Like, to the bone.

Not because Downstate Medical Center is not highly utilized (it is) or highly qualified (it’s internationally recognized for its excellence inpatient care and research.) Thousands of Brooklynites use the center for both inpatient and outpatient care. If the plan goes forward, many patients will lose access as services will be shipped to the Long Island College Hospital campus.

Also SUNY Downstate includes colleges of Medicine, Nursing and Health Related Professions and a school of Graduate Studies, a teaching hospital, an M.P.H. program, and research facilities. In 1998, one of Downstate’s medical faculty won the Nobel Prize for medicine. Here’s just one press release about life-saving work being done there.

Notable as well is that many of the doctors the teaching hospital graduates each year are physicians of color. More than 80 percent of Downstate alumni remain in New York and provide vital care services to patients in New York City, particularly in Kings County.I bring up Kings County because it already has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state. This county has already seen its share of cutbacks.

This is also about keeping jobs in an impoverished area.

Click here to take action, send a letter to your lawmaker to support Downstate Medical Center. Tell your lawmaker we need to keep SUNY Downstate Medical Center open as a fully functional hospital.

That piece talks about 475 education job cuts on the table in the Capital District alone. Some of those are full cuts. Some are reductions from full-time to part-time positions. As I enter my fourth week of jury duty, I’d like to add this thought to working part-time: It stinks. It stinks for the person who tries to do a full-time job on a part-time basis and it’s even worse on those left behind who try to pick up some of the workload.

It makes me think about those growing class sizes. Everyone knows (at least since Project STAR at the elementary level) that it’s better for learning to have a smaller to reasonable class size. But one of the most popular ways to save funds is the jack up that class size  and cut a salary. I also think about schools that only have a nurse for half a day, or a librarian or cleaner for two or three days a week; the justification is that, at least there is some coverage.

Nope, it’s bad all around: either when someone who you used to be able to depend on isn’t there every day or when there is a change in your workload (like only have 20 students in a class and then suddenly you have 33).

Increasingly across the state, doing far more with far less is becoming the norm. Here’s NYSUT President Dick Iannuzzi’s take on it from a Friday rally in Syracuse.

It is a very hard choice to vote yes on budgets that are devastating so many districts across the state.  But do it. Hold your nose, swallow your pride, do whatever you have to do, but find your local polling place and vote.

I guess the silver lining for me is the promise that NYSUT will join with others in figuring out a way to change this tax cap so it doesn’t widen the funding gap that already exist. Obviously, more on that later.

Please comment here, email at bsandber@nysutmail.org or call 800 342-9810, ext 6283, with any budget stories you want to share, successes or failures.

There are a few issues getting the photos up. (The first starts with my laptop dying en route to the convention. My replacement doesn’t have the software yet for me to download. But I will update with photos as they come in.) So, I’ll try to paint you a word picture of what happened.

About 50 or so Syracuse Teachers Association members made signs before the rally. I got there to catch up with friends like school nurse Ann O’Hara, teaching assistants Sue Webb, Nancy Juliano and Mark Wagner, and to make some new ones, like Spanish teachers James Nieves and Cari Egerbrecht. Those two were lettering signs by hand with Raymond Stazzone, who teaches English Language Arts and Chris Blitman, who teachers social studies. It’s beautiful outside, it’s a Friday at 4 p.m. but instead of hurrying home to start their weekend, they’re hurrying to go to a rally.

“With all the pressure our kids have been under, and our schools are under attack, it’s important for me to be there, to stand up and tell people that funding education matters,” Egerbrecht said.

Stazzone agreed. “Not only do I teach in the city, but we live in the city and we care about our students, our schools and our whole community. It’s so important that we continue supporting schools but I don’t see our state budget doing that.”

Then we all carpool downtown, to hunt for parking. No surprise to me that one of the first people I see is Phil Cleary of the North Syracuse EA. He’s smiling as bright as the sun because up the street behind me are some of the cutest kids you can imagine, carrying bright signs; most are pro-education and then a few have pineapples with slashes through them.

Solvay TA member and second-grade teacher Melissa Midgley is also a morning drive-time deejay. While she waits for the equipment to be set up to provide some music as the crowds gather, she tells me about the negative atmosphere all the testing has wrought.

“The third-graders were wrecks. I had one of my little babies just come and collapse in my arms when he saw me in the hall. There is just too much focus on testing,” she said.

The crowd keeps growing and growing by the time Paul Farfaglia, (of Jordan-Elbridge TA and a NYSUT Board member) kicks it off.

Speaker after speaker are pitch perfect, talking up public schools in central New York, and why schools are the heart of the community.

Helen Hudson of the Syracuse City Council says schools change lives. She names her Nottingham High School teachers who kept her from dropping out of school and talks about the impact public schools have. Jeff Peneston, the 41st state Teacher of the Year, gives an interesting perspective having been privy to the nation’s and world’s best teachers to fulfill his duties. One thing he found?

“All the best schools in all the best countries in the world have unionized teachers,” Peneston said. (Here’s backup to that claim.)

Al Stirpe and Dan Maffee are both running for office. Their speeches decry that teachers have been scapegoated.

By the time NYSUT President Dick Iannuzzi climbs atop the pickup truck, there are at least 500 people in front of the state office building. I shoot video instead of taking notes.
Below are photos by Steve Jacobs and me.

The First Amendment to the US Constitution addresses our right to freedom of speech. As such, I was happy last summer to see a letter generated by a colleague, South Side High School Principal Carol Burris, on the topic of Principal and Teacher Evaluation (APPR). Carol and Sean Feeney’s (of Wheatley School and co-author) letter outlined reasons against the APPR guidelines, and I, as a child of the sixties, found myself swept up in their fervor.

Eventually, I committed my hands to the keyboard and signed the letter. I made sure to include a comment specific to our profession, adding that teachers would not comport themselves unethically in order to acquire a favorable evaluation. A moment later, my name and comment flew into cyberspace, and was listed in the Principals’ Letter database.

In the fall of 2011, discussions on the letter increased in frequency, in school, in meetings, and with friends and colleagues. I never returned to glance at the signatories because I wasn’t particularly interested. I read about Principal Burris and her strong opposition to the newly termed “Teacher Evaluation,” periodically eyeing her posts in The Washington Post and on other forms of media. Emails came sporadically under Sean Feeney’s name, with content frequently urging readers to push others to sign while simultaneously providing numbers of participants. My concern grew on where this particular “train” was headed and where it would ultimately stop.

Slowly, the APPR was rebranded into “Teacher Evaluations.” In our district, Principal Burris told her staff of the mistakes made by NYSUT with regard to the evaluation system. In reality, it was NYSUT who took the State Education Department to court to hold them accountable when the agency and Gov. Cuomo tried to undermine APPR protections and to require teacher evaluations to be based on multiple, objective and valid measures of effectiveness. Principals in other buildings within our district simultaneously spread her word in order to garner support of the letter. Newsday got into the act. Washington Post’s The Answer Sheet became the primary forum for vocalization.
Our unit had no need to address APPR when this swirling tornado loomed overhead; rather, our principle goal was to determine the impact of the New York state 2% tax cap on our members. But, like an annoying hangnail, the Principal’s Letter continued to crop up. During an executive council meeting, a middle school building representative announced that her principal told her that her union president had signed the letter, so why didn’t she? Annoyed, I responded that I had indeed signed the letter, with a comment. Had my added comment been mentioned in their conversation? No, it had not.

I then wrote to Sean Feeney, inquiring about the status of the comments posted with the signatures. On January 25, he replied, “That is a good point, Viri. Before we went to Albany last month, we prepared a document containing many of the comments. We should expand on this document and post it to the web site. Given that we told folks that only their name, title and location would be made public, we need to make sure that the comments are not readily identifiable. They are worth sharing, however.”

A sufficient response? Admittedly yes, since it was their letter, but not one that made me pleased. A visit to their website yielded a handful of responses, all adamant in their support for the letter. My comment was absent.
The push to attend the principals’ February 15 forum at LIU’s Tilles Center was inspiring, particularly when members were offered the opportunity to use the event as part of their professional development hour requirements. The PD decision was certainly an administrative call, but I do wish that a similar offer were proffered when a rally to save public education was hosted at nearby Hofstra University last spring.
When the APPR agreement was reached on February 16, Carol Burris twice emailed to South Side High School teachers and the LIU panelists her displeasure at the agreement and again criticized NYSUT.

As a proud NYSUT member, I knew that we would be hearing from our leadership shortly with the facts that made the settlement a good one. Sure enough, NYSUT promptly posted a Frequently Asked Questions section on its website and NYSUT President Dick Iannuzzi wrote about why this agreement was good to students and fair to teachers.

Even through the next week of vacation, more emails poured out of Principal Burris, that were not just highly critical of NYSUT, but also inaccurate.

The spin grew steadily, through a well-implemented approach. But, where was the tone of the original letter, to rally support through educators … calm, rational, generally non-confrontational educators? What had become of the group’s initial intent? Was it to show voice on a common concern or had it morphed into a new battle cry, with teachers’ lives at stake? And where, oh where was mention of the principals’ evaluative component?

Leo Casey, a UFT vice president, cited data and provided sound explanations on the topic in his February 22, 2012 blog, “Setting the Record Straight on Teacher Evaluations: Scoring and the Role of Standardized Exams,” found on EdWize. Principal Burris tried to hijack questions of blog posters and respond with her spin. Casey, more than once, responded appropriately, accurately and professionally on APPR.

NYSUT also posted a “Setting the record straight on teacher evaluations” on its blog Feb. 24. The first person to comment was Principal Burris, continuing her “spin” which is corrected throughout the comments by not just NYSUT President Dick Iannuzzi, but also Research and Educational Services.

In hindsight, the principal’s relentless responses and passion made a point, but simultaneously created a frightened and anxious atmosphere within our educational community. What had been a point of reference in the summer now became a vehicle for ego and anti-union sentiment. Ultimately, I admitted my mistake in originally registering with the Principals’ Letter database. I wrote to Sean Feeney, requesting removal from the signature roster. What could have been an attempt to cooperatively work with educators of all levels had evolved into a mess that could well hurt our teachers.
Consider my story. If you find that you, too, have fallen victim and question the purpose of this misleading and potentially damaging product, request removal as a signer, too.

School districts across New York state are focusing on closing the achievement gap between different socioeconomic and ethnic groups, and the Utica City School District is no different.

As we cope with an ever increasing wealth disparity and an influx of multiple ethnic groups, one tool that we, as professional educators, have to close the achievement gap is a strong early childhood education program.

One key strategy that the Utica school district has used to strengthen the education that we provide to our youngest learners was the implementation of full-day kindergarten. Research comparing half-day and full-day kindergarten shows that children benefit from a developmentally appropriate, full-day program, most notably in terms of early academic achievement – a foundation for school and life success.

Full-day kindergarten can afford children the academic learning time needed to prepare for mastery of primary-grade reading and math skills. It is the belief of the Utica Teachers Association, as the professional educators of our children, that a strong full-day kindergarten program will help circumvent subsequent needs for remediation or grade retention.

Full-day kindergarten programs contribute to increased school readiness, lead to higher academic achievement, improves student attendance, supports literacy and language development, benefits children socially and emotionally, and decreases costs to taxpayers by reducing retention and remediation rates. In brief, full-day kindergarten is, without a doubt, a program that is academically, socially and fiscally responsible.

The Utica Teachers Association is concerned about the future of our children’s academic and social development if full-day kindergarten is not restored in the Utica schools.

It is easy to point a finger at individuals and groups for jeopardizing this important program. The union can point a finger at the district for eliminating an integral educational program. The district can point a finger at the union for not agreeing to wage concessions without a complete plan on how education cuts will be restored.

We can all point a finger at a flawed state aid formula that disadvantages impoverished communities like Utica. However, finger-pointing does not help our students.

What we must do is work together to ensure that full-day kindergarten, along with other important academic programs, are restored.

As professional educators, the members of the Utica Teachers Association are committed to working with the district to ensure that our youngest learners are provided with a sound, quality education.

Only in so doing will we close the achievement gap and continue with the proud tradition of education that Utica’s students expect and deserve.

Don’t have a sign yet? Stop by the Syracuse TA office, 731 James St., between 3:15 and 4:15 p.m. today to make one. Poster board and markers provided.  Nearly 300 STA members have signed up to join the pro-education rally at 333 East Washington St. today. That throng will be joined by locals from as far north as Oswego, as far south as Cortland, as far east as Utica and as far west as Auburn.

Union member Melissa Midgley of the Solvay TA, who also works as a DJ, will warm up the crowd starting about 4:30 p.m. It’s scheduled to start about 5 p.m. NYSUT Board member Paul Farfaglia has emcee duties to introduce speakers, such as Susan Fahey, president of Parents for Public Schools; and Tanika Jones-Cole of  Alliance for Quality Education; Anne Marie Tallerico, president of the Syracuse Area Labor Federation; Helen Hudson of the Syracuse City Council; Al Stirpe and Dan Maffei, candidates for Assembly and Congress, respectively; and NYSUT President Dick Iannuzzi.

Voting in school budgets on Tuesday . I’ll tweet live at BetsyS48 using the hashtag #educateNYnow.

Unless you are one of the very fortunate few, in the time it’s taken you to open up this blog post, a nurse in a clinic, hospital, school, nursing home or a visiting nurse in any number of situations is taking care of someone you know.  Perhaps it’s checking the blood pressure or medications, or perhaps it’s more comforting or even life-saving work.

It seems monthly it’s either me, my husband or close family relatives I’m bringing in for medical care. Having an elderly parent, trips to clinics and hospitals are frequently scheduled around when I go “home” to Wisconsin as well as reports even when I am not there.

I am continually amazed at how professional nurses can be while they are being bled, peed and pooped, coughed and sneezed on. Even more astounding is the level of qualifications they must master to get, and keep, their jobs.

So what do they do when they have some free time? Nurses I know in New York try to improve patient care.

So if you want to thank a nurse, of course, please send a card, chocolates, flowers, anything you know they would like, but you could also help them to do a better job. You can join them by asking lawmakers to support the state staffing for quality care act and also call for a safe patient handling task force.

To all the health care providers out there, this video is for you:

In a community park called The Commons on Main St. (Rt. 332) students, coaches and teachers will be  singing and drawing, showing up in sports uniforms, demonstrating ecology, exhibiting technology design boards — you know, the stuff that happens in school! It’s all happening this Saturday, May 15th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., reports Canandaigua TA President Cheryl Birx. The local has joined with a community group “Love Your Schools” to promote the vote.  Their goal is to get people out to vote, show them the importance of school programs, and support the budget vote, which is within the maximum allowed under new tax cap rules. Click here to find out about the more recent awards and honors the district schools, students and employees have earned.

Teachers, clerical workers, and teaching assistants, among those in the 500-member union, have made half-million dollar concessions on salaries and benefits each year, three years in a row to help along the budget. With more cuts projected, some vital school  programs are being targeted for elimination in this Ontario County district.

After a march through the community at 11:45, Mayor Ellen Polimeni is set to proclaim this Saturday “Love Your Schools Day” in Canandaigua.

Students in advanced film class chose the topic of school budgets for their assignment to create a 30-second commercial — focusing on the losses that students face when programs are eliminated. Birx says the local Time Warner station is airing the commercial for free. Another student created artwork of a tree filled with apples, and each apple had a program on it (technology, art, language). The motto is “Save them before they fall!”

Student Chelsea Pietrzykowski holds the artwork she drew. She is flanked by her teacher Deb Sutherland and Cheryl Birx and Steve Holmes.

On six pages, the Monroe County Education Coalition explains why quality education is an investment worth making. You can link to that presentation here.

That presentation also answers the question: If you have the time and energy to do one more thing about your local school budget, what can you do? Think Dragnet here and just put out the facts. Who hasn’t wanted to be Sgt. Joe Friday or Officer Bill Gannon? Here’s your chance. Assemble the facts; in this case it’s your local success stories. Then make sure people know them.

My local school district, the South Colonie schools, posts accomplishments on its website frequently. The link above will tell you that South Colonie’s annual graduation rate is around 90 percent with more than half the students earning Advanced Regents Diplomas which require additional credits in Mathematics and Science. It also lists some of the finest universities in the nation that accept South Colonie students, such as: Cornell, Johns Hopkins, Baylor, Hamilton, Colgate, Fordham, Boston College, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Villanova, Tulane, Temple, RPI, Union, Clarkson, Hobart and William & Smith, Syracuse, Lehigh/Drexel Medical, Siena/Albany Medical, SUNY Albany, SUNY Binghamton, SUNY Geneseo, University at Buffalo, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, Hudson Valley Community College and Schenectady County Community College.

Hey, I LOVE that so many state schools are on that list of the finest in the nation. I also want to give kudos to schools Superintendent Jonathan Buhner, who went on record May 1 when headlines focused on Governor Cuomo criticizing public education and government for “failing to do what it should.” Buhner said, “It’s important for people to know the facts about South Colonie.

“Our community should be proud of the fact that we really have worked together to give our children a fantastic start in life. Thanks should go out to the parents, community members and staff members who have made these outcomes possible. The public should feel good knowing that the schools in Colonie are excelling, producing outstanding results and giving our students the opportunities we would all hope for. I thank our community for investing in our future.”

One way to invest in our future is to vote on school budgets. Make the time. May 15 is only one week away.

Here’s advance notice of a pro-education rally starting at 5 p.m. May 11 at 333 East Washington St. in Syracuse. You can go to the Facebook event page to learn more and share with friends and colleagues.

The rally will call for more state funding of schools and draw attention to the limits of the tax cap as well as flaws in standardized tests, like the one pointed out here dubbed Pineapple-gate, as well as this math question.

We will get you more information as it develops.