May 2016Volume 49, Number 8American Federationof School Administrators,AFL-CIO Local 1

NEWSCOUNCIL OF SCHOOL SUPERVISORS AND ADMINISTRATORS

A Call for Respectfor ECE Directorsand AssistantDirectors

4

Spotlight on RetireeChapter RegionalUnit Leaders, ManyPioneers ofUnionism

11

Upcoming Events: The Association of AssistantPrincipals

5

The FutureIs Bright AtThomasEdison HighSchool inQueens

6-7

BY MARIA SMITH

On April 13, President ErnestLogan joined Kathleen Elvin, for-mer Principal of John DeweyHigh School, Brooklyn, at a pressconference to announce that Ms.Elvin had been cleared of allcharges brought against her bythe DOE. In March 2015, the DOE

accused Ms. Elvin of grade fixing,and subsequently removed herfrom her post. Formal chargeswere not made by the depart-ment until Sept., 2015. But inApril, an independent arbitratorfrom the NYS Department ofEducation dismissed all charges

against Ms. Elvin, saying theDOE validated Dewey’s CreditRecovery Program, implementedunder Elvin’s watch.

The bureaucratic hysteriaincensed CSA leaders.“There is an investigative

process and we respect that

process,” said Mr. Logan duringthe press conference. “But in thiscase, there was such a completeand total rush to judgment thatMs. Elvin’s reputation sufferedirreparable harm. We are heretoday to help her regain hergood name.”Subsequently, the third party

arbitrator found the DOE’s inves-tigation was flawed. The arbitra-

tor also found the DOE had infact validated the credit recoverycourses at the center of the inves-tigation and then withheld infor-mation that would have provedexculpatory for Ms. Elvin, whowill receive back pay for the timeshe was off payroll. “The DOE had a discredited

investigator on this case,” said

BY MARIA SMITH

The striking absence of skilled educatorsin New York City schools dedicated to dis-covering and helping students with dyslexiaand other learning disabilities was front andcenter at an April 19 City Council joint com-mittee hearing. CSA First Vice PresidentRandi Herman told council members thatearly intervention is imperative, and otherwitnesses told the panel that the DOE isdoing too little to clearly identify studentswith these problems.During a packed joint meeting of the

Education and Mental Health committees,elected officials, union leaders, advocates andparents voiced support for A.4330/S.5439, aresolution supporting state legislation thatwould certify training of teachers, adminis-trators and instructors in the area of dyslexiaand related disorders. The bill is being intro-duced by Assemblywoman JoAnn Simon,D-52, Brooklyn. The Department of Education’s Division

of Teaching and Learning (DTL) neither sup-

City’s Lack ofDyslexia PolicyRankles Parents,Advocates

Exculpatory facts were withheld duringan investigation which was headed upby a discredited investigator.

Future CEOs Storm the ArmoryTrade Show

CHUCK WILBANKS

n April 19 was the annual Youth Business Summit’s International Trade Show, held at the Park Avenue Armory in Manhattan.Teams of budding entrepreneurs hailing from Albania to Astoria created, refined and pitched business plans to judges, andwent on to make those pitches to individuals in the packed crowd at the trade show as well. As Chancellor Carmen Farinaannounced the winners, overall first place honors this year went to the AquaTerra team from Westhampton Beach, NY;Brooklyn’s Sweet N Savory Catering squad from Fort Hamilton High School took second (pictured above with a proud ErnestLogan looking on), while the Trifecta team from Murrieta Valley High School in Murrieta Valley, CA, captured third.

Principal Exonerated: CSA PresidentErnest Logan Questions DOE Process

Continued on Page 3

Continued on Page 3

n CSA GeneralCounsel DavidGrandwetter, for-mer John DeweyHS PrincipalKathleen Elvin,CSA PresidentErnest Logan, andCSA GrievanceDirector BobReich at a pressconference onApril 13.

COREY BACHMAN

CSA NEWS 2 May 2016

Council of SchoolSupervisors & Administrators

American Federation of SchoolAdministrators, AFL-CIO, Local 1

40 Rector St., NY, NY 10006Phone: (212) 823-2020Fax: (212) 962-6130www.csa-nyc.org

PresidentErnest A. Logan

Executive Vice President Mark Cannizzaro

First Vice President Randi Herman, Ed.D

TreasurerHenry Rubio

SecretarySandy DiTrapani

Vice PresidentsDebra Handler

Lois LeeChris Ogno

Ronald WilliamsNancy Russo, Retiree Chapter

Executive Director OperationsErminia Claudio

General Counsel David Grandwetter

Comptroller Phil Fodera

Executive Director Field ServicesSana Q. Nasser

Field Directors Juanita Bass, Stephen Bennett,Mildred Boyce, James Harrigan, Christine Martin, Daisy O’Gorman,

Mercedes Qualls

Assistant Field DirectorsEleanor Andrew, Mauro Bressi, Laverne Burrowes, Kenneth LlinasCharles Dluzniewski, Nancy Esposito, Aura Gangemi, Ellie Greenberg, Ray Gregory, Robert Jeanette,

Kate Leonard, Monica McDonald, Dorothy Morris, Ralph Santiago,

Shelli Sklar, Wanda Soto, MaryAnn Tucker, George Young

Grievance DirectorRobert J. Reich

Assistant DirectorsCarol Atkins, Alex Castillo, Ed. DRobert Colon, Jermaine Garden Marlene Lazar, Ph.D, Steve Rosen

Director of CommunicationsClem Richardson

Assistant Director of CommunicationsCorey Bachman

Director of Political AffairsHerman Merritt

Assistant Director of Political AffairsGabe Gallucci

Assistant DirectorJohn Khani

Special Assistant to PresidentGary Goldstein

CSA Conference ChairPierre Lehmuller

CSA HistorianManfred Korman

CSA Retiree ChapterGayle Lockett, ChairMark Brodsky, Director

CSA NEWSEditor Chuck Wilbanks

Associate Editor Maria Smith

Design Consultant Michele Pacheco

Production Assistant Christine Altman

CSA News (004-532) is publishedmonthly except July and August for$35 per year per member by CSA, 40Rector St., NY, NY 10006. Periodicalpostage paid at Manhattan, NY, andadditional mailing offices. POSTMAS-TER: Send address changes to CSANews, 40 Rector St., NY, NY 10006.

PRESIDENT’S PAGE

Remember the “generation gap”?We once used the expression torefer to the differences of opinionbetween “Baby Boomers” andtheir parents. Nowadays, so many

generations are referred to all the time that Ican’t keep track of who they’re supposed tobe. But, recently, I heard Virginia Roach,Dean of the Fordham Graduate School ofEducation, give a talk that powerfully delin-eated them. I suddenly realized there are fourgenerations in our schools at the same timeand this is having a breathtaking effect onyou as school leaders. For the sake of this discussion let’s go with

the most popular time frames and say theBoomers were born between 1946 and 1965;Gen X between 1966 and 1976; Gen Y orMillennials between 1977 and 1994; and GenZ between 1995 and 2012. I honed in on the issue of teacher retention. Most Principals

are Gen X; most teachers and parents Gen Y; and all studentsare Gen Z. Most Boomers – the “protest generation” – are retir-ing. Gen Xs and Boomers are different from each other, espe-cially in our relationship to the internet, but we’ve both hadpretty stable incomes and our path to advancement has been toacquire more skills within the system. We’re dealing with Gen Yteachers: risk takers, upbeat despite their nasty economic odds,mistrustful of institutions and filled with a sense of entitlement.

Gen Y requires change and frequent positive reinforce-ment. They’re collaborative, consensus-oriented and liketo work in teams. They’re less interested in PD than in

coaching and mentoring. They expect leadership to be distrib-uted so that they’re part of the decision-making process. AsPrincipals and APs, you need to provide them with frequentfeedback, special projects, a voice, and public acknowledgement,or they’re apt to leave for other schools or fields.Even if you Gen Xs do all the right things, you can lose them.

Gen Y teachers are even more tech savvy than you, more saddledwith student debt, and more likely to be lured by the illusion ofbig bucks in the tech world. They’re already immersed in theinternet, getting 88% of their news from FaceBook and spendingmore time on Twitter than their children do. You’ll keep doingyour best to identify good teachers and encourage them to stay,but the policy makers have to recognize that you have less influ-

ence on teacher retention than Boomers didand factor that into how your evaluations aredone.So what about Gen Z? They’re in your

classrooms: “the Internet natives,” who makeno distinction between “what happens on theInternet and what happens face-to-face.”Because of terrorism and the fallout of the ’08financial crisis, they feel threatened by exter-nal forces and are risk averse. They like to stayat home and maintain their social life online.They are multi-taskers who expect quickresults and have no patience with learning inbig chunks. Gen Z’s are the largest generationsince the Boomers and have the highest col-lective IQ. And they’re changing the way you look at

instruction. They’re challenging you to adjustto all the texting and shorter attention spans.

You’re going to have to stay closer to their parents because Gen Zkids stick closer to home and listen to their parents. You’re alsogoing to focus more than ever on the internet because teachingand learning are going to be more driven by it. With these gen-erational shifts, policy makers in Albany are likely to start think-ing differently about the Common Core, assessment andaccountability.Dr. Roach talks about hand-held devices as the solution to the

digital divide. To ensure equity, she says you should focus onsoftware that is mobile-friendly because that’s the device all stu-dents have. Don’t fight the Internet, she warns. Many Gen Z’swould rather learn at home on their phones, so don’t drive themaway with too many policies that fight the cell phone. Youshould probably accept this, but carefully. There has to be a well-drawn roadmap for the use of mobile devices as learning tools,

with reasonable regulation and supervision built in.I see issues beyond education. Following the Boomers, the

next two generations, yours and the Millennials, have been moreindifferent to institutions and open to risk, but also less econom-ically secure. In this new world order, working people have given

up a lot of security and the richhave gotten much richer. Whilepeople jump or are pushed fromjob to job, they do without healthcare or retirement plans. What willhappen by the time Gen Y agesout?

Dan Lyons wrote a piece forthe New York Times that cap-tured those concerns –

“Congratulations! You’ve BeenFired” – about disposable employ-ees in the age of High Tech. This isthe hip, entrepreneurial work worldof today, but I agree with Lyons’assessment: “[T]his new way ofworking is actually the oldest gamein the world: the exploitation oflabor by capital.” When enoughgenerations retire unable to takecare of themselves, something willhave to give and another newworld order will have to rise up. Itmight be Generation Z, with theirrisk-averse personalities and record-breaking IQs, that leads the wayand saves the day.

• • •

• • •

Exploitation of Labor by Capital Spans the Years. By Ernest A. Logan

The ABCs of Generations X,Y and Z

Labor Breakfast for a Friend

CHUCK WILBANKS

n CSA President Logan, Executive Vice President Mark Cannizzaro, Political Director HermanMerritt and other union officers hosted a fundraiser for NY State Sen. Jesse Hamilton (in centerwearing bow tie) in early April. Sen. Hamilton’s district includes sections of Crown Heights,Prospect Heights, Park Slop, Sunset Park and other areas.

Boomers were born 1946-65; Gen Xbetween 1966-76; Millennials or GenY 1977-94; and Gen Z 1995-2012.

CSA General Counsel DavidGrandwetter. “We imploredthe DOE to redo Kathleen’sinvestigation, because of ourbelief that the DOE should nothave relied on a discreditedinvestigator to bring a case

against somebody withKathleen’s hard-earned andexemplary reputation. “

Ms. Elvin began teachingin 1983 and was the foundingPrincipal of the WilliamsburgPreparatory High School. Asked by reporters how the

investigation affected her, Ms.Elvin said she couldn’t believewhat she was reading in thenewspapers. “I couldn’t believe it was

me. It was emotionally verydifficult,” Ms. Elvin said. She expressed her thanks

for the support shown by CSA.While regulations say she

can go back to John Dewey,Ms. Elvin said she was unde-cided. “I am just happy for all the

Dewey graduates. They knowit’s official: their diplomasmean something,” she said.

CSA NEWS 3May 2016

)COMINGEVENTSEvents are at CSA’s ManhattanHeadquarters, 40 Rector Street

unless otherwise noted. (MAY 10, 3:30 PM:NYCESPA ExecutiveBoard

MAY 11, 1 PM:Chancellor’sConsultation

MAY 17, 4:30 PM:Paperwork ReductionCommittee

MAY 18, 8 AM: SBISI,Series II, Day 8

MAY 24, 3 PM: WelfareFund Pre-RetirementWorkshop

MAY 26, 4:30 PM: HOSAMeeting

MAY 31, 3 PM: ALPAPInterviews

JUNE 3, 4:30 PM: RetireeChapter Wine Tasting

Please confirm the abovemeeting times and dates withthe event coordinator beforeattending.

Teachers’Retirement System

April 2015 Unit Values

Diversified Equity Fund: 77.546Bond Fund: 17.418

International Equity Fund: 9.271

Inflation Protection Fund: 10.006Socially Responsive Equity Fund: 14.379

www.trsnyc.org

Brooklyn Principal Accused ofGrade Fixing Cleared of Charges

COREY BACHMAN

n Kathleen Elvin.

JUSTICE

Continued from Page 1

BY MARIA SMITH

It took an arduous year of at times mind-numbing legal work, but Kathleen Elvin is finallysavoring the sweet taste of complete exoneration.

“I spent the vast majority of time preparingmy legal case,’’ Ms. Elvin said. “I am not a religiousperson by nature, but I focused on how blessed Iam. This helped me a great deal.”

The former Principal of Brooklyn’s Dewey HighSchool, who turns 70 in May, was accused ofgrade fixing and removed from her post in Fall,2015. With the help of CSA she appealed the dis-missal, and in April an arbitrator cleared her of allwrongdoing, awarding her full back pay and rein-statement of her title.

Dewey’s academics were poor when she tookover, and the 3,500 student campus was on theverge of being closed and reconfigured into foursmaller schools. The school was also under-funded and short-staffed.

“We had the human resources to turn theschool around,” she said. “There are great kids atDewey. But we had to change. We had to bolsterour professional development, create more chal-lenging lesson plans, and establish a more colle-gial environment. In retrospect, there were big dif-ferences in philosophy on how to move forward.”

When anonymous complaints and leaks tothe tabloids erupted over Ms. Elvin’s leadership,she said a rush to judgment forced her from herpost.

“The system is awful,” she said. “This entireprocess was played out in a public forum. I wouldread the papers and not believe that it was me Iwas reading about. I didn’t have the luxury of apublic platform to answer my critics. So I workedvery hard on my case to prove my integrity. Andthank God, this was at the end of my career. I amgrateful that I wasn’t much younger because Idon’t know if I would have had the wisdom todeal with something like this.”

To cope with the stress of the ordeal, Ms. Elvinrelied on the support of family, including her hus-band and children, and friends. She cleaned everycloset in her home, finding the tedious chore ther-apeutic. She sat on a grand jury for a month. Shedevoured mysteries and books by her favorite

author, Malcolm Gladwell, and took long walks inher neighborhood. “I shed some tears, but I didn’twallow,” she said. “My mother always reminded usto think of those less fortunate than we are.”

Ms. Elvin didn’t begin her working life as aneducator. After college, she worked in the bankingequipment business, selling products such asalarms and lockboxes. She had taken the civilservice teaching exam and in 1983 was called upto teach English in a Manhattan vocational highschool. “From the start, I loved it,” she said.“Education became my passion.”

Ms. Elvin said she has not yet come to termswith a system that attempted to destroy her repu-tation without proper review. “It’s just so wrong,”she said. “I don’t understand it. I can’t figure outhow a bureaucracy can become so vengeful. But Ihave to stay positive. I’ve had a long, long career. Ilive in a country and a society where I can work,make a good salary and have the freedom tochoose how I live.”

Although she isn’t sure what her next step willbe – she has the right to return to Dewey – Ms.Elvin is taking each day as it comes. “I’m gratefulfor those who stood by me. I am grateful to CSA,”she said. “This experience didn’t thwart the joy ofmy life which has been education. For that I amthankful.”

Enduring the Storm: LookingBack at a Challenging Year

ported nor opposed the legislation. Instead,they gave testimony to the committeeabout the DOE’s ongoing efforts to helpstudents with dyslexia and related lan-guage-based disorders.

“It’s imperative that we start addressingthe needs of these students,” said MentalHealth Committee Chair Andrew Cohen(D-Bronx). “This is the most recognizableand common disability. The failure to iden-tify these students and not teach themeffectively is not acceptable. Dyslexia is aneurological problem that can be helped.”Dyslexia is a language-based learning

disability which results in difficulties withreading and other language processing skillssuch as writing, spelling and word pronun-ciation. Noted figures that had dyslexiainclude Thomas Edison, WinstonChurchill, Walt Disney and John Lennon.

In New York City, 40 percent of studentswith Individualized Education Programswere categorized with learning disabilitiesin 2014-15, according to the DOE. Back in September 2015, Mayor de

Blasio announced reforms to achieve“equity and excellence” across publicschools, including an effort to get all sec-ond graders reading at grade level. Anothergoal: Every elementary school wouldreceive a “dedicated reading specialist,”(now called a dedicated reading coach)with approximately 700 such specialists inplace by fall 2018. But they are not licensedreading teachers.At present, the DOE is preparing a train-

ing syllabus for the Universal Literacy three-week kick-off institute this summer, accord-ing to Esther Friedman, Executive Director,the DOE’s Office of Literacy and AcademicIntervention Services.

Reading coaches will receive intensivetraining and by September of this year,coaches will be assigned to 100 elementaryschools in four high-needs districts –Districts 9 and 10 in the Bronx, andDistricts 17 and 32 in Brooklyn – until alldistricts have been reached. The DOE doesn’t like to use the term

dyslexia to identify a student’s disorder.Why? It would trigger the need for theDOE to fund appropriate instruction.Nevertheless, concerned parents go to pri-vate neurologists for assessments, andwhen dyslexia is identified, go back to the

DOE. Without trained therapists on handto address the problem, the city has beenshelling more than $200 million annuallyto send these students to private schools–often far from their homes. “I cannot tell how you much easier it

would have been for me to know a childwas dyslexic if I had been able to read thaton the IEP,” said Education Chair DanielDromm.Parents are upset.“I couldn’t get an answer from my son’s

school,” said Wendy Ramos, who attendedthe hearing and is founder of the nonprofitWishes of Literacy located on Staten Island.“He was way behind in reading and no onecould tell me why. I took him to a neurol-ogist and within 30 minutes I had the diag-nosis of dyslexia. He’s now thriving in aprivate school.”

‘Addressing the Needs of Dyslexic Students is Imperative’Continued from Page 1

IEPs do not use theterm dyslexia to identify a disorder.

‘This experience didn’tthwart the joy of mylife which is education.’

Our Mayor has rightfullytaken a strong stance insupport of Early ChildhoodEducation. He knows thatthe earlier we reach our

children, the more likely it is that theywill become productive, law abidingand tax-paying citizens. This is anhonorable stance to take since the sav-ings eventually realized from this wiseinvestment will likely not be fully real-ized until several years down the road. While Mayor de Blasio has been

widely and deservedly praised for hisPre-K initiative, I cannot understandwhy he is not insisting that the dedi-cated and skilled professionals wholead our community-based EarlyChildhood Education centers and Pre-K programs be paid a livable wage. Currently, many of our CSA Early

Childhood members are paid approx-imately $47,000 per year – the samesalary they earned in 2006 – an unliv-able wage in New York City. Their col-leagues in DOE facilities earn morethan twice that. This disservice affectsmostly minority women who do thiswork. And it indirectly affects the children they serve. School leaders and teachers know that children who have

attended organized ECE and Pre-K programs come to themmore prepared to learn and interact socially. Parents see signifi-cant growth in their children as a result of these programs. TheMayor and other elected officials are similarly impressed andunderstand that quality early education is a game changer. Our City Council members and a wide range of other local

elected officials have pledged their support to early childhoodeducation. It’s the Mayor’s signature initiative. Why, then, arethese critical educators ignored and disrespected? Why shouldthey be expected to endure such disparate treatment?

In a recent article in Labor Press, Joe Maniscalco quotes CityHall spokesperson Austin Finan as saying, “This is a contractnegotiation between the providers and the workers’ unions.

The City is engaged in those discussions and supportive of thenegotiations underway – but this is a collective bargainingprocess between the providers and the unions.” If only thatwere true! The Day Care Council, representing the providers,have offered a financial package that CSA is willing to acceptand bring to the membership for ratification. However, the cityhas not supported it. Apparently, officials believe that our ECEDirectors and Assistant Directors do not warrant the increaseoffered, and has proposed a salary scale well below the offerfrom the Day Care Council. That doesn’t sound like the processas described by Mr. Finan. To make matters worse, the city has proposed changes to the

54 year-old pension system (CIRS) that threatens its long-termstability, as well as revised healthcare coverage that excludes ourmembers’ spouses. Again, this is the city’s position, so claims thatthe city is not be directly involved in the negotiations are hollow. Our ECE professionals have been more than patient. Now,

we need all CSA members to stand strong behind them. Wemust be united and not allow the passing of time and unreason-able demands to divide us. We need a contract that pays thesechampions for children a fair wage, maintains their health ben-efits and allows them to retire with dignity.

P lease stand with us as we implore the Mayor to do theright thing for our members as he has already done forothers who have been treated unfairly. Please help us

spread the word and let City Hall know that you stand withthose who prepare children to enter Kindergarten and improvetheir chances for success as students and adults. Recently, we sent each of you numbers to call or text in sup-

port of our ECE members. If you haven’t already shown yoursupport in this manner, please do so immediately!

CSA NEWS4 May 2016

Why dothese criticaleducatorsremainignored?

From Rector StreetIt’s Time To RespectOur ECE Members!

Mark Cannizzaro

In Memoriam

• • •

• • •

Get Your Free Natter’s ‘Bluebook’

NAME

HOMEADDRESS

PHONENUMBER E-MAIL

Mail coupon by June 30 to: CSA c/o Miata Jones, 40 Rector St., 12th Fl., NY, NY 10006or e-mail miata@csa-nyc.org

(Only one book per member. We may be unable to accommodate requests after June 30.)

n AlbertFeinstein,retiredAssistantPrincipal,spoke abouthis WWII service to thiscountry at theCSA VeteransCeremony inJune of 2014at CSAHeadquarters.

ANNE SILVERSTEIN

n ALBERT FEINSTEIN, 94, of Melville, NY, diedFeb. 17. He retired in 1988, and was the former APof Speech at Seward Park High School. Mr.Feinstein served in the US Army with the 42ndDUCK Battalion, achieving the rank of TechnicalSergeant. He took part in the invasion of Okinawain the Pacific Ocean during WW II. Mr. Feinsteinwas one of the keynote speakers at CSA’s June,2014 Veterans Recognition Ceremony, where hecaptivated attendees with his tales and experi-ences of WWII and as an educator. Mr. Feinsteinattended Columbia University on the GI Bill,where he obtained undergraduate and master’sdegrees in Speech Education. Mr. Feinstein alsohelped to develop the DOE’s English as a SecondLanguage program. Mr. Feinstein is survived byhis wife, Lois, three children, and seven grandchil-dren.

n RALPH GASARCH, 89, of Brooklyn, diedDecember 8, 2015. Mr. Gasarch retired in 1991 asAP of Edward B. Shallow JHS, Brooklyn. He was aUS Army Veteran of WWII serving in Germany andEngland. While attending Brooklyn College onthe GI Bill, Mr. Gasarch sold bonds to help thefledgling state of Israel. He obtained a master’sdegree in English Literature from NYU and beganhis career as a typing teacher. An ardent theatergoer who taught a drama class at BrooklynCollege, Mr. Gasarch also enjoyed the opera. Bothhe and his wife, Pearl, frequented the TanglewoodMusic Center near their summer home in theBerkshires. Mr. Gasarch is also survived by a son.

n WILLIAM KLEIN, 89, of Rye, NY, spouse of CSAmember Kathleen Klein, died March 6. Mrs. Kleinretired in 1986 as AP of PS 100, the Bronx. Herhusband was a WW II Navy veteran. He retiredfrom the New York State Department ofInsurance. Mr. Klein’s hobby was genealogy. Thecouple once spent several weeks at BrighamYoung University in Utah studying Mr. Klein’smother’s French Huguenot roots. “It was extreme-ly difficult, but exhilarating research,” said Mrs.Klein. He is survived by two sons and two grand-children.

n LOWELL POLLACK, 78, of Hartsdale, NY, whoretired in 1991 as Principal of PS 80, the Bronx, diedMarch 11. He was a former AP at PS 143, also in theBronx. Mr. Pollack graduated from City College andearned a Master’s Degree from ColumbiaUniversity. He also taught at ManhattanvilleCollege. He was an accomplished pianist. Uponretiring, Mr. Pollack delivered Meals-on-Wheels inWhite Plains, volunteered with The WestchesterPhilharmonic, and mentored young students. Mr.Lowell was also a member of the CommunityEmergency Response Team (CERT) in Greenburgh,Westchester County. He is survived by his wife,Judith, a son and daughter, and two grandchildren.

n SIDNEY ROSEN, 92, died Feb. 28 in hisLarchmont, NY, home. He was a WWII veteran, sta-tioned on the Aleutian Islands in the northernPacific Ocean . Mr. Rosen received his bachelorsand master’s degrees from Brooklyn College. Hewas a former AP at JHS 263, Brooklyn and retiredfrom the BoE in 1986 as a Supervisor of Guidancefor Special Education. Mr. Rosen was an avid read-er and loved staying abreast of current events,said his daughter, Barbara Rosen Epstein. His issurvived by his long-time partner, EstherGeizhals, and two grandsons. His wife, Bebe, pre-deceased him.

n ANNETTE WEISS, 82, of Boca Pointe, FL, diedon March 26. She was the former AP of PS 83, theBronx. A graduate of Hunter College, sheobtained her master’s degree in administrationfrom Iona College. Mrs. Weiss started as a teacherat PS 83, and while there started the Head Startand English as a Second Language programs. Sheenjoyed travelling. Mrs. Weiss was an accom-plished knitter and was known for her beautifulsweaters, according to her daughter Marla Egers.She also was an avid collector of Lalique crystal.In addition to her daughter, she is survived by ason, David and four grandchildren.

Send obituary notices to Associate CSA NewsEditor Maria Smith at maria@csa-nyc.org.

End of the School Year CruiseJune 24 at 6:30 pm – 11 pmTicket Price: Non-members - $90; AAP, NYCESPA members - $45Includes a full buffet dinner, open bar and a DJ. Sponsored by AAP and NYCESPA.For information contact Bob Kingsley, AAP, at aapexecdir@earthlink.com or Pierre Lehmuller, NYCESPA, at pierre@csa-nyc.org

May Members MeetingMay 19 at 5 pm at the Brooklyn Historical Society128 Pierrepont St., Brooklyn, NY 11201The Brooklyn Historical Society is a museum, library and educational center dedicated to encouraging the explorationand appreciation of Brooklyn's diverse communities. Learn how you can enhance the educational programs of yourschool by partnering with the museum. After the presentation and tour, a buffet dinner will be served.To register contact: Bob Kingsley at aapexecdir@earthlink.com

Upcoming Events: On Water, In the MuseumAssociation of Assistant Principals

CSA NEWS 5May 2016

We all have an image of bullying inour minds. Typically we think itlooks like this: One or more stu-dents pushing around anotherstudent, perhaps physically, emo-

tionally or both. Administrators and teachersconstantly work to prevent these situations fromoccurring and seek to refine ways to handle themwhen they do. But it isn’t just students at risk of being bul-

lied. Many administrators confront the phenom-enon as well. In this case, the perpetrators areusually other adults. Perhaps they are malcon-tent staff members who are unhappy with beingheld accountable. Or maybe they are parentsoutraged over how they perceive their kids arebeing treated. Whatever the case, there are stepsyou can take to protect yourself and others.If the bully is a parent, you should first con-

sult your Superintendent for support. You shouldalso work with the Parent Coordinator in yourschool and with the Borough Field Center.Always contact me at CSA to insure that the sup-port being offered is appropriate. If it isn’t, wecan assist you in obtaining the proper support.Among the potential actions you can take aremeetings with the parent. If necessary, you canrestrict their ability to enter the building througha limited access order. You can discuss that withyour DOE attorney.

If the bully is a staff member or their unionrepresentative, you have rights that are inplace to protect you. And because you are a

school leader, you also have duties you must fol-low. Take, for example, a scenario when unionreps visit in order to demonstrate to you thatthey are angry at the administration. They maywell be willing to disregard the sign-in proce-dures, telling staff members they can walkthroughout your building. None of that is true:People entering the building must sign in withphoto identification; they must go to the officefor a pass and state where they are going. If thevisitor control rules are not being followed, haveyour Safety Agents let them know. Persons notfollowing the rules can and should be put out ofthe building. Persons who persist in not follow-ing the rules are trespassing and can be arrested.Should union representatives wish to meet

with their members, they must follow these rulesjust like anyone else. Principals should honorthese requests as much as possible, but the meet-ings cannot take place when the employee isworking. And group meetings must be heldbefore or after the school day or during lunch ina room assigned by the Principal.

Remember: You must insure that instructionis not interrupted and that other staff membersare not distracted or disturbed by visitors. Don’tlet yourself be pushed around!As we near the end of the school year, you may

find yourself in an uncomfortable situation withstaff members. You may be rating an employeeineffective or developing, or recommending thata staff member be discontinued, or their proba-tionary status continue. You may have written to

an employee with recommendations or criti-cisms. Or you may be in the process of terminat-ing an employee. Thus, it is also the time of yearwhen there is a surge in baseless and anonymous311 allegations, complaints to OSI, OEO and SCI,claims of harassment and even unsigned noticesto staff or parent mailboxes. In any of these situations, you should contact

your Superintendent who will hopefully supportyou and where possible assist in stopping thisfoolishness. The Office of Labor Relations shouldremind participants at Special Complaint hearingsthat should the case reach an arbitrator, unlikelabor arbitrations, the findings are advisory andnot binding upon the Department of Education. I urge the Chancellor and the Department of

Education to take the necessary proactive stepsto stop the bullying of administrators. OEO andOSI, as well as the 311 network, are arms of theChancellor. They should be directed to closebaseless allegations quickly and where the allega-tion is clearly false recommend that disciplinaryaction be taken against the employee makingthese false allegations.

To school leaders, you must continue work-ing to support your staff and insure thatthey are enabled and empowered to educate

and motivate students. If you think you haveencountered a bully, whether it’s a parent, a staffmember, an elected official, a union representa-tive, or a spineless person hiding under a cloak ofanonymity, contact me at bob@csa-nyc.org and Iwill support you.

Adultsexperiencebullyingalso. Donot allowyourself to bepushedaround!

Grievance Corner Bob ReichIt’s the Season for Cowards and Bullies

NATION

Education

Opting out continues to be a popu-lar form of protest to annual stan-dardized tests. Last year, New Yorkled the way, with 20% of studentsbetween 3rd and 8th grade choos-ing not to sit for exams. The OptOut movement is reportedly gain-ing momentum among parents ofcolor, who are no longer willing toaccept the spin that Common Corewill improve their children’schances in life. (csmonitor.com)

NEW YORK:

Opt-Out Still Going

Pittsfield Middle High School istaking student-centered learningfurther with the implementation ofstudent-led parent-teacher confer-ences. The measure makes stu-dents accountable, causing themto own up to why they’re not doingwell or, conversely, to think aboutwhat is contributing to their suc-cess. Also, to lead the conferences,students practice organization,long-term planning, public speak-ing, collaboration and self-reflec-tion. (hechingerreport.org)

NEW HAMPSHIRE:

Students Take Lead

After 50 years of allowing only theGED as a high school equivalencyexam, Colorado is now allowing twomore choices – HiSET and TASC. Themove came about after revisions toalign the GED with Common Corestandards caused passing rates toplummet. (co.chalkbeat.org)

— COMPILED BYCHRISTINE ALTMAN

Students are creating websites forsmall businesses and nonprofitsthrough what has become knownas a WebSLAM – Student LearningApprenticeship Model. Students aretrained on WordPress software andbasic HTML for five days, then meetwith a client to develop a website.According to the tech center, DigitalHarbor Foundation, both studentsand clients are gaining. Thoughbased in Baltimore, the companyhas held events in Philadelphia andColumbus, Ohio. To date, 125 stu-dents have participated and havecreated more than 60 websites.(edweek.org)

MARYLAND:

Working WebSLAMs

COLORADO:

HS Exam Choices

Wichita school leaders are contem-plating pushing school start timesback from 8 to 7 am to distributebus times more evenly and toreduce the transportation budget.While all agree the earlier time isnot ideal, most feel it’s preferableto other cuts such as teacher lay-offs or eliminating programs.There are some opponents,though, who point to researchshowing that teens are sleepdeprived already. (kansas.com)

KANSAS:

Early To Rise

• • •

• • •

This time of year typicallybrings a surge in baselessanonymous 311 complaints,harassment, and unsignednotices to staff mailboxes.

CSA NEWS6 May 2016

BY MARIA SMITH

There’s something soright about what’shappening atThomas Edison HighSchool in Jamaica,

Queens. Not only are stu-dents meeting academic

standards, they’re graduat-ing with job skills – likegraduate high school on aFriday and go to work thefollowing Monday kind ofjob skills.

How? Thank a curriculum that combinesbook smarts with real world smarts. At Thomas Edison, it’s all about making

what kids learn relevant towhat they will encounter inthe outside world. PrincipalMoses Ojeda knows whatthey face: he graduated fromEdison in 1993. “I loved Thomas Edison,

but when I graduated, I haduseless skills,” Ojeda said.“My vocational training wasfixing copy machines. Wellguess what? When I wasready to work, the technologyhad changed and my skillswere obsolete.” With nearly 3,000 stu-

dents, Thomas Edison is thekind of Career TechnicalSchool (CTE) that realizes thatto stay on its game and attractkids who may not want to goto college it has to give stu-dents an education that trans-lates into living wages.And in a new twist on

vocational education,Thomas Edison must alsoattract and retain academi-cally gifted students who doplan on heading to college,

but need to work while they do. “It’s a different world,” Ojeda said. “Most

students don’t have the luxury of a four-yearliberal arts degree. But teaching can’t be in abubble. We try to bring real-life experience toacademics, including history, math andEnglish.”The curriculum is a collaboration between

teachers, administrators and students and isdesigned to make sure Common Core/Regents

studies intersect with real world skills like fix-ing a brake lining or taking a patient’s bloodpressure. “Our students can draw blood, but they

also learn billing and insurance,” said Dr.Margaret Savitzky, teacher. “After graduation,they can get a job in any medical office.”For example, the iconic Skippy Peanut

Butter label is sized and resized to differentscales as a way to use graphic design to teachalgebra.

One honors history class studying theUnited Nations teamed up with stu-dents in the CAD/computer androbotics courses to create “Shop in aBox, a program that exports basic

medical supplies to impoverished populations.English teachers align studies with the

automotive department so students becomeproficient at understanding, reading and writ-

The curriculum thatmulti-tasks: Resizing alabel can teach algebraand graphics design.

n Principal Moses Ojeda feels especially connected to Thomas Edisonstudents. He graduated from the school.

• • •

• • •

• • •

• • •

PHOTOS BY COREY BACHMAN

n LEFT: One automotive student shows another how to repair a damaged fender. RIGHT: The honors government class mimics the actual United Nations assembly.

The Future’s So Bright Stude

CSA NEWS 7May 2016

As election years go, thisone has turned out to behotter than anyoneexpected, so it’s no sur-prise that we have

received inquiries asking how CSAarrives at an endorsement. It’s afairly straightforward process. Let mebegin by quoting from our officialpolicy, which is particularly relevantand important for us on the stateand local level.

“The union reserves the right toendorse any candidate from any partyin any local, state or federal race.CSA supports candidates who havedemonstrated a strong commitmentto public education, early childhoodeducation and labor issues. All can-didates, incumbents and challengers,who wish to be considered for anendorsement, must submit a writtenrequest to CSA's Political AffairsDepartment in order to begin theprocess.Once a candidate requests

endorsement, he or she will be askedto fill out CSA's candidate question-naire. Candidates may submit addi-tional information regarding theireducation and labor related plat-forms with their questionnaire.After careful review of a question-

naire, a candidate may be asked to participate in a screeninginterview with a group of CSA members, including LegislativeDistrict Coordinators. Upon the union's officer's review, detailsregarding the election, the candidate's questionnaires and otherpertinent information about the candidate(s), such as votingand legislative sponsorship records, an endorsement recom-mendation is made to CSA's Advisory Committee. If approved,a resolution of endorsement from the Advisory Committee ispresented to the Executive Board for approval.”The next question we receive is: who are the Legislative

District Coordinators and how does a member become one?Legislative District Coordinators are members who have aninterest in supporting the Political Department by going tomeetings, attending fundraisers or being available for politicalrallies. Understanding the demanding nature of the jobs thatwe do, there are not a lot of meetings or obligations inbecoming an LDC, but you must be willing to be our eyes andears and represent CSA when needed. As we prepare for the Primary Elections in June and

September, we need members to become active in the LDCprogram. There will be borough meetings in June. Pleasemonitor the Member Updates and join us.

The New York State Constitution requires that every 20years, a referendum be placed on the ballot to determineif voters want a Constitutional Convention. The date of

the next referendum is November, 2017. The last New YorkState Constitutional Convention was held in Albany fromApril 4 - September 26, 1967. During the general election inNovember of that year, voters rejected all of the proposals.New Yorkers also voted against calling a constitutional con-vention in 1977 and 1997. In a constitutional convention,voters from around the state elect delegates to examine thestate constitution and determine if anything needs to bechanged. When we examine the present Constitution, guaranteed

public pensions is one of the key benefits guaranteed to ourmembers. Many people feel that by having this convention,we are opening the door to a process that could destroy whatwe have worked so hard to receive. We will be discussing thisissue during the next year hoping that when this referendumis placed on the ballot next November, it will be defeated.

Herman Merritt is CSA’s Director of Political Affairs.

The unionExecutiveBoardapprovescandidatesselected ina carefulprocess.

LegislativeAgenda Herman

Merritt

CSA and PoliticalEndorsements

• • •

ing technical terminology. Twelve CTE study paths are offered at

Thomas Edison including auto collision repairand refinishing, robotics, CISCO networking,web design and the medical assistant pro-gram. Students can gain industry-wide certifi-cation in their particular areas. The school creates and maintains strong

private and public sector partnerships.Companies like Toyota, Nissan, Con Edison,and the MTA offer training and job mentor-ing programs. Academic institutions includ-ing Queens schools St. Johns University, LaGuardia Community College and YorkCollege provide an academic bridge so stu-dents can earn college credits while still atThomas Edison. Principal Ojeda knows it’s essential that a

viable CTE school reflect economic realitiesand market demands. This year, Edison starteda cyber-security and ethical hacking curricu-lum, the first in the DOE system. During arecent class, juniors were learning how to“hack” into their classmates files and recover

images. “This field is hot,’’ said teacherNavindra Haripersaud. “Once students are pro-ficient, they get certified. If they pass a securitycheck, the Army wants them. Or they canwork at banks like JPMorganChase. There’s ahuge demand for this expertise.”

As the economy changes and theeducation world re-evaluates what’sneeded in the 21st Century, goodCTE schools are likely to becomeeven more attractive to students.

This year, Edison becamethe first DOE school tooffer cyber security andethical hacking training.

nAbove, top: Thomas Edison partners with heavy-hitters in a wide array of industries. Top: Students collaborate toprepare “Shop-In-A-Box” humanitarian aid packages.

• • •

ents Wear Shades

CSA NEWS8 May 2016

Newdrugsaddressmajorhealthconcernsand otherstreat lessurgentissues.

The Welfare Fund

Only 15 years ago, the costliestbenefit and biggest driver ofhealth costs was hospitalization.Such costs were increasing bydouble-digit percentages year

after year. Now the situation has drasticallychanged, due to Medicare and insurance costcontrols placed on hospital benefits, thedubious honor now goes to prescriptionmedications.Countless new drugs have been developed

to treat major health concerns, such as highblood pressure, diabetes, and high choles-terol. These medications have been miracu-lous, and have greatly improved our society’squality of life and longevity. Other medica-tions, however, have been developed to treatconditions of far less importance. Not to trivi-alize those who experience its symptoms, butrestless leg syndrome and toenail fungus arenot the public health crisis that is adult onsetdiabetes. Other medications, such as those forweight control and smoking cessation, maybe seen as crutches to avoid a person havingto markedly change his or her lifestyle orcome to terms with an addiction. Add directadvertising, featuring bees promoting nasalcongestion medications or cute creatures rep-resenting the evils of toenail fungus, and evermore people ask their doctors for expensive,heavily marketed medications.This is the environment welfare funds

and city-provided health plans face when

trying to use limited resources to providecomprehensive benefits. As a result, thefunds have developed prescription drug pro-grams that will address life sustaining condi-tions while limiting lifestyle medications.Each of the three CSA Welfare funds has adifferent benefit, which we will separatelydescribe.

DOE Active MembersThe CSA Welfare Fund provides a compre-

hensive prescription drug benefit using bothlocal retail pharmacies and the mail orderservice OptumRx/Catamaran Home Delivery,to deliver cost effective medications for bothacute and chronic conditions.If you are prescribed an antibiotic, or a

new medication, you may receive an initialprescription fill and up to two additionalrefills at the local pharmacy. Chronic medica-tions are those used to treat conditions suchas high blood pressure, asthma, high choles-terol, and the like. When prescribed a newmedication that may be taken for anextended period of time, you are asked toobtain two prescriptions from your doctor. First, have a prescription for a 30-day sup-

ply sent to your favorite local pharmacy. Thefirst $ 50 of drug cost through a local phar-macy is a deductible. After that, you pay 10%of the cost of generic medication, 25% of abrand name formulary medication, or 35%of the cost of a non-formulary brand-namemedication. The expectation is that after amonth or two of experience your doctor cantell whether or not the new medication is

well tolerated and having the desired effect.If so, once you fill the prescription for thethird time, have your prescriber send a 60day prescription to OptumRx/CatamaranHome Delivery. You will receive up to a 60-day supply of medication for $10 if it is ageneric medication, $25 if it is a brand-nameformulary medication, or $35 for a non-for-mulary brand-name medication. The localpharmacy deductible is capped at $150 perfamily, and may be spread among all mem-bers of the family.Certain medications, such as Coumadin

and its generic, Warfarin, are excluded fromthe mail order program since their usage, andcorrect dosage, must be carefully monitoredand frequently (and immediately) adjustedbased upon frequent blood tests.Some medications, such as those for cer-

tain lifestyle conditions such as erectile dys-function or acne for a person over age 19, areinitially excluded from coverage by this plan.If an excluded medication is prescribed, a let-ter of medical necessity from the provider, onoffice letterhead, must be submitted to thefund office describing the need for the med-ication. If approved, an authorization toreceive the medication is made inCatamaran’s systems to enable receipt of themedication for one year. All prior authoriza-tions must be recertified annually.Beginning in 2014, there is no longer an

annual per-person maximum on the pre-scription drug benefitPlease remember: As a participant in the

CSA Welfare Fund you are allowed a 60-daysupply of medications through mail order. Manymembers report receiving conflicting information.We have never (at least for the past 23 years)allowed 90 days and have no plans to do so inthe future.Diabetic medications and testing supplies,

under New York State law, are covered byyour health plan (GHI, HIP, AETNA, etc.)until you are in a Medicare Part D drug plan.Please use your medical id card when obtain-ing these medications

PICA Program Active DOE members andRetired DOE members under age 65The PICA program was created in July of

2001, initially covering four of the mostexpensive classes of medications(Psychotropic, Injectible, Chemotherapy andAsthma) in a special fund jointly managedby the Municipal Labor Committee, com-prised of all New York City municipalunions, and the City. After 4 years, the psy-chotropic and asthma medications werereturned to the welfare funds, and PICAremained for the injectible and chemother-apy medications. These medications are pro-vided to all active members and thoseretirees under age 65, regardless of healthplan in which one is enrolled. The CSAWelfare Fund has elected to offer these med-ications as part of its regular prescriptiondrug benefit, subject to the same co-payment

and mandatory mail-order provisions as anyother medication.

Day Care Directors, Asst. Directors Active participants in the DCC/CSA

Welfare Fund have a prescription drug bene-fit through their HIP Prime HMO healthplan. The welfare fund will reimburse up to$100 per month in co-pays, be they prescrip-tion drugs or doctor visits, for the member.Retired Day Care participants may submit

up to $1,500 in prescription costs per personto the Fund for reimbursement. There is amaximum benefit of $1,500 per person peryear for non-Medicare retirees.To comply with the provisions of

Medicare Part-D, the welfare fund does notprovide a primary prescription drug benefitfor Medicare-eligible Day Care retirees.Rather, the participant purchases his or herown Medicare Part-D drug plan, and theFund reimburses up to $1,500 in out-of-pocket costs, including deductibles and co-payments.

CSA Retiree WF, Retired DOE Participants in the CSA Retiree Welfare

Fund do not have a primary prescriptiondrug benefit provided by the Welfare Fund.All participants in this fund desiring a pre-scription drug benefit must purchase theirhealth plan’s optional benefits rider, whichincludes the prescription drug benefit, orenroll in the plan offered by a spouse’s healthplan.Since the Retiree Welfare Fund does not

provide a prescription drug plan, it reim-burses costs incurred by fund participants(except for Medicare-eligible participants inthe GHI Senior Care plan). After a $100deductible, co-payments are reimbursed at80%, to a maximum reimbursement of

$10,000. This reimbursement applies to allretirees, including non-Medicare participantsin the GHI-CBP plan. To claim reimburse-ment, the fund asks those in the GHI-CBPhealth plan to save the quarterly reportsreceived from Express Scripts and submitonce the final quarter has been received.Those in HIP or another health plan areasked to submit either a report from thepharmacy showing the amount the plan paidand the participant’s copay or individual pre-scription receipts taped to a sheet of paper inchronological order separately for each par-ticipant.

Why are Formulary Medications cheaperthan non-Formulary Medications?

Prescription Drugs, Hearing Aids and More: YourMedical Benefits, First of Two Informational Reads

Dr. Douglas V. Hathaway

Continued on Next Page

Audit Reports Fiscal year 2015 financial audit

reports for the CSA Welfare Fund andCSA Retiree Welfare Fund are now avail-able on the Fund’s website,www.csawf.org. To access the reports, click on the

“Financial Reports” link on the left andselect the report you wish to review.Please contact Fund Administrator

Dr. Douglas Hathaway at (212) 962-6061or dhathaway@csawf.org with any ques-tions or concerns.

Next month: Supplementaland catastrophic, optical,hearing, dental, homehealth aide and privatenursing coverage.

The biggest driver ofhealthcare costs used to behospitalization, but is nowprescription medication.

CSA NEWSMay 2016 9

Japan, Korea, Russia!July 3-17, 2016Sail the beautiful Diamond Princess

departing Tokyo July 3 to Busan(Korea), Nagasaki, Tokyo, Kushiro,Shiretoko Peninsula, Korsakov (Russia),Otaru, Hakodate, Aomori, and returnto Tokyo on July 17. Tokyo pre-stay isavailable. Is 15 days too long? Join theDiamond Princess on July 8-17 for ashorter version with rates beginning at$1,499! Call for details.RATES: begin at $2,119 incl. taxes.

Optional insurance and air is notincluded. At this point flights aredeeply discounted and is a great oppor-tunity to use AA miles.

China by Land, RiverAug. 13-25, 2016This will be a magical trip as we

cruise the Viking River Cruises Emeraldfor six days and explore parts of Xianand Shanghai by land. In Xian, we’ll seethe famous Terracotta Army, including8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520horses and 150 cavalry horses. We’llspend two nights in Beijing, fly to Xianfor 2 nights, then board the Emerald forthe 5-night cruise on the Yangtze, dis-embark the boat in Shanghai and spend2 nights. A 4-night extension to HongKong is also available. RATES: $2,767 to $3,067, although

Loyalty Passengers may receive addi-tional savings. Rate includes mostmeals, sightseeing, deluxe lodging,intra-China airfare. Airfare to Chinaand insurance not included, but pleasenote that Viking offers deep discountson airfare.

Sirena-Oceania Sept. 20 - Oct. 4, 2016Includes FREE airfare (capacity con-

trolled)! Depart U.S. Sept. 19, and arrivein Barcelona Sept. 20. Sail the brandnew Sirena to: Cartagena, Malaga,Cadiz, Lisbon, Madeira, Tenerife,Arecife, Agadir, Morocco, Casablanca,Gibraltar (United Kingdom), Palma deMallorca.

RATES: begin at $5,799 per persondouble interior. Porthole $6,299 perperson; Window $6,799 per person;Verandah $7,799 per person. Gov’t.fees, taxes are included. Optional insur-ance available. Ask for O-Life perks!

Return to CubaDec. 13-21, 2016Depart Dec. 13 - overnight at the

Tampa Marriott. Dec. 14 fly to SantaClara in preparation for our inclusivetour to Cayo Santa Maria, Remedios,Caibarien, Cienfuegos, and Havana.Return from Havana to NY via Miami.RATES: All inclusive with air, tour-

ing, lodging, and 17 meals $4,599 pp-dbl (additional discounts may apply).Singles add $450. We have 38 seats andthey will go quickly!

Panama Canal CruiseJan. 4 - Jan. 19 2017Depart Los Angeles Jan. 4 and arrive

Fort Lauderdale Jan. 19, 2017. VisitPuerto Vallarta, Huatulco, San Juan DelSur, Punta-renas, full canal transit,Cartagena, and Aruba. Secure deepestdiscount rates now with deposit. Ratesbegin at $1,899 pp. Add taxes andinsurance.

Winter SailawayFeb. 19-26, 2017On Feb. 19, 2017 board the elegant

Celebrity Silhouette and sail to CocoCay, Grand Cayman, Falmouth,Jamaica and Cozumel (Haiti) for 7 daysenjoying the Celebrity experience!RATES: Begin at $913.42. Currently

if you book window or higher you mayselect 2 free perks from beverage pack-age, onboard credits, unlimited inter-net, free gratuities. Air and insurance isextra.

Winter Caribbean SailMarch 11 - 19 2017Set sail from Ft. Lauderdale, FL on

the Caribbean Princess to the ABCIslands of the Caribbean (Aruba,

Bonaire and Curacao) for a memorable8 day voyage.RATES: (subject to change) are cur-

rently: Inside,$1044.00pp; Window,$1274pp; Balcony, $1344pp; MiniSuite,$1644pp. Currently rates include$100pp reduced deposit, onboard cred-its, port charges and taxes. Singles,triple, quads, air and insurance areavailable.

Spring BreakApril 8 - 18 2017Cruise on the Norwegian Cruise

Line Gem sailing from the port of NewYork April 8 and visiting San Juan, St.Thomas, St. Maarten, and Tortola,returning to Manhattan on April 18.CSA has secured block space for this

premium date, when schools are closedfor Spring Break. Currently there is apromo to include FREE GRATUITIES forthe first two in each stateroom. Noneed to board an airplane! Pull up tothe pier and sail! Rates begin at$1,295.56 pp double for as long as ourallotment lasts! Call for more details.

European Elbe CruiseMay 13 - 29 2017This is our latest and most exciting

Viking River Cruise adventure yet!Depart US on May 13 to arrive Berlin,May 14. Begin a journey to Berlin,Wittenberg, Meissen, Dresden, BadSchandau, Prague, Krakow andWarsaw. Cruise portion is on the ele-gant Viking Beyla from May 16-21.Excluding air, the program is all-inclu-sive, land and tour, using deluxe prop-erties throughout. Past passenger loy-alty discount, special CSA group rate,and reduced air is available.RATES: begin at $6,274 pp double.

Ask for Viking special promo air andadditional discounts. The boat accom-modates 100 passengers and space willgo rapidly! Go to Viking River Cruisesfor more details.

For more information, contact GaryGoldstein at ggoldstein@csa-nyc.org withany questions.

Tour Europe, Cruise the Islands

GARY GOLDSTEIN

TravelDesk

Many prescription drug programs,including the one offered by the CSAWelfare Fund for active DOE participants,charge different co-payments for medica-tions depending upon whether or notthey are “on the formulary,” the list ofpreferred drugs maintained by the phar-macy benefit manager (PBM). In our case,that’s OptumRx/Catamaran, for activeDOE and Express Scripts for most retirees. The formulary is a purely financial cre-

ation and has nothing to do with theeffectiveness or appropriateness of themedication. A PBM will identify all med-ications in a selected therapeutic class,such as cholesterol lowering medications,and an independent committee of med-ical professionals determines which med-ications are effective and achieve similar

outcomes. The PBM then approaches themanufacturers of these medications,offering to make its medication a formu-lary, or preferred, medication in return forrebates and/or pricing concessions. Thosemanufacturers who seek to increase mar-ket share will offer these concessions tothe PBM, and the drug becomes a formu-lary medication. If a manufacturer offersfewer, too few concessions, or none at all,its medication is listed as non-formularyor non-preferred. With the exception ofstandard Medicare Part-D, there are fewplans which exclude non-formulary med-ications from the plan, but you must payhigher co-payments for non-formularymedications.

Union/RCSupplementsAs an added benefit of union member-

ship, the union provides additional reim-bursement for optical benefits every 24months. Up to $65 in additional costs arereimbursed by the union for active mem-bers, and up to $50 for the spouse andany one other named dependent. Nosupplemental benefit is made for hearingaids.The Retiree Chapter provides addi-

tional reimbursement of $55 for opticalbenefits beyond the welfare fund benefit.It also provides up to an additional $800per three year period to supplement thecost of a hearing aid.If the amount is not written on the

voucher at time of purchase, a copy of thebill showing the additional charges willbe required. Once this is received, theadditional reimbursement will be expe-dited.

Detailed: Welfare Fund Medical Benefits

NATION

Labor

NEW JERSEY:

Don’t PrivatizeMembers of CommunicationsWorkers Local 1085 are fighting toprevent the Salem county adminis-tration from privatizing thecounty’s 911 services and medicalstaff at the county CorrectionalFacility as cost-saving measures.The county has completed a draftto request bids for privatization ofthese services. It began movingtoward privatization of its servicesin 2014 with IT. Union membersexpressed their displeasure at arecent meeting. (nj.com)

TEXAS:

Prisoners Organize

Union officials and politicians joinedforces at an elementary school inPhiladelphia to oppose a districtturnaround plan. The school hasmade significant strides; it wants tocontinue. The proposed makeoverwould have staff reapply for theirjobs, and no more than half wouldbe allowed to remain. AFT PresidentRandi Weingarten said the schoolshould be nurtured, not blown upfrom its roots. (philly.com)

— COMPILED BYCHRISTINE ALTMAN

Full-time contingent faculty atIthaca College, who were pushingto join the unionized part-time fac-ulty, were not recognized by thecollege. They plan to pursue theissue further by filing for a unionelection with the National LaborRelations Board. They are seekingjob security and a voice on campus.Ithaca said it believes “direct com-munication is the best way to worktogether” and that it remains com-mitted to working with all faculty.(ithacajournal.com)

Prisoners, who are members of theIndustrial Workers of the WorldIncarcerated Workers OrganizingCommittee (IWOC), recentlyplanned work stoppages in protestof low wages and inhumane condi-tions in the Texas penal system.IWOC is working with families ofprisoners and union membersacross the country to generate sup-port for the strike via public pres-sure and media exposure. (IWOC)

NEW YORK:

College: No to Union

PENNSYLVANIA:

Turnaround Blasted

Chicago teachers, frustrated by thelack of a contract and need forreform, planned a massive walkoutrecently that closed school doors to4,000 students. The walkout wasthe most profound way, accordingto union representatives, to callattention to the issues at hand. Thelast straw for teachers was whenthe district announced they wouldhave to take three days furlough,on top of halted salary increases.Chicago faced similar contractissues in 2012 which led to a week-long walkout. (csmonitor.com)

ILLINOIS :

Teacher Walk-Out

Continued from Previous Page

As retirees, it’s important thatwe stay up to date with howto safely use the computer forbanking, making purchases,reservations and other online

chores. Besides knowing how to searchfor information, we need to know howto avoid Internet scams and anti-virussoftware to stay safe online withoutbeing “phished.” (That’s an attempt to“obtain financial or other confidentialinformation from internet users, typi-cally by sending an email that looks as ifit is from a legitimate organization…”)Most of us know not to open email

from people or organizations we do notknow; to never give personal informa-tion or credit card information toorganizations requesting donations orto telephone callers asking for money orasking you to pay a little money to helpthem claim a big prize from a lottery,bank, or inheritance. Unfortunately,even the brightest people can fall preyto internet scams.Last month, the Retiree Chapter

sponsored an informative workshop onCybercrime Prevention Resources pre-sented by the New York State Attorney

General’s Deputy Bureau Chief of Internet and Technology. Welearned about types of scams, how to avoid identity theft, andterms such as botnets – “a network of computers created by mal-ware and controlled remotely, without the knowledge of the usersof those computers” used to steal personal and confidential infor-mation. They can perform automated spamming or distributedenial of service malware.Here’s how you can avoid this, especially when the sender

looks legitimate, like Amazon or your bank. If the sender asks youto click on another link, DON’T. Never reply to or click the linkin this type of message.Instead, hold your cursor over the link without clicking it and

the link should show up. If you see the name or logo plus othernames, it may mean you are going to another website. Always,when receiving this type of email, call your bank or the sourcedirectly. Never will a bank or credit card service email you for per-sonal information.Some banks with online banking have a two factor authentica-

tion for identification, providing two levels of security. Updateyour account frequently. If you have any doubts, call your bank.Online, look at the website address and if it starts with “https,” itis secure. Remember, it must have the “s” at the end. Make sureyou update your browser for security reasons. With the updatedbrowser you will have updated security that is better able to trackthe latest virus. It is also absolutely essential that you get andhave updated antivirus protection. You can go online for freeantivirus protection software or buy it from vendors McAfee,Norton, or Kaspersky.

If you are scammed or hacked, notify the authorities andchange your password. I write each password down and date itor else I forget. Remember: A strong password contains letters,

numbers and symbols.For more information on cyber scams and identity theft ask

your unit leader and executive board to invite a guest speakerfrom your Attorney General’s office to one of your unit meetings.

CHAIR’S MESSAGE

Gayle Lockett

Phishing and Bots

Ch a p t e r

Even thebrightestpeople canfall prey tointernethackersand scams

CSA NEWS10 May 2016

Issues WhichAffect Retirees Marvin Goodman, other CSA

retirees and officials from the NYCChapter of the NY State Alliance forRetired Americans (ARA), recentlyvisited Rep. Joseph Crowley, D-NY,who represents parts of The Bronxand Queens, in his Bronx office.The group discussed issues such asSocial Security, Medicare, and theTPP. Mr. Goodman, head of theBronx Retiree Unit, is a member ofthe executive board of the ARA.

Political Presence

Our membership drive for 2016-17 is in fullforce. Please renew/begin your membershipASAP. Send a $15 check to Manhattan UnitCSARC, Stanley H. Wilson, 400 E. 56 St., #8M,New York, NY 10022. Our annual luncheon willbe June 8 at noon at the National Arts Club, 15Gramercy Park So. Cost is $55 for members and$60 for non-members. Checks to: ManhattanUnit-CSARC, Irma Schonhaut, 305 E. 24 St.,#19S, New York, NY 10010. Please indicate ifyou want filet mignon or salmon.

— STANLEY H. WILSON

MANHATTAN

Our Spring meeting/luncheon will be May26 at the Big A Grillehouse and Tavern, EastStroudsburg, PA. Our guest speaker will be FeliceHannah, AFSA Outreach Liaison. Please emailDenise Levinsky, Unit Leader, at denise.levin-sky@ gmail.com for additional details.

—DENISE LEVINSKY

PENNSYLVANIA

The Unit met on April 20 to discuss politicalaction to protect our pensions, healthcare andother rights. Guest speakers were RC LegislativeLiaison Richard Oppenheimer and CSAAssistant Director of Legislative Affairs JohnKhani. Our next meeting will be June 10, andwill feature entertainment by an acapella group(with Barbara Heitmann, a member) plus areport on the May meetings with the state leg-islature. Larry Becker and Jeff Karger will bringback the most current information.

— BART BOOKMAN

ROCKLAND-ORANGE BERGEN

On May 17, the Queens Unit will hold itsannual general membership meeting atJonathan’s Restaurant, 2499 Jericho Turnpike,New Hyde Park, NY, from 12 – 4 pm. Thekeynote speakers will be NYC Council MemberBarry Grodenchik and Assistant DistrictAttorney Jesse Sligh. The discussion will beabout identity theft, senior scams and internetscams. A light buffet will be served at no chargeto paid Unit members. On May 20, we havescheduled a docent led tour of “The Cradle ofAviation Museum” in Garden City followed byan “on your own” lunch. We recommend TheGrand Luxe Café, also in Garden City. If youhave any questions, you can contact me at: ster-manlen@aol.com.

— LEONARD B. STERMAN

QUEENS

Many of our members are heading northafter enjoying a wonderful winter season. Wethank all our members, as well as our executiveboard members, for their hard work and sup-port. For those of us who are here all yearround, we are planning a summer event. Whenit is confirmed, we will let you know. We hada busy season with a Medicare workshop, theannual Health and Welfare Meeting, a generalmembership meeting and luncheon, a healthfair and a trip.

—DR. LOIS TURETZKY

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA

The annual luncheon will be held on June22 at the Radisson Hotel in Freehold at 12 pm.The event promises to be memorable sincethere will be entertainment, an open bar, andprizes. Please be sure to send in your reserva-tions to Sandy Poris at 51 Lakehurst Way,Monroe Township, NJ, 08831. We are planninganother delightful International Luncheon inJuly. You will be notified by email/mail withthe details for this event in the very near future.All of our luncheons have been terrific so besure not to miss the next one. Happy Mother'sDay to all our mothers!

— LUCILLE VECCHIARELLI

NEW JERSEY

The unit has planned several events for Juneand next September. We organized a luncheonat the X2O restaurant in Yonkers for Thurs., June30. Then, on Sept. 22 our Annual Luncheon willbe at the newly renovated Davenport on theSound. Information will be distributed by mailand at the membership meetings in May andJune. If you need additional information afterMay 15, contact me. Hope to see you soon.

— JANICE IMUNDI

LOWER HUDSON VALLEY

RC Regional Units

RETIREE

ANNEMARIE ANZALONE

CSA NEWS / Retiree ChapterMay 2016 11

Getting Your Papers In Order: Sept. 7 A Long Term Care Attorney and FeliceHannah will present a workshop on Advance Care Planning and Estate Planning.

Outreach WorkshopRegistration is $5. Fill out and mail the form below or register online at: www.csa-nyc.org.Coordinated by CSA Retiree Felice Hannah. All workshops will be 9 am – 1 pm at CSA Headquarters,40 Rector St., 12th Fl., NY, NY 10006.

New RC Unit is Born!

OUTREACH WORKSHOP

Name

Address

Home Number:

Cell Number:

E-mail Address:

Mail to: CSA Retiree Chapter, 40 Rector St., 12th Fl., NY, NY 10006. You will only receivea reminder prior to the event if you give us an active email address. Checks payable toCSA Retiree Chapter: $5. A SEPARATE CHECK MUST BE SUBMITTED FOR EACHWORKSHOP. For more information call (212) 823-2020, ext. 2075

Dates: Tues., June 21 and Wed., June 22Time: 10 am – 5 pmWhere: Founder’s Hall at CSA, 40 Rector St., 12th Fl.Registration: Call (212) 823-2076 to attend.Admission: FreeArtwork created by our retirees will be displayed in a gallery

type environment: Paintings, photography, quilts, needlework,jewelry, stained glass pieces, arts & crafts, etc. If you are a CSARetiree Chapter Member and are interested in having your art-work displayed at the First CSA Retiree Chapter Arts and CraftsShow, contact Michael Ebenstein at mebenstein@csa-nyc.org byMay 12.

Arts and Crafts Show

The brand new Northern NewJersey Unit chapter of CSARetirees met in March for the firsttime. Under Retiree Director MarkBrodsky’s stewardship, the groupformed a steering committee to rec-ognize the need to include retireeswho live in the northern part of thestate.

More than 60 retirees attendedthe meeting, while 30 more whocould not attend, mailed in theirdues. CSA President Ernest Loganand Retiree Chair Gayle Lockettattended the inaugural event. Thenext general meeting will be heldin Sept.

–M.B.

New Program

Retiree Chapter Regional Unit Leaders

ARIZONAMaishe LevitanRetired in 1991 asPrincipal of MahaliaJackson MS, Brooklyn.(Additional assignment:ATS Program citywide.)maishelevitan@aol.com

CALIFORNIAPacific CoastCarol RaineyRetired in 1996 asAssistant Principal ofPS 335, D-16, Brooklyn.lamesagramsey@gmail.com

FLORIDA- SoutheastLois TuretzkyRetired in 1999 asPrincipal, CES 73, Bronx(Principal Mentor forDistrict 4 and NewVisions for PublicSchools) gcleflt@aol.com

FLORIDA - Sun CoastMichael NemoytinRetired in 2001 asAssistant Principal(English) at Morris HighSchool, Bronx.captmikenemo@verizon.net

CENTRAL NEW JERSEYLucille VecchiarelliRetired in 1997 asAssistant Principal, PS 181, Brooklyn.luluvecch@gmail.com

LONG ISLANDVictor RavensRetired in 1989 asAssistant Principal, IS364, Brooklyn.vicrav@optonline.net

LOWER HUDSONVALLEY - NorthernNew JerseyJanice ImundiRetired in 2004 asPrincipal of MS 216,Queens.LoHudCSA@aol.com

PENNSYLVANIASandy LevinskyRetired in 2013 asPrincipal of Seth LowIS 96, Brooklyn.denise.levinsky@gmail.com

GEORGIAGeorgia HarrisonRetired in 2003 asAssistantSuperintendent, D-17.rossmis2@aol.com

BRONXMarvin GoodmanRetired in 1991 asAssistant Principal, PS189, Manhattan.goodmarv@gmail.com

BROOKLYNRosalyn AllmanManningRetired in 2015 asPrincipal of MS 210QueensRManned00@aol.com

MANHATTANStanley WilsonRetired in 2001 asPrincipal of PS 297,Brooklyn.shw29@verizon.net

QUEENSLeonard B. StermanRetired in 2005 as aDistrict AdministratorSpecial Education,District 26.stermanlen@aol.com

STATEN ISLANDAllen NilsenRetired in 2004 asPrincipal of ConcordHigh School, AlternativeHigh Schools, Staten Island. Anilsen329@verizon.net

CAROLINASElla IvyRetired in 2001 asPrincipal of PS 268,Brooklyn. (TeacherFellows Consultant,national level.)ellaivy@aol.com

Rockland (NY) Orange(NY) Bergen (NJ)Bart BookmanRetired in 2002 asAssistant PrincipalScience, AdlaiStevenson HS.namkoob42@gmail.com

BY MARK BRODSKY

The Retiree Chapter has 17Regional Units. The Unit Leaders arechosen from the ranks of theretirees. They share a deep respectfor the union, which over the yearshas provided a safety net duringhard times, protecting jobs and ben-efits. Many of our Unit Leaders werepioneers in unionism and the civilrights battles of the 20th century,marching in protest rallys and vot-ing to defer raises so colleagues

would not lose their jobs.Our Leaders recognize the impor-

tance of a union connection inretirement, keeping the unionstrong through large membershipnumbers. As retirees, we cannotnegotiate our benefits, which wereearned through past contracts. Ourmain concern is maintaining whatwe earned. With the current moodof society, it behooves every retireeto become active with CSA. Unionsare blamed for many of today’s eco-nomic woes because of pensions and

health benefits. It matters not thatthese entitlements were earned byus as part of our compensation pack-age in exchange for lower wages. Butwe must remain vigilant in protect-ing that which we earned as profes-sionals in the school system.One way in which each and

every one of you can help is to joinyour local Regional Unit. Then takethe next step and become active inthat Unit’s legislative committee,and fight for what you earned.Another benefit of the Units is the

social aspect. The Units providetrips, luncheons and meetings, allof which provide an opportunity toreunite with colleagues and meetnew people with common interests. Last, but not least, each Unit has

an Outreach Coordinator, someonewho can act as a resource in difficulttimes, or for information about helpthat’s readily available. Below is alist of all of the Regional Units. If you haven’t already joined,

please contact your Regional Leadertoday!

NORTHERN NEWJERSEY Mark JacobyRetired in 2014 fromCommittee on SpecialEducationmkjmaypo@opton-line.net

MAY 2016 Periodicals

US POSTAGE PAID ATBrooklyn, NY 11201and Additional Mailing Office

Council of School Supervisors & Administrators, NYCNew York State Federation of School AdministratorsLocal 1 AFSA, AFL-CIO40 Rector St., NY, NY 10006

Printed on FSC certified paper

Borough Briefs / In The Schools Compiled by Corey Bachman

MS 325 Urban Science Academy lead-ers want their students not only to workhard in school, but to have an idea ofhow their studies are applied once they’re

working. With that in mind, studentsmet recently with the founder of PlazaConstruction, one of the nation's fore-most construction management and gen-eral contracting firms. This visit gavestudents an up close look at real-lifeSTEM learning in action. “It demon-strates immediate and authentic appli-cation of science and math learning tothe building of buildings,” said PatrickKelly, Principal. “These are the careersand professions we want our students tosee as within their reach as a result oftheir education and character develop-ment.” The school hopes to expand thatrelationship next year.

Hands-On STEM

Tottenville High School participatedin the national Kick Butts Day, a day ofaction that empowers youth to stand

up and speak out against Big Tobacco. OnMarch 16th, the students joined youth fromaround the country to voice their concernsabout tobacco marketing and the impact ithas on their community. To highlight theirmessage, teens of Staten Island hosted a“Chalk the Walk” event. On March 15th, theteens chalked messages at Tottenville High.“This was a creative and informative way forour student body and the community to beeducated on the dangers of smoking,” said APClifford Bloom. On Kick Butts Day, morethan 4,000 students were able to view themessages and be empowered to make achange in their community.

Brooklyn (DIST. 13-23,32)

PS 95 The Gravesend School helda "Science Family Fun Night" on March31st. Staffers from the Staten Island Zoobrought a Patagonian cavy (a large rodent)and a black rat snake among other exoticcreatures that students could touch andlearn about. Also, volunteers from theBrooklyn Botanical Gardens helped stu-dents arrange mini-terrariums to takehome. “We love to invite parents out toour family fun nights so that they canexperience the enriching and excitingenvironment,” added Janet Ndzibah, prin-cipal. The students also hosted an exhibitfeaturing the many projects created overthe school's STEM program this year.More than 40 percent of Ethiopians

have no access to a reliable supply ofclean water. Students from PS 310, TheSchool for Future Leaders, areresearching the problem, but also lendinga hand. The students have partnered withthe WaterAid America, an internationalnon-profit, to build a clean water source

for a village in Ethiopia. So far, the schoolhas raised funds through a snack andbake sale toward that goal. (A safe waterpipe costs about $900 and WaterAidselects the community.) “We are excitedand enthusiastic about this project,”added Mariana Lara-Lennon, assistantprincipal. “We also want to spread thenews to our community, so we all canlend a hand for people in need.”

The Maspeth High SchoolMathematics Department hosted theschool’s annual Pi Day Celebration, withactivities that included pie eating con-tests, Pi recitation challenges, gumballguessing (using the volume formula) and"Say Pi to your teachers." The mathemat-ics department and the MHS Math Clubco-planned the event, which was hostedin Maspeth High School's recently ren-ovated gymnasium – decorated for theday with math facts and formulas. “PiDay is an opportunity for all Maspeth

Patagonian Cavys,Water for Ethiopia

Math is Everwhere,Especially at Pi Day

Staten Island (D-31)

Bronx (DIST.7-12)

Queens (DIST. 24 - 30)

n The Staten Island Zoo brought animalsto visit PS 95 in Brooklyn on Science FamilyFun Night. Principal Janet Ndzibah, left,Assistant Principal Christine Vigliotti, right,and students enjoyed the event.

n Real piewas part ofPi Day atMaspethHigh Schoolin Queens.The eventwas held tocelebratethe signifi-cance ofmath ineverydaylife.

Talking the Talk,Chalking the Walk

High School students to celebrate thesignificance of mathematics in our dailylives, and Maspeth High School's PiDay Celebration is an exuberant reminderthat math is everywhere,” said PrincipalKhurshid Abdul-Mutakabbir.