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Thanks to all who donated to this years Scholarship Fund! 

This year, we were able to give six scholarships of $1,000 to

our graduating high school students. 

Congratulations to:

Darnell Lewis     Conrad Ortega     Mohamed Abdulla    

Safa Omar     Mahfoudh Saleh     Sakeena Saleh

Chinese Auction/Prizes Prize List

We will be holding a farewell/hello get together at Woody's on Friday, June 26th to thank our outgoing Officers, Nancy Travis and Sue Murphy, for their years of service, as well as welcoming our new President and Vice President/HS.  Please join us for 2 hours of complimentary beverages!  Woody's always provides lunch on that day as well!

No Contract, No Cookies...

Delegates at the 2009 NYSUT Rep Assembly moved overwhelmingly to support a boycott of Stella D'oro bakery products.  The 135 members of Local 50 of the bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union went on strike in August after new owners of the bakery demanded wage cuts up to 25%, and the elimination of all holidays, sick time and vacation days, as well as a crushing 20% employee contribution to worker health care benefits.  In response, the workers in eight months, have not crossed the picket line.  Soon after the workers struck, they were "permanently replaced" by the company.  This strike has been on going since August 13, 2008, where workers are picketing outside the company in the Bronx, NY.  Please consider this while making purchases!

NEA on Facebook

Search NEA Today and click on "add as a friend" to connect with an instant network of over 200 people who also care about public education.2

Did you know...

• The first US Census was taken in 1790.  The population was 3,929,214.  The last census was conducted in 2000.  The population at that time was 281,421,906.

• Utah is the fastest growing state with a 2.5% increase.

• New York City is still the nation's largest city, with 8.2 million people.  Los Angeles is the second with 3.8 million.

• Hispanics, numbering 45.5 million as of July 1, 2007, are now America's largest minority.

• New Jersey has the highest median household income-$65,933, based on a three year average.

2009 LTF Officer Election Results

Reporter Training

The state Office of Children and Family Services is offering a free online training for mandated reporters of suspected child abuse, which includes many education professionals.  The two hour course is at www.nysmandatedreporter.org .  Click on "new online trainings".  Once registered, trainees have 30 days to complete the course.  The self directed training meets the State Education Department's mandatory requirements for training in child abuse identification and reporting, and even provides a link notifying SED of a trainee's completion of the course.

Head Lice:  Kids with Nits can Attend School

Students with head lice nits are not necessarily being send home from school, in part because of the loss of classroom time for the students and the inconvenience to working parents, reports the Associated Press in February.  As long as the youngsters with nits do not have any crawling lice in their hair, many schools are now allowing the affected students to stay in the classroom.  This is in part due to recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Association of School Nurses.  Know however that children with lice in households that have recurring lice problems, are developing lice that are resistant to the lice shampoo.  More information is available on the website of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov/lice/head/faqs.html, which includes special navigation for both parents and schools.

NYSUT Key Legislative Issues

Action letters are posted in the Legislative Action Center at www.nysut.org for your participation.  Your local leaders can be contacted through this site, using premade fax letters.

• NYSUT and the state AFL-CIO remain firmly in opposition to the proposed Tier 5 retirement plan or any other proposal that reduces the base-line retirement benefits of future public sector workers.  If enacted, the plan would require greater contributions from middle class families in exchange for diminished eligibility and inferior benefits.

• The union is pushing for enactment of the Dignity for All Students Act.  It would require schools to develop clear anti-harassment policies, report incidents, provide staff training and promote respect for diversity. 

• NYSUT is advocating improvement of the underfunded unemployment insurance program.  The amounts paid to displaced workers are inadequate for them to maintain a sufficient standard of living and to many workers in educational settings are ineligible to access unemployment benefits at all.

• The union is also advocating for genuine real property tax relief through "circuit breaker" legislation that would help those who can least afford to carry a disproportionate burden on limited or fixed incomes.

Updated 3/09

Nominations are due for LTF Officer Elections in May.  All nominations should be brought to the delegation by the April meeting.  If you would like to consider running for office, please contact a delegate.

Call to action!

• Have teacher centers helped you? Let state lawmakers know how important it is to restore state funding.

• Visit www.nysut.org and click on the bright orange "Take action" box at the upper right corner of the home page. The action center is free and will automatically fax letters to your local lawmakers.

• Lawmakers are hoping to finalize a state budget by April 1, so it's crucial for state representatives to hear from you now.

By the numbers

132 - Teacher centers statewide

625 - Number of school districts served by teacher centers

1984 - Year state Legislature established Teacher Resource and Computer Training Centers to provide systematic, ongoing professional education services.

267,000 - Number of teachers served annually.

44,482 - Number of teaching assistants, parents and other community members served in 2007-08

$40 million - Amount of state funding centers received in 2008-09

$0 - Amount centers would receive in 2009-10 under governor's plan

State Budget: Where do things stand? And what's ahead?

New York Teacher - March 3, 2009 

 New York state is facing its worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. NYSUT and its members, through faxes, e-mails, phone calls and face-to-face lobbying, are working hard to make sure lawmakers make the right decisions in these tough times - that includes maintaining a strong commitment to education and health care.  For more information, check out

http://www.nysut.org/cps/rde/xchg/nysut/hs.xsl/newyorkteacher_12297.htm

New Tenure Determination Law 2008

Teacher Analysis of Student Performance Data When Providing Instruction

Erie 1 BOCES Health Benefits Plan Trust Website

http://www.healthtrust.e1b.org/e1btrust/site/default.asp

The LTF Scholarship Dinner will be held at the end of May, more info soon!

Last Call for applications for the 2009 Robert G. Porter Scholars Program.  AFT Members and their children are eligible to participate in the program, which awards four $8,000 scholarships to graduating high school seniors and $1,000 grants to AFT members who are continuing their education.  To apply, download the application at www.aft.org/aftplus/scholarships .

NYSUT Once Again Tops $1,000,000 mark!

For the second year in a row, NYSUT has raised over one million dollars for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer efforts.  In 2002, NYSUT became a flagship sponsor with 7,500 members walking to raise $500,000.  This year, a total of 13,000 walkers came together to raise money to find a cure against breast cancer.  For more on this story, click on www.nysut.org .

Before You Call in Sick

Consider this:  It's not just the kids who have to show regularly for school to do well on standardized tests.  Teacher absences also can have a negative effect on student achievement, say researchers at Harvard University and Duke University, in separate studies.  And yet another study says the effect is particularly negative for poor students.

But it's also important to consider why teachers might have increased absences.  Like say...overwork?  Or Stress?

The researchers found that absences were greater at urban schools, and also at larger schools.  In Dayton, Ohio, school officials report that teacher absences have increased 35% this year-a jump that union leaders attribute to the stress caused by $30 million in budget cuts.  Pushing planning periods to the beginning and end of the day, packing classes, cutting back on art, music, and gym all create damaging conditions.  For you-and your kids.

neatoday Jan/Feb 09

Updated 2/09

Thanks for a job well done to Claire Heckt and all who helped out with the Lackawanna Fire Department's quest for holiday gifts.  A lot of time and effort, not to mention money, was put in by a great number of faculty and students to generate gifts for ---families in the City of Lackawanna.  Special thanks also to Deanna Caldwell and the HS Student Council who held a Candy Cane Gram Sale and donated all of the proceeds. 

Lottery Tickets have come to a close.  Due to my broken computer, I was not able to post the tickets in a timely manner, but they are now available, both the tickets sold and the winners.  Thanks to all who took the time to sell their tickets or purchase them.  Without you, our Scholarship Fund would not exist!

Lotto Tickets Sold PDF

Lotto Winners PDF

Scholarship dinner plans are taking place for late March, more info soon.

Upcoming fundraisers...

• SPAGHETTI & MEATBALL DINNER AT LACKAWANNA HIGH SCHOOL

  TO BENEFIT LHS BASEBALL TEAM ON SATURDAY, MARCH 14^TH CATERED BY THE MULBERRY CAFÉ

  The Lackawanna High School Baseball Team will sponsor a Spaghetti & Meatball Dinner on Saturday, March 14, 2009 from Noon to 5 p.m.  The dinner will be held in the Lackawanna High School Cafeteria, 550 Martin Road.  Please park in the rear parking lot and enter the cafeteria near the tennis courts/football field.

              The dinner will be catered by the Mulberry Café and will feature Chef Joe Jerge’s famous meatballs and spaghetti sauce!

  Tickets are $8 each and TAKEOUTS ARE AVAILABLE.  Dinner includes Chef Joe’s delicious Spaghetti and Meatballs, salad, bread and butter, dessert, and beverages.  There will be raffles held and you do not have to be present to win.  All money raised will be used to help defray the cost of new equipment, apparel, and the baseball team’s field trip to Pittsburgh.

              A very limited number of tickets will be available at the door.  We highly recommend and encourage you to purchase presale tickets so Chef Joe can prepare an adequate amount of the Mulberry’s spaghetti and meatballs to please your palate and satisfy your appetite!  Presale tickets go on sale February 2^nd.  The last day to purchase presale tickets is Friday, February 27^th.  For questions, to purchase tickets, or to make a donation such as a theme basket for the raffle, contact Mr. Tim Regan at Lackawanna High School at 827-6723 between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. 

              We hope you will come, enjoy the fun and great food, and support the Lackawanna High School Baseball Team!

   

• The Lackawanna Youth Board will hold it's Winter Fest on February 7th from 1-5 at the Lackawanna Senior Center.  For more info contact Hannah Nashir.

• The LHS Cheerleader still have a few Steelers Athletic Sweatshirts left.  Light blue in med-XL and gray in small-$20.  See Nicole Parry if interested.

• Martin Road is collecting used ink cartridges, cell phones, GPS systems, old (but working) video game systems and disks, old DVD's, cameras, laptop computers and iPods for recycling.  Please send to Kim Pulinski at Martin Road.

Updated 12/08

Thanks to all who attended the Diamond Cutters of WNY night at Curly's. The food was terrific as were the jewels!  I have heard great things from those who attended.  Fran will be forwarding a check to the LTF with a portion of the proceeds from that night for use in the Scholarship Fund.  Any suggestions for the future, drop me a line!

While Santa for Everyone was a great run, it will not be taking place this year in it's usual way.  Sadly, there just aren't enough people to take on this huge undertaking.  Since we still wanted to give back, we will be working with the Lackawanna Fire Department, who for many years has given to the community by way of gifts and food baskets for the holiday season.  They are looking for new unwrapped gifts and monetary donations.  If you are interested in donating or helping out, please contact Claire Heckt, at checkt@lackawanna.wnyric.org for more information.

From Liz Krakowski.....Applebee's is conducting a Breakfast with Santa on Sunday, December 14th at the Milestrip location in the Home Depot Plaza. The breakfast will run from 8am until 10, and tickets are $5 each.  There will also be a chinese auction and raffles, with all proceeds benefiting the Make a Wish Foundation.

Congratulations to Cindy Cole, who was nominated for the Teachers' Insurance Plan Teacher of the Year Award.  Names are submitted by parents, students, family members, administrators and faculty, and is open to all New York State 's accredited teachers.  Each winner receives a cash award of $1,000, and the teacher's school receives $500.  A national winner is then selected from among the state winners and will receive a $2,500 vouchers good for any destination.  Best of luck to Cindy as the judging continues!

From Maureen Fernandez...Lisa Leach and Rose Graham participated in a textbook revision of the phonics book that is published by the company, Sadlier Phonics.  They were sent pages to review and make changes that they felt were appropriate to the objective of that page.  These books are used by our K, 1st and 2nd grade teachers.  Their names will appear in the front cover of each new workbook that will be printed and sold.  These books were purchased originally through our Reading First funding.

The sale of the LTF Scholarship raffle tickets is well underway.  Thanks to all who participated in the Early Bird Drawing, and winner Molly Hondzynski who received a $25 gas card!  The seller of the most tickets will receive a $50 gas card.  I can tell you at this point it is a vicious contest between two people, but I cannot tell you which ones!  Keep those tickets coming, it's for a great cause!

Bailout Brings Return of Educators Tax Break (New York Teacher)

The Wall Street bailout package signed into law earlier this month has one direct pocketbook benefit for teachers and other educators.  It restores the federal tax deduction for classroom supplies that you purchase out of pocket. 

Under the law, you can deduct up to $250 a year for the unreimbursed cost of such items as books and software supplies. 

The deduction applies to K-12 teachers, instructors, counselors, principals and aides who worked at least 900 hours during the school year.

Even if you don't itemize deductions, you're still eligible for this one, which expired in December and has been extended through 2009.

Smile, You're on YouTube!
You'd be surprised at what students are capturing on cell phone cameras in your classrooms and posting online.  Check out a sample at www.nea.org/ref?youtube .

Medication can work wonders, but critics believe too many children are taking too much....(neatoday Oct 2008)http://www.nea.org/neatoday/0810/medicatedkids.html

Applications for the 2009 Robert G. Porter Scholars Program will be available in November.  AFT Members and their children are eligible to particiapte in the program, which awards four $8,000 scholarships to graduating high school seniors, and $1,000 grants to AFT members who are continuing their education.  Download the application at www.aft.org/aftplus/scholarships , or email an application request to porterscholars@aft.org .

Testing the Joy out of Education (American Teacher Oct 08)

Updated 10/08

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer-Buffalo

Sunday, October 5, 2008

For more info go to www.nysut.org/makingstrides

Paid leave for checkups grows

New York Teacher - September 5, 2008 

A union-backed law that provides up to four hours of paid leave for annual breast cancer and prostate screenings has been expanded to include community colleges, BOCES, vocational schools, public benefit corporations and employees in the New York State and Local Employees' Retirement system.

The law, which amends legislation passed last year, also clarifies that the leave is a paid one.

The move comes after two recent court decisions confirmed it was wrong for employers to force workers to use their sick or personal leave to undergo screenings.

NYSUT won the restoration of a Wappingers teacher's sick leave, as well as a grievance settlement for three Fulton-Montgomery Community College members.

In his memo approving the amendments, Gov. David Paterson noted the preventive benefits of screenings would ultimately outweigh the costs. Proponents stressed the role that such leave can play in early detection of illness; permitting employees to take time off without financial consequences will undoubtedly encourage more employees to undergo appropriate tests.

The American Cancer Society recommends yearly mammograms for women starting at age 40. Women at higher-than-average risk should talk with their health providers about the need for earlier screenings.

ACS recommends prostate screening for men starting at age 50. Men at higher risk should begin screenings as early as 40 years of age, according to ACS. 

For details, check NYSUT's Web site, www.nysut.org, under Legislative Issues, or contact your local union president. 

October 7 ^th , 2008, parents and community members are invited to a free Rachel’s Challenge presentation from 6:00 to 7:00pm in the Lackawanna High School Auditorium on Martin Road .   Rachel Scott, the first victim of the Columbine School shootings, through her writings, promotes a message of compassion and hope.

Funding for Rachel’s Legacy was provided through Title I Federal Funds.   For more information contact Carolyn Sanchez, Middle School Social Worker, and program organizer at 827-6755.

Two Cooks in the Kitchen

These days, you might be sharing your classroom with another teacher.  Can you effectively work together-without spoiling everything?  http://www.nea.org/neatoday/0809/trythis.html .

Smile!  You're on YouTube!

Millions are sharing videos online.  Are you the star of one of them? 

http://www.nea.org/neatoday/0810/youtube.html

The Preparation Gap for First Year Teachers-New teachers not prepared for diverse classrooms and special needs children

When it comes to the quality of their teacher training, first year teachers say their preparation was lacking in two main areas:  dealing with an ethnically diverse classroom and teaching students with special needs.  Aside from those two weak areas, new teachers are generally satisfied with how well prepared they were to the realities of classroom, according to a new report from Public Agenda and the National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality.  http://aft.org/pubs-reports/american_teacher/sept08/AT_SEPT08.pdf#page=9

What is This Thing Called RTI?

Response to Intervention (RTI) is a three step practice that is gaining currency in classrooms around the country.  Teachers provide high quality instruction and interventions matched to a student's need, then they gather and monitor data about how the student is progressing, and finally they apply that data to important decisions about what instructional changes are needed, or what new goals should be set for the student.  RTI has grown in part because the IDEA of 2004 puts a big premium on curbing the "over-referral" of students into special education...http://aft.org/pubs-reports/american_teacher/sept08/AT_SEPT08.pdf#page=9

Retirement Party

Friday, October 3

West End, Union Street in Hamburg       

4-7pm     Dinner and Drinks will be served!

Honoring

Ralph Carestio, Donna Manzo, Bill Pukalo, and Angie Szuflita (2006)

Pat Daleo, Jean Dulak, Joyceen Mazur (2007)

Karen Doster, Karen Kuwik, Robert McNiff, and Sue Murphy (2008)

$30 per person, Money due by September 19!

Congratulations to the following LTF Members who received tenure at the

June board meeting!

Steven Hebert     Mariah Kramer     Sean Muldoon

Molly Hodzynski     Marissa Mauro     Josh Gabel

The following students will be receiving $1000 scholarships from

the Lackawanna Teachers Federation:

Ashley Jurcevic     Ahlim Omar     Kristin Skrzynski

Abdulla Umar     Brittany Wright

Thanks to all who donated time and money! 

Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer-Buffalo

Sunday, October 5, 2008

For more info go to www.nysut.org/makingstrides

Are students tested too much?  Are discipline policies consistently implemented?  Is No Child Left Behind helping schools improve?  These are key questions-and no one can provide more expert answers than teachers.  So the SFT has been asking representative samples of its K-12th-grade teachers about these and other important issues for many years.  Here are the highlights, showing that teachers are fed up with too much testing and the effects of NCLB...[pdf]

Top 20 Back-to-School Resources

UNION 101
You and Your Association: Knowing more about your union and being active in it can pay big dividends. We've got the ABCs all laid out.
http://www.nea.org/neatoday/go/union101.html

AFT Backs Peer Assistance and Review Programs
The AFT took bold steps to take charge of the teaching profession—and to check mindless, test-driven "teacher quality" schemes—when convention delegates in Chicago overwhelmingly approved a resolution on July 13 urging all locals to consider creating peer assistance and review programs for new members. The resolution explains that peer assistance and review is a professional induction and evaluation program for teachers that recognizes "experienced, expert teachers are the people who are positioned to offer the best assistance to probationary teachers and to make the most credible judgments about their capabilities." [Read more.]

Colorin' Colorado is a site with extensive tips and research for teachers and parents of English Language Learners.  This site is beginning to offer materials in languages other than Spanish, which is it's primary focus.  It does offer a parent reading tip sheet in arabic, as well as many useful resources for children of all cultures.  www.colorincolorado.com

From A to Z, here is a list compiled by NYSUT,a Glossary of Commonly Used Terms and Acronyms in the field of education.