ADMINISTRATIVE
September 28 Executive Board minutes approved
September 18 & 25 AdCom minutes approved
No open mic speakers
PRESIDENT’S REMARKS -Michael Mulgrew
MTSS/Intervention Overhaul: Negotiating package to prevent teachers doing two academic interventions in one class; pushing DOE to guarantee no Social Studies/Science elimination (state law compliance)
Immediate Focus: Continue to solve member problems (e.g., like nurses’ pay fix); DOE system issues not UFT’s problem
October 7 & 8: Contract campaign training critical
Breast Cancer Month: Thank Servia & team; please wear pink on next Wednesday
Midterm Elections (crucial for education budgets):
Phone banks underway; all staff, retirees have schedules & C-VENT links
Voter registration deadline: October 24
Impact: Control of budget decisions; healthcare decimation if political opposition gains ground
Action: Coordinate w/ AFT to expand midterm phone banks
Class Size Progress: 43% → 70% by end of October (hitting 70% is official this month); difficulty remains to achieve 100% compliance under the law
School Construction Authority: New President Celeste Ramirez (former UFT staffer) has cleaned-out leadership; collaborating on reaching finish line for class size (Link to Article)
Next Meeting: October 19
REPORTS FROM DISTRICTS
District 1 - Rich Mantell, Vice-President Middle Schools
School Nurses
Major Win: Nurses’ pay corrected retroactively to 2016; some nurses getting backpay of $30K–$60K.
Resolved after persistent consultation, grievance threat, and follow-up
Thanksgiving coat drive launching; flyers at next meeting
October 15: Annual middle school anti-bullying conference (~400–500 students expected)
Leadership appeal: All exec board members contribute to toy & coat drives
District 13 - Sally Ann Bongiovanni PROSE Director
School Grades/MOSL
School-level MOSL decisions due Friday, 10/9
Default if no consensus: state tests on school-wide growth model
District 21 Representative Adam Shapiro
Candy collection for troops ongoing across schools
Secured ~800 blank voter registration forms; planning voter registration drive in District 21
Goal: Visible member registration + political alignment messaging
District 8 Representative Aqeel Williams
October 16 (Fri): Bronx Zoo evening event, 5:15–8 PM
October 20 (Sun): Kickoff at New York Botanical Gardens, 4–6 PM
New member soccer night: Memorial Field, Mount Vernon (contact John Harrington for details)
November 7 (Sat): Walking food tour of Arthur Avenue, 3–5:30 PM ($75)
District 5 Faiza Khalid District 5 Representative & Marquise Harrison Manhattan PAC
October 10 (Thu): New member meet & greet, 3:30–5 PM
October 17: UFT Manhattan Parent Conference with keynote speaker Kamar Samuels
Breast Cancer Awareness (Marquise, on behalf of Sylvia - Silva Manhattan Borough Representative)
October 11 (Fri) Kickoff: PS 200, 2589 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd, 3:30–5:30 PM
October 14: Wear pink; register teams for walks
Walks: October 18 (Manhattan/Queens/Long Island); October 25 (Bronx/Brooklyn/Staten Island)
Bronx High Schools Representative - Daniel Rodriguez – AFT Latino Caucus
October 13 (Tue): Capicú Domino’s event, 4–6 PM, Bronx UFT office ($15 or pay at door)
District 15 Representative Nancy Aromando – Brooklyn
October 16 (Wed): New member/welcome back happy hour at Black Horse
October 20: 10-year workshop with certification reps & superintendent
District 25 representative Lamar Hughes – Queens
Enrollment/budget crisis: School losing 30 students (13 to nearby charter), $175K budget shortfall
Class size maintained at 22–24 by RACLs but these class sizes at risk if funds cut
Response: DOE holds harmless policy not yet confirmed for this year; will address if enrollment drop harms class size compliance
October 25 & 26: New member meet & greet in Bayside
Emily James - Member Representative
Class size engagement sessions deadline extended to October 30 (was Sept 30; <50% chapter leaders had heard about it)
October 7 & 8 (Wed & Thu): Contract kickoff teach-in trainings; teach-in is October 29
Survey preparation for November 2 participation drive
Secretary Chapter Leader Functional - Sheryl Pender
September 30: First citywide chapter meeting, 300+ secretaries; presenter Debbie Poulos (250+ stayed past 6 PM)
October 13: Secretary Welfare Fund meeting with Anesa
October 19: Secretary meet & greet, Bixie in Harlem (Manhattan)
November 12: Tenure meeting for secretaries
District 3 Representative - Elizabeth Espert
Last Tuesday new hires event: best attendance ever
Action: Email Psych/SW/Unionist of Year nomination forms to Exec Board
Functional Chapters – Psychologists & Social Workers Chapter Leader Raul Garcia
Social Worker of Year & Psychologist of Year awards (nominations out Oct 13)
NEW: Unionist Chapter Award to highlight active union members
January 5: Mental health conference (psychologists, social workers, school counselors) with DOE & CEU credits; Raul seeking exec board support
Action: Email nomination forms to Exec Board
African Heritage Committee (Zakkiyyah Rock) – Elementary
October 17: 48th Annual Brownstoners of Bed-Stuy self-guided tour ($45; proceeds to scholarship fund)
Queens High Schools Representative James Vasquez
Tenure workshop: ~100 attendees
October: New member meet & greet with District 30; delegate/power rep/chapter leader mingles (Eastern & Western Queens; Western on Nov 4–5)
October 23: Fall mixer with District 24
District Updates – Class Size & Collaboration Issues (Adam Shapiro, Follow-up)
PS 100 principal posted video for monthly remote day instead of live collaboration; Superintendent intervened for live session
Adam will attend to ask questions
Underscores need for genuine collaboration, not email-based “engagement”
SPECIAL EDUCATION Vice-President Mary Jo Genese, VP
Chapter leaders & principals must select dates for mandatory Special Ed professional learning
Recognition: Manhattan borough office DRs held principals accountable using MOA language in emails
New: Special Ed Survival Class launched; 190+ participants week 1 (not just new teachers; high demand for IEP writing support)
September 30 New Teacher Training (Speech): 230 participants; thanks to Caroline Murphy, Seech Teacher Functional Chapter Leader for coordination
Action: Remind 3K/Pre-K teachers in schools re: curriculum waiver
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS Vice-President Karen Alford, VP
3K/Pre-K Curriculum Waiver: Teachers can now use different materials (not just Creative Curriculum); encourage schools to apply
United Community Schools grant success: $5M+ in capital improvements from grant writing
Technology upgrades: PS 105, PS 52, PS 4 (Manhattan)
Mobile science labs: PS 48, PS 14 (Bronx)
STEM lab: PS 19 (Bronx)
Science lab upgrade: PS 192 (Manhattan, $920K)
Hydroponics lab: PS 184 (Brooklyn)
Bathroom & cooling upgrades, auditorium upgrades, room conversions across schools
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
Welfare Fund Director Geof Sorkin October 12 (Mon): Annual UFT golf outing; benefits Disaster Relief Fund
LEGISLATIVE REPORT, Director Vanecia Wilson
PAC Transitions: Angelina Gonzalez (Bronx) promoted to District Rep; Donna Coppola (retired); replaced by Stu Kaplan (Staten Island) & Zakkiyah Rock (Bronx)
Recent Actions:
Staten Island: Pivoted to phone banking during Northeaster for Senator Jessica Scarcella Spanton (5,000+ calls)
Bronx: Canvassed with AG Tish James in NE Bronx for homeowner support program; workshop Oct 7
Voter Registration: Deadline October 24 (also update deadline)
Ballot Proposals: Five proposals on ballot; information on website
Call to Action: Phone banks critical; bring friends & family; executive board must lead by example
NEXT MEETING
October 19, 2026 (Regular Monday schedule with work)
Adjourned