John Elfrank-Dana Murry Bergtrau

News & Updates: Chapter Leader News We welcome our new Principal Dr. Andrea Lewis, formerly of the Acorn Community School in Brooklyn! So long to a Bergtraum institution - Barbara Esmilla, principal from 2002 - 2010. See our Medical Registry form - share with us who you recommend. NY Times Anti-Union Propaganda Piece on Charter Schools. Original and Critique on EdNotes. Appeals Court Blocks School Closings Teacher Survey on Professional Performance Assessment Teaching for the 21st Century - the document that defines the performance assessment process in Art. 8 of the contract. MUST Reads- Articles that Challenge the Orthodoxy & Speak to Our Immediate Condition Differentiation - Take it with a grain of salt (according to Congnitive Science) The Price Large Schools Pay for Smaller Schools - study shows how large schools get a disproportionate share of high-need students. On NCLB - the Trojan Horse for privitization. On the Achievement Gap - the family's socio-economic status is still the biggest factor. The Role of Childrearing - how your child is raised makes more difference than anything regarding success in school. Small School Reform and Democracy - "smaller" didn't used to mean corporate. The "Corporatization" of Education - "...1,450 schools is considered an independent franchise. Like a bank outlet or a RadioShack store..." Hearts & Minds - Feelings are a necessary foundation for thought. Don't blame the teachers! - Diane Ravitch on the scapegoating of teachers. Teach for America: False Promise - why all the hoopla for a failed project? Charter Schools Stanford Study - no better to worse than traditional public schools. Prepare for THIS Year! Submit these to the principal and AP ASAP. Component A alternative to formal observation sample plan. Pre-Observation Request Form Meet your MBHS Chapter Leadership New Yorkers for Smaller Class Size: New Yorkers for Smaller Classes is a coalition of parents, educators, advocates, unions and clergy who have come together to address the continuing crisis of large class size in New York City public schools. The coalition has a long-term commitment to make smaller classes a matter of law, not annual budget dealing... Read more	OUR MAN OF THE CENTURY "I consider it important, indeed urgently necessary, for intellectual workers to get together, both to protect their own economic status and, also generally speaking, to secure their influence in the political field." Albert Einstein (commenting on why he joined the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO)
About This Site This site is developed and maintained by John Elfrank-Dana, Chapter Leader of Murry Bergtraum High School. It's purpose is to provide a communications hub for UFT chapter activity. Click on "contact" above to send comments or questions. Register UFT members of the school should register to receive e-mail newsletters and announcements. If a member's contact information changes, he/she needs to come back an reregister.
UFT: www.uft.org will take you to the union's official web site. There you can find useful resources like forms, online version of the contract (coming).
Caucuses ICE: The Independent Community of Educators is a caucus within the union, as is TJC: Teachers for a Just Contract and Unity Caucus. Unity caucus is the dominant one and has a web site: http://www.unitycaucus.org/. You can also visit the blog, EdWise, below, a blog run by one of their leaders. I highly recommend all members read these sites regularly to stay abreast of current issues and perspectives important to our union. Useful Links The Contract Your Chapter Representation School Budget at a Glance UFT Welfare Fund Education Blogs/Web Sites Unity Caucus (Randi's Caucus) ICE (Independent Community of Educators Caucus) NYC Educator - Independent Commentary TJC (Teachers for a Just Contract Caucus) EdWise (Leo Casey's Blog) Labors Lessons (my blog) Page last updated: 01/09/2011