New school start date in September
 |
Earlier this week, departing UFT head Randi Weingarten negotiated a contract that will allow the city’s teachers to start their school year after Labor Day. Previously, teachers reported to work for two prep days before the holiday, for professional development, and to get organized for the coming school year, a concession that was part of the 2005 teachers contract.
On the heels of that gain for teachers, the Principal’s Union protested, asking (understandably) how the city could expect that school leaders, teachers, and students begin school on the same day, ready to teach and learn. Accordingly, the DOE has elected to delay the start of school by a single day — the 2009-2010 school year will begin on Wednesday, September 9 — and extend the year until Monday, June 28.
It’s hard to know just how many students will remain in school for that final Monday — ask all the parents who are packing up kids this weekend for the start of the sleep-away camp season — but adding the last Monday in June permits DOE to maintain their 180-day instructional calendar without trimming other vacation time during the academic year.
Subscribe to 
IT is completely ridiculous that they are making the last day of school on Monday 6/28. First of all it is normally a 1/2 day so nothing get done…. It is the stupidest decision they have ever made.
There should be a petition that should go around the first week of school to let them know they have made a wrong decision. Camps are starting that Sunday… Kids that go to sleepaway camp wil not be there.
Let them take one of the 1/2 days that offer in June, make it a whole day and the kids nor the teachers will suffer. Then kids can end on the friday before>>>> I love how they snuck this in at the last hour when parents are paying attention to the end of NEXT school Year.
I Protest………..
Randi is leaving the NYC UFT… so she doesnt care. The will have no attendance on that last Monday.
There should be more yelling about this…
Comment by Fern Parker — June 26, 2009 @ 10:16 pm
I don’t know of a single teacher who wanted this–they all said the first they heard of the idea was when it already passed. It was done without a vote, under the excuse “we need to tell the parents before the end of the year.”
Comment by Julie — June 28, 2009 @ 9:46 am
This teacher contract with its concession to give back those 2 days to the teachers is truly outrageous. The last contract got 2 extra days as part of an agreement to increase salaries. This new contract changes the pension plan for NEW teachers only. So the existing teachers get to keep their pension AND their salary increases AND are no longer… Read More required to give those 2 extra days. How does this contract actually benefit the students? IT does not. And it is clear no one is going to bother going to school that last day.
Plus, most camps start will start by or before then - camps are willing to wait until NYC schools end, assuming they end by the last Wednesday or Friday of the month (depending on the date) but they are not going to wait until that Tuesday.
Comment by anon — June 28, 2009 @ 9:52 pm
SAfter reading this I had decided that my child will not be there the last day. she normally goes to sleepaway for the first two weeks. Maybe if enough kids are not there they will realize how stupid this was.
Comment by Runita — June 30, 2009 @ 4:41 pm
This is ridiculous. Nothing gets done almost the entire last week of school - now they expect kids to go home for the weekend and come back on Monday for a few hours? Why can’t the teachers use the time to do whatever they have to do to close up their class rooms for the summer - without students present!
Comment by DG — June 30, 2009 @ 6:04 pm
Randi Weingarten’s job is to get as much as possible for the members of her union, in pay, benefits, and concessions on work. It is NOT part of her job to have a contract that makes sense for students or parents or in any way to assure a quality education for the students of New York City. The individual teachers’ job is to educate our children. Weingarten’s job, which she does very well, is to get as much as possible for those teachers. Don’t expect more and you won’t be disappointed.
Comment by MidtownApt — June 30, 2009 @ 6:25 pm
This is hilarious!
Comment by Anonymous — June 30, 2009 @ 6:48 pm
Not only is the last day ridiculous, so is the first day. All the teachers I know (including me) want to come in EARLIER to be ready for their students.
Comment by Laura — June 30, 2009 @ 8:09 pm
I think it’s best for teachers to start Sept 3rd. I just don’t agree with the last day being on a Monday. The number of absentees will be tremendous.
Comment by anonymous — June 30, 2009 @ 8:27 pm
As usual, decisions are being made for our children by people who have no clue what is really going on in our schools. Parents should have had input before this came to pass. This will mean that the first three days will be chaotic and it may very well set the pace for the entire first month of the school year. The importance of preparation is what we instill in our children’s minds, yet it’s ok for the teachers to start the new year disorganized. Disgusting! The children’s best interests are never taken into consideration. That’s politics for you!
Comment by Nancy — July 1, 2009 @ 8:37 am
What exactly can we do about this, as parents? We need suggestions!
Comment by CEB — July 1, 2009 @ 9:15 am
This is really ridiculous . Even with two days of professional developpement some teachers don’t like to work for the first week of school. Now it is going to be the worst. For some schools teachers are on vacation after the math test. All they do is going on trip three times a week or call sick. After the state math test for them school is over they went on vacation with that lazy spirit and they will come back with the same lazy spirit. What does
doe expect from the next school year? Let’s get serious in these children education because they are the future.
Comment by Myriam Charles — July 2, 2009 @ 9:15 pm
The teachers don’t want this, the principals don’t want this, and the parents definitely don’t want this. Just remember who’s in charge and you’ll understand why none of this makes any logical sense.
Quoting from the Daily News, Tues., 6/23/09, “Principals rip plan to bring students and teachers back on same day” by Rachel Monahan:
United Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten said she was not to blame.
“This agreement was born out of a need to create savings for the city, and it was [Schools Chancellor Joel Klein’s] preference.”
Mayor Bloomberg’s spokesman Marc LaVorgna said city officials “will be evaluating school schedules to see what will work best to continue the progress in city schools.”
It’s time the “city officials” started consulting parents and educators when it comes to what’s best for our children.
Comment by Suzanne — July 3, 2009 @ 7:20 pm
This is a case of being penny wise and pound foolish. The UFT makes it sound like they are doing well by their teachers when in fact they have just hurt them. I work in a school and know for a fact that days before the start of school teachers are in school buildings setting up classrooms. The old way at least they were getting paid for it for two days. Now they will have to do it on thier own time without pay. There is a great deal that must be done to start a school year.
This change to the start of the school year benefits no one.
Also while we are on the subject of the UFT lets look at the latest budget cuts. With the UFT making the city keep teachers who cannot teach we are losing good fresh new teachers due to budget cuts. The burn out cases have tenure and are being forced back into the classroom. For god sake forget tenure and make teachers work for their jobs like people in the private sector have to.
Comment by Leigh S — July 6, 2009 @ 3:32 pm