NTU Updates

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

Dear Colleagues,

1) Rx UPDATE – Just this week, a judge ordered NTU members prescription medications "for attorneys’ eyes only." That means that Superintendent Cerf and his staff can't see what meds you're on.

2) 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

Colleagues,

1)      New Website and emails:  This is just a reminder.  Newark Teachers Union changed our website months ago.  The old website no longer automatically forwards, so if you are looking for us, please go to http://newark.nj.aft.org/.  The new NTU website is regularly updated with a wide variety of important information, including a calendar of events, and how to’s for topics like FMLA’s.  If you have anything you’d like added to the website (kudos, pictures/videos from your school, etc), just send it to mmaillaro@newarkteachersunion.com.

In addition, all of the NTU staff are now

Colleagues,

1)    Hall of Fame Dinner: The 18^th Annual Albert Shanker Scholarship Awards are upon us.  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, these awards will be presented at the 2016 NTU Hall of Fame Dinner to be held on Wednesday, May 18^th at The Robert Treat Hotel, 50 Park Place, Newark, NJ at 6:30 p.m.  A buffet dinner and dessert will be provided, along with music and a special

Dear Colleagues,

1)      Prescription Update – WE WON!  The judge has issued an injunction and a Temporary Restraining order against Superintendent’s Cerf unilateral attempts to change our Prescription Plan.  You must continue to use your current GPP Rx Card. Details to follow!

2)      Stipend Payments - If you have not received your salary stipend (for CST’s, and staff on the old MA or PhD scales) or your stipend for working at a Renew School, reach out to Mike Maillaro (mmaillaro@newarkteachersunion.com) immediately with your name and school. Also, make sure you submit the attached Employee

Colleagues,

1)           Quasi-Administrators – In many schools, we have been getting reports that staff, including NTU members, are being asked to serve as quasi-administrators.   It is vital to remember that ONLY administrators should be doing observations and evaluations. 

Not only is this illegal, it is just another example of the district trying to break unions.  They laid off many administrators, including department chairs, and now they are trying to use other staff to fill those vital roles. 

All coaching and “adult support” positions are intended to help provide feedback, not to serve as

Colleagues,

1)      Contract Update: On Monday, the members of the NTU Negotiation Committee met and reviewed the contract surveys we have gotten.  We are starting to boil everything down to a list of several demands.  We have not yet formally met with the district to begin negotiations formally, but we will continue to keep you updated.  IF YOU HAVE NOT FILLED OUT THE CONTRACT SURVEY YET, PLEASE DO SO IMMEDIATELY!

2)     Stipend Update: NPS has confirmed that staff will be getting their salary and EWA stipends on January 29.   NPS has also informed us that the waiver money for staff who waived

Colleagues,

1)      NTU Website – Remember to visit the Newark Teachers Union website!  We are still collecting members’ class size issues and contract proposals (click on our Survey section).  You can also send in address changes or email address changes to us right on the home page.  We will be adding a formal Advisory survey to the website over the next few days.

2)      Membership Meetings – We have confirmed dates and location for our upcoming regional membership meetings:

• Speedway Academies for Monday, December 14, 2015 4 PM (WEST REGION)

• Barringer STEAM \ Arts and Humanities School

Colleagues,

1)      Lafayette Street School - The NTU has followed through in suing the administrative staff at Lafayette School personally.  NPS administrators can not be allowed to use Teach NJ and Achieve NJ as weapons to destroy the careers of hard-working decent professionals. 

2) December Membership Meetings – We are working on scheduling regional membership meetings before the Winter Break.   More information to come as soon as the dates and locations are finalized.

3)      November Advisory Board Meeting– The November Advisory Board meeting has been moved to MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23 @ East