The union continues a non-stop push for legislation to expand the moratorium on the use of standardized tests in high-stakes decisions that was established for students to include teachers and principals. Go to the Member Action Center to send a fax to legislators. The state budget included a two-year moratorium for students on the use of state tests --tell legislators the same principle applies to teachers!
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The union continues a non-stop push for legislation to expand the moratorium on the use of standardized tests in high-stakes decisions that was established for students to include teachers and principals. Go to the Member Action Center to send a fax to legislators. The state budget included a two-year moratorium for students on the use of state tests --tell legislators the same principle applies to teachers! This is among our most important responsibilities - here is an explanation of the law from NYSUT.
Two areas of law prescribe specific procedures as to who must report suspected child abuse to whom and under what circumstances. Social Services Law School officials (including teachers, teaching assistants, school nurses, school guidance counselors, school psychologists, school social workers , administrators, and school board members) are considered mandated reporters and are required to report when: 1. They have reasonable cause to suspect that a child coming before them in their professional or official capacity is abused or maltreated; or 2. If the parent, guardian, custodian or other person legally responsible for the child comes before them in their professional or official capacity and states from personal knowledge facts, conditions or circumstances which, if correct, would render the child an abused or maltreated child. If either condition is met, the mandated reporter must report their concerns immediately by telephone to the New York State Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment (SCR). Oral reports to the hotline must be followed within 48 hours by a written report on Form LDSS-2221A to the local Child Protective Services (CPS). A copy of this mandated reporter form can be obtained by contacting your local CPS office, or accessing the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) website at www.ocfs.state.ny.us and clicking on “Forms” and “LDSS-2221A” links. Be sure to ask the SCR specialist for the “Call I.D.” number assigned to the report you have made. After making the report to the SCR you must immediately notify the “person in charge” of the school that you have made a report. This notification should be made in a manner that can be verified (e.g. e-mail). Provide them with the “Call I.D.” you were given by the SCR specialist. The person in charge of the school may not prevent you from making a report and the law designates the person in charge of the institution as responsible for all subsequent follow up administration necessitated by the report. It is important to note that the mandated reporter must make the initial report to SCR and CPS. Reporting it only to the person in charge of the school or institution is not acceptable under the law. Example Indicators of Abuse (examples only; for more detail see your school district administrator or your NYSUT Labor Relations Specialist): Physical Indicators may include: bruises, welts or bite marks; burns or rope burns; trouble walking or sitting; pain, itching in genital area. Behavioral Indicators may include: being wary of contacts with parents or other adults; behavior extremes (aggressive, withdrawn); habit disorders; manifestations of low esteem. Note, however, that an absence of physical or behavioral indicators is not necessarily proof of an absence of abuse. Under Social Services Law parents are not to be notified by the reporter or the district. Education Law Education Law requires school employees to report allegations of child abuse in an educational setting. “Educational setting” is defined as school buildings and grounds, school district buildings and grounds, vehicles used to provide transportation of students, sites of field trips, sites of extracurricular and co-curricular activities, and any other location where direct contact between employee or volunteer and the student could have taken place. The law establishes a reporting process that must be followed . Duties of Employees The law imposes reporting requirements on teachers, teaching assistants, school nurses, school guidance counselors, school psychologists, school social workers , administrators, school board members and all other school personnel required to hold a teaching or administrative license or certificate . When these employees either witness or receive an allegation of child abuse by an employee or volunteer in an educational setting , they must take the following steps: a) Upon receipt of an oral or written allegation of child abuse in an educational setting, the employee must promptly complete the “Child Abuse in an Educational Setting” report form . b) Upon completion of the report form, the employee must personally deliver it to the school building administrator of the school in which the child abuse allegedly occurred. c) If the allegation(s) involves a child who was allegedly abused by an employee or a volunteer of a school in another school district, the employee must promptly forward the report form to the superintendent of schools of the school district of attendance and the school district where the abuse allegedly occurred. Duties of School Building Administrators and Superintendent In all cases, upon receipt of a report form, the school building administrator and superintendent must review the form and determine if there is reasonable suspicion to believe that an act of child abuse, as defined by law, has occurred, and if additional steps must be taken, which differ depending upon the individual who has made the allegation (child, parent, other person). However, the procedures are all variations on the following theme: a) Promptly notify the parent of the child that an allegation of child abuse in an educational setting has been made. b) Promptly provide the parent with the written statement setting forth parental rights, responsibilities and procedures prepared in accordance with the Commissioner’s regulations. Promptly provide a copy of the completed report to the superintendent. c) Ascertain from the reporting employee the source and basis for the allegation and complete that portion of the report form . d) Promptly provide a copy of the completed report form to the superintendent . e) Promptly forward a copy of the completed report form to the appropriate law enforcement authorities . The report to law enforcement may not be delayed by reason of inability to contact the superintendent. In all cases where a completed report is forwarded to the appropriate law enforcement authorities, and the employee or volunteer alleged to have committed an act of child abuse holds a certification or license issued by the Department, the superintendent must also refer such report to the Commissioner of Education. Penalty Provisions The requirements set forth within the law are mandatory. Willful failure of an employee to prepare and submit a report form as required by the law is a Class A misdemeanor . The law also provides that a willful failure of a school building administrator or superintendent to forward a copy of the report form to the appropriate law enforcement authority is a Class A misdemeanor. In addition, a school building administrator or a superintendent can be subject to a fine of $5,000 and imprisonment for one year for failure to forward a copy of the completed report form to the appropriate law enforcement authorities. Education law requires that school districts must establish and implement, on an ongoing basis, a training program for all current and new school officials regarding the mandatory reporting policies and procedures established pursuant to the law. Honoring Marcia Sklar, Maryellen Mullin, Anthony Angotta, Susan Williams, and Carole Lockwood.
This promises to be a beautiful night at Vintage in White Plains. Let me know how many tickets you need for the BTA trip to the Rockland Boulders on June 14.
Sharon and her family welcomed a new baby boy - Benjamin!
Congratulations! 
Mother’s Day Baskets
“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.” -J.Holmes Over the past month, donations have been pouring in to Julia Brogan’s room for Mother’s Day Baskets for local women’s shelters. At first, the plan was to donate 10 baskets to Hope’s Door Women’s Shelter, however the overwhelming generosity of the teachers, aides, and staff made it possible for Julia to reach out to My Sister’s Place which runs two local shelters and donate an additional 25 baskets. In total, 35 Mother’s Day baskets were assembled and delivered this past weekend. On Friday afternoon, I joined Julia Brogan (and her 3 kids), Donna Bianco, Catherine Bianco (recent graduate), Eva Cieloszyk, Toby Gillen (and her 2 kids), Dian Grandefeld, Georgiana Stewart, Kathy Marron (and her two kids), Diane Murphy (and her daughter), Joyce Myers, Heather Norman, and Maria Pizzolato assembled and decorated 35 Mother’s Day baskets which were delivered to Hope’s Door and My Sister’s Place. The mother’s day baskets were filled with beauty and toiletry items, a book with a personal inscription from a BXV staff member, a flower pen made by the volunteers on Friday (thanks to Joyce Myers’ guidance), a journal, treats (both salty and sweet), and a cookie jar. The cookie jars were made and donated by the Middle School Community Service Club and students from Saint Joseph's CCD class (with a special thanks to Pam Kohlhoff). Each gift basket had a handwritten card from a Bronxville faculty member wishing them a Happy Mother’s Day (see image of cover of card). The recipients at the women’s shelters were overwhelmed with gratitude to be showered with such love on Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day is often a forgotten holiday for women seeking refuge, but thanks to the Bronxville staff this year Mother’s Day was one that was honored and celebrated. This was all made possible by the generosity of over 50 Bronxville faculty and staff who include: Lauren Geremia, Mary Reilly, Megan Figueroa, Denise Lutter, Pam Simpson, MaryBeth Gettelfinger, Pam Kohlhoff, Kathryn Marron, Gillian Garzia, Eva Cieloszyk, Kathe Sosa, Jillana Valente, Roseann Silves, Julia Brogan, Noreen Herber, Beth Agarabi, Joyce Vastola, Georgiana Stewart, David Katz, Vicki Kreiss, Jacquelyn Frawley, Virginia Gentile, Maria Pizzolato, Patrick Clarke, Lissi Alcivar, Linda and Gene Orsenigo, Julie Clarke, Heather Norman, Frank Viggiani, Carol Lockwood, Peter Royal, Lindsey Blackhurst, Karen Green, Donna Bianco, Jim Brogan, Toby Gillen, Mandy Gersten, Kendall Fousek, Regina O’Dwyer, Diane Murphy, Dian Grandefeld, MaryEllen Mullin, and countless other donors who left donations in Julia’s room. Thank you to each of these donors. Here is a thank you that we received from one of the shelters. Dear Julia and friends: It takes a lot of work and a lot of heart to help victims of abuse, and we'd never get the job done without people like you who share in our mission. Your support of Hope's Door sends a clear and compelling message to those we serve that they are not alone and that others do care. Thank you so much for your recent donation of Mother's Day gifts to Hope's Door. Your gift supports our efforts to end domestic violence and to empower victims to achieve safety, independence, and healing from the trauma of abuse. Last year alone, Hope's Door served 592 adult victims, which helped them and their 924 children. We opened an office in Ossining, resulting in increasing the numbers of survivors served in that community by 66%. In addition, our "Love Shouldn't Hurt" program empowered 7,786 teens with potentially life-saving information with the goal of breaking the inter-generational cycle of abuse. Thank you for sharing in our mission and making a difference. Together we can end domestic violence. Sincerely, Tami Shimkin Hope's Door, Inc. Office Manager/ Executive Assistant Also an enormous thank you to Julia Brogan, whose leadership and passion for others inspire so many to donate their time to the benefit of others. 
 The BTA represented by Christina Reidel, Denise Napolitano and Dana Landesman at Saturday's NYSUT Race for Solidarity at FDR Park. Proceeds of the 5K Race were used to support NYSUT Disaster Relief Fund (a fund used by one of our members after Hurricane Sandy and available to all of us should disaster strike
Check out this episode that was on Nickelodeon!
A former student of Charles' found him to ask him questions about her high school science career. http://www.nickmom.com/tv/take-me-to-your-mother/videos/andrea-the-average-student-207/ |
