"Starting and Staying Healthy in Newburgh" takes last year's event and expands it to students and parents up to the age of 4th grade. It is scheduled to take place on Saturday, June 5, 2010 at the Activity Center at Delano-Hitch Stadium in Newburgh from 10:00am to 2:00pm. Volunteers are needed beginning May 31st through June 5th. We need more volunteers than last year, so please let us know if you will be available, especially on June 5th. Please, get involved. It's important, it's a great cause, and we'll have a great time!

On a final note regarding the LAP committee and grant project, please see the LAP Meeting Schedule for our next meeting. All members are welcomed and encouraged to attend. We value your opinions and ideas.

Safe Homes

The Safe Home Baskets were beyond belief once again. The Baskets were raffled off at the Safe Home's annual dinner to help raise money to help in their fight against domestic violence.

Thank you to the following schools for donating baskets, Fostertown, Gardnertown, Horizons (3), Pre-K at Washington Street, New Windsor, Pre-K at Renwick Street, Gidney Avenue and Balmville.

           

During the year we will be collecting different needed items every month to help these families start a new life. Below is a list of items that are always needed.

• Gift Cards from major grocery or department stores, gas, phone and family restaurants, etc.
• House Warming Baskets.
• Laundry and Cleaning Supplies.
• Small Kitchen Appliances
• Robes, Slippers, Socks, Pantyhose, etc.
• Hair Care for all types of hair
• Diapers, Wipes, etc.

Thank you for all of your generosity.

Consitution Review and Contract Fact Finding Committees Forming

We are forming two short-term committees. The first is a Constitutional Review Committee to review our constitution and recommend any changes that may be necessary. These changes, if needed, will then be brought to the general membership to be voted on.

The second committee will be a Contract Fact Finding Committee that will formulate a member survey for the upcoming contract negotiations. They will also review the contract. Remember everything in the contract has value and purpose and was won through contract negotiations. Please email
Sheila Manning if you are interested in serving on one or both of these committees.

The Grapevine Needs Your Help!

The Grapevine needs articles, pictures, short write-ups, and ideas to share with the members. If anything is happening at your building that TAs are involved with, send a photograph along with the names of the members pictured and a description of the event to Pat Sansevero.

We are still in need of an editor or committee members to help the co-editor, Patty SanSevero, put the Grapevine together. Any help that can be given will be greatly appreciated; we do not want to see the Grapevine not be published. Please email Sheila Manning if you are interested in working on the Grapevine.

All committees can use help; remember the old saying "many hands make light work." Click here to see a complete listing of committees.

NYSUT ELT or AFT Trainers

If you are interested in becoming an ELT or AFT trainer, please contact Sheila Manning. NYSUT or the AFT will provide the training for a week during the summer.

General Information

In-Service Classes: Don't forget to sign up for In-Service classes, just check out the Newburgh Teacher Center Website for more information. The classes only cost Teaching Assistants ten dollars per class. Remember in-service credits can be turned in for salary increases in February and October. If you have any ideas for In-Service classes contact Jean Stumpf at Pre-K at Washington Street or Theresa Brady-Lyden at Gardnertown. If you are interested in becoming a workshop presenter through NYSUT or the AFT, please email your name, school and phone number to: teachingassistants@newburghta.com

Certification: Remember it is the member's responsibility to keep their certification up to date. You can access information on Teaching Assistants certification on the NY State Education Web Site or use the links on the NTA and Teacher Center web sites.

District email: Warning! Do not use the District's e-mail system for union or personal business! You should expect that any message sent or received through the District's system will be read by the administration. In the case of Baynes v. Fairport CSD (Monroe County), the court held that a public employer can be required to honor a request made under NY's Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) for copies of e-mails sent or received through the public employer's server (The Edge, Dec. '07).

Grievance Procedure: Please go to your Building Rep. first whenever you have a question or concern. You should know your contract and the area that pertains to your question or concern. The Building Rep. will then go with you to the Head Delegate if the problem or concern is a possible grievance. The correct forms will be filled out and be sent to the grievance committee.

Member Information Update: If your personal information (divorce, marriage, beneficiaries, address, phone number, etc.) has changed, please remember to update your TRS information and fill out and return the Membership Update Form to the NTA Office.

Sick Bank: The Sick Bank is a great resource but you need to follow the correct procedures. Please take the time to fill out and return the Sick Leave Bank donation form if you have not done so. Contributing to the Sick Bank entitles you to apply to the Sick Bank if it is necessary. To apply to the Sick Bank, send a letter accompanied with medical documentation (Doctor's letter), to Human Resources and Berenda Johnson, Pre-K at Washington Street.

Resources

Suggested Procedure to Become a Teaching Assistant