American Federation of Teachers New Jersey, AFL-CIO

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Weingarten, Chiera and Hildner renew the call for state to fund NJCU

AFTNJ

As the New Jersey Legislature reconvenes to finalize the state’s fiscal year 2024 budget, AFT leaders are reminding the state Senate and Assembly about the urgent need to address New Jersey City University’s well-documented financial crisis.

“New Jersey City University hands first-generation students their diplomas and gives them a shot at a secure, middle-class life,” AFT President Randi Weingarten said in a press release issued June 1.…

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AFTNJ welcomes staff representative Jennie Shanker

AFTNJ

The AFTNJ on June 1 welcomed its new staff representative, Jennie Shanker, who takes over for Joe Norris.

Organized labor and education have been constants in her life. She is the daughter of the late Albert Shanker, who was AFT president for more than two decades. In her 20-plus years of teaching, Jennie Shanker held various positions at several higher education institutions, among them adjunct associate professor at University of the Arts, Moore College of Art & Design, and Tyler School of Art & Architecture, all in Philadelphia.…

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News Pre-K to 12 News 

U.S. DOE, NASA aim to boost efforts advancing STEM, space education

AFTNJ

The U.S. Department of Education and NASA recently signed a memorandum of understanding that involves increasing student and school access to STEM and space education.

“From the groundbreaking Apollo mission to today’s Artemis program, which will land the first woman and first person of color on the moon, NASA’s work has long galvanized the world to raise the bar and reach for new heights,” U.S.…

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News Pre-K to 12 News William Paterson University 

N.J. DOE Amistad Commission’s inaugural Summer Curriculum Institute begins July 17

AFTNJ

All Garden State educators are welcome to apply for the New Jersey Department of Education Amistad Commission’s inaugural Summer Curriculum Institute for Teachers, which will take place July 17-20 at William Paterson University.

The event’s theme is “Moments in African American History,” and participants will experience lectures by esteemed scholars, breakout sessions with colleagues and networking opportunities while earning 33 hours of PD credit.…

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AFTNJ 2023 Legislative Conference in pictures

AFTNJ

Gov. Phil Murphy noted the need for teacher recruitment and retention in New Jersey. Sen. Andrew Zwicker, who sits on the Senate Higher Education Committee, said the state has an obligation to fund higher education. And Sen. Vin Gopal, the chair of the Senate Education Committee, expressed his appreciation for educators and pledged his support.

They were among the many elected officials who spoke May 20 at the AFTNJ 2023 Legislative Conference in East Brunswick.…

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AFTNJ News COVID-19 News 

WEC webinar has tips for better workplace ventilation

AFTNJ

The New Jersey Work Environment Council is set to present the webinar “Building Ventilation and Minimizing Exposure to COVID-19 and Airborne Diseases” on May 31.

Dave Newman, who for 18 years served as the staff industrial hygienist for the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health, will be the guest speaker. Topics of discussion will include the fundamentals of building ventilation and the steps that can be taken in your workplace to cut down on transmission of airborne viruses.…

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News Pre-K to 12 News 

Energize students by collaborating on course creation

AFTNJ

There’s power in co-creating courses with students, according to international educator Aimée Skidmore.

“Inviting students to co-create the curriculum shifts ownership and accountability to learners and fosters democratic teaching practices, without sacrificing the objectives and goals that align learning experiences,” she writes for Edutopia.

Read Skidmore’s full post here.

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News Pre-K to 12 News Special education 

OSEP initiative addresses transition services for children with disabilities

AFTNJ

An initiative designed to improve postsecondary outcomes for students with disabilities is set to launch virtually May 10 at 1 p.m. ET.

“Expect, Engage, and Empower: Successful Transitions for All!” supports Education Secretary Dr. Miguel A. Cardona’s mission to improve school equity nationwide. As described by The Office of Special Education Programs, this effort “will challenge the field to join OSEP to raise expectations, engage families earlier, and empower all who support transition services to measurably and significantly improve postsecondary outcomes for children and youth with disabilities and their families.”…

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Chiera talks public education’s past, present and future at ELC event

AFTNJ

On May 4, the Education Law Center marked its 50th anniversary with the panel “Promise and Perils in Public Education: Past, Present, and Future” at the Robert Treat Hotel in Newark.

Among the panelists was AFTNJ President Donna M. Chiera. When asked by panel moderator and ELC Executive Director Robert Kim how the teaching profession has changed, she said that in the years since the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, schools transitioned from “teaching all subjects [and] looking at the whole child” to “if it’s not tested, it’s not important.” …

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Chiera closes N.J. Legislature’s meeting on state of higher ed with call for funds, oversight

AFTNJ

For many months, whenever she’s talked about higher education in New Jersey, AFTNJ President Donna M. Chiera has emphasized what’s lacking on the fiscal side: transparency, accountability and oversight (TAO).

On May 1, Chiera spent several minutes on TAO and other topics during the N.J. State Legislature’s Special Meeting on Higher Education at the State House Annex in Trenton.…

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AFT News News 

Biden taps Ingram for educational equity commission

AFTNJ

President Joe Biden on April 21 revealed his intent to appoint AFT Secretary-Treasurer Fedrick C. Ingram to the Presidential Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Black Americans.

The commission’s objectives include promoting career pathways for Black students via internships and other work-based learning initiatives, along with increasing public awareness of the educational disparities Black Americans face and providing solutions to these problems.…

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