be compensated on the basis of one-fifth (1/5th) of the per diem substitute

Prep Periods are NOT free periods...they are periods where you, as a teacher, prepare your lessons, or for your lessons, meet with principal or his/her designee, meet with parents, or students, or other teachers (PLCs).

You need this VALUABLE time to review and prepare so you can continue to be an effective teacher.

ARE YOU LOSING YOUR PREPS???
If you have been compelled to COVER CLASSES, or LOSE PREPS for ANY reason, please complete this IMPORTANT form so the NTU can assist you in recovering your CONTRACTUALLY PROTECTED TIME

Click here for survey

September 28, 2016

Parents, Students, and Community Leaders,

The Newark Public Schools recently sent out a communication about their decision to close schools on Election Day, looking to blame teachers for any inconvenience that it may cause. The NPS seeks to blame everyone else for their mistakes and attempts to nullify a law that clearly states “No teaching staff member shall be required to perform his duties on any day declared by law to be a public holiday.”

Among the lies in their communication:

1) “[When presented with the calendar in June], NTU leadership raised no concerns regarding