UFT and UUP activists advocate in Albany

In addition to the statewide lobbying effort on March 18, two large delegations met with lawmakers on March 11. Above: Members of the United Federation of Teachers show their enthusiasm for the recent passage of a 55/25 law.

Brooklyn Health Sciences Center members, as part of United University Professions' regional advocacy days, meet with Assemblyman Dov Hikind, D-Brooklyn. From left are Rowena Blackman Stroud, Lianfu Yang, Abe Gerecht, Stanley Wei, Hikind and Shirley Patterson.

Visit to western New York

NYSUT Vice President Maria Neira toured two districts in western New York that received Contract for Excellence funds. The program ties increased state aid to stricter accountability in 55 school districts. In a visit to Jamestown schools, pictured above, Neira was interviewed by eighth-graders about the role of teacher unions in public education. Neira also met with members of the Jamestown TA, led by Chris Reilly, and Jamestown's superintendent of schools, Ray Fashano.

At a visit to Dunkirk schools, Neira talks with Pam Pleszewki about state ELA learning standards. A fifth-grade teacher and corresponding secretary of the Dunkirk TA, led by Paul Csont, Pleszewski said students at School 3 loved hearing from Neira about what school is like in other parts of the state.

Pennsylvania union visits NYSUT

A delegation from the Pennsylvania State Education Association met with various NYSUT officers and staffers this winter to discuss strategies for addressing needs of health care workers through governance and special services. During a tour of NYSUT headquarters, pictured abve, Executive Director Pauline Kinsella speaks to the group that included PSEA President Jim Testerman and PSEA Executive Director Carol Dumaresq.

PSEA staffer Gill Gall shares information about the 132,000-member PSEA with NYSUT Vice President Kathleen Donahue, NYSUT staffers Tom Anapolis and Mark Chaykin, and George Hughes, assistant executive director of PSEA.

Support for New Orleans

Members of a NYSUT Education & Learning Trust class that collected books and cash for schools in New Orleans display some of the contributions. All told, nearly 600 books were collected, about 450 by members of the Watervliet TA. The class of teachers and support staff from various NYSUT locals in the Capital District took up the collection after hearing about how schools damaged in Hurricane Katrina still struggle nearly three years after the storm.

Workshop for school nurses.

NYSUT's annual forum for health care professionals offered practical information for school staffers in responding to traumas overt and covert in the lives of students, as well as crisis and disasters.