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NYSUT Retiree Council 45
Serving NYSUT Retirees across souther portions of Central New York State.
NYSUT News Feed
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Join us for 'Advocating for ELLs at State and National Levels' Apr. 21
Advocating for ELLs at State and National Levels
April 21, 2021. 4-5 p.m.- REGISTRATION: bit.ly/AdvocacyWebinar3
Join us as we hear from two speakers who will provide updates on current legislation and policies that impact the ENL/Bilingual world at both state and national levels.
In addition, they will suggest ways that educators can advocate for these and other issues that concern them and their students.
Speakers
- Jackie Paredes, New York State United Teachers
- Cesar Moreno Perez, American Federation of Teachers
This webinar is co-sponsored by NYSUT and NYS TESOL.
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NYSUT Disaster Relief Fund shares news of FEMA COVID-19 funeral benefit
If you incurred funeral expenses for an individual who died from COVID-19, you could be eligible for funeral assistance from FEMA for up to $9,000 per funeral. Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, FEMA is providing financial assistance for COVID-19 related funeral expenses incurred after Jan. 20, 2020.
Applications are accepted by phone ONLY by calling 844-684-6333. Phone lines are open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. EST Monday through Friday. Before calling, gather the following information:
- A copy of the death certificate, attributing the cause of death to COVID-19
- Documentation of the funeral expenses incurred
- Documentation of funds received from other sources (including burial/funeral insurance policies)
For more information on who is eligible to apply, how to apply, what expenses qualify and more, please visit the FEMA website.
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NYSED and NYSUT applaud 60 teachers who achieved 'gold standard' national certification
April 14, 2021 -- The New York State Education Department and New York State United Teachers today congratulated 60 teachers from across the state who have achieved national certification from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards, the “gold standard” in the education profession.
“Attaining National Board Certification is an arduous endeavor that each of these extraordinary educators undertook because of their dedication and love for teaching and learning,” Board of Regents Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr. said. “In this most difficult of times, when uncertainty wrought by COVID-19 changed nearly every facet of education, these teachers are committed to their calling, challenging themselves to become even better educators for the sake of their students.”
“To keep the love of learning alive and to continue to strive to be even better is key to being an exceptional teacher who can effectively reach the hearts and minds of their students,” State Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa said. “Through a process of introspection and enrichment, these passionate teachers elevate their efforts in the classroom and open a world of leadership and academic possibilities for themselves and their colleagues for whom they will serve as mentors.”
“To achieve National Board certification in the midst of unprecedented
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Victory with Foundation Aid shows SRPs the power of advocacy
“Stand up, speak up,” Cheryl Rockhill, president of the Brushton Moira Support Staff Organization, told a Zoom room full of her colleagues learning how to lobby at a NYSUT Town Hall last night. “Our issues are so important, elected officials need to hear them.”
On the table: proposed bills for workplace safety standards; a requirement to provide school bus attendants; job protection for School-Related Professionals laid off during the pandemic; a provision for due process; and uniform protocols for toileting.
Legislative Activism Toolkit: What SRPs need when meeting with lawmakers on their most important issues. Leader login required.
New York State Senator Shelley Mayer, D-Port Chester, chair of the Senate Education Committee, reminded the SRPs of the power of collective action. In this year’s state budget, funding for Foundation Aid has finally been set up after years of advocacy. Foundation Aid is an approved funding formula for the state’s neediest schools — but the state has failed to meet those obligations for years.
Now, a plan is in place.
“NYSUT and all of us really had an extraordinary victory,” Mayer said. All the years of coalition building, topped by the extreme needs laid bare by the COVID-19 pandemic, resulted in Foundation Aid finally being funded.
“The year of COVID has shown
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NYSUT statement on revised NYS COVID-19 guidance for K-12 schools
ALBANY, N.Y. April 10, 2021 — New York State United Teachers President Andy Pallotta issued the following statement today on revised New York State Department of Health COVID-19 guidance for K-12 schools:
...“As educators, we know that the best place for our students to learn is in person in the classroom. What we’ve wanted from the very beginning of the school reopening process is for that to happen in the safest possible environment.
“In adopting new physical distancing guidelines in line with CDC recommendations, the state is making it crystal clear that distancing is only one part of a layered mitigation strategy. These revised guidelines not only draw distinctions between when it’s appropriate to have three feet of distancing and when six feet of distancing is still necessary, they also mandate masks at all times and lay out specific ventilation recommendations while maintaining important provisions for cleaning, hygiene and contact tracing. What’s more, the guidelines are clear that community transmission — with a majority of New York counties currently at high levels of transmission, per CDC metrics — is a critical factor in how physical distancing changes are implemented. And before districts make changes, school communities, including parents and educators, must be given an opportunity to provide input on updates to reopening plans. That has always