Issue: 2021-2022-12 * Justina Ketyer, Editor * February 10, 2022 |
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In this issue
- A Message from the President
- LITBF Scholarship Application
- Valuable Retirement Information
- Important Hicksville Deadline - February 15th
- New York State Teachers’ Retirement System Seminar
- NYSUT Pre-Retirement Workshop
- Learn About Your Pension Options
- Wear it On Wednesdays
- March is HCT Unity Month
- Thank You!
- NYSUT Celebrates Black History Month
- New York Yankees Celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week
- #FutureForward Initiative
- NYSUT Special Programs & Seminars
- Share My Lesson Wellness Series
- Reverse the Impact of Trauma
- ELS Wellness Programs
- Student Loan Debt Webinars
- Coronavirus Information
- Free At-Home Covid Tests
- Testing
- Booster Shots
- School Related Question
- Hershey Park Discounted Tickets
- Support the Hicksville PTAs
- Are You Interested in Tutoring?
- Condolences
- Graduation Congratulations
- Congratulations Lee Avenue Members!
- Birthday Wishes
- News Around the Schools
- Retiree News
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To My Sisters and Brothers of the HCT,
Congratulations on making it through half of this school year. Some would call it unprecedented. I would just call it crazy. As a union, we have had many situations that could have very easily divided us. We didn’t let them. We have stood strong together, respecting each other’s opinions, whether it be on masking, testing, vaccinating, or remote teaching.
As you may have heard, NYSUT has endorsed Governor Kathy Hochul. Since assuming the governorship in August 2021, Hochul has supported public schools by providing proper funding and resources.
NYSUT has not endorsed a candidate for governor in more than 15 years. Governor Hochul’s comments and Executive Budget proposals in education are encouraging. They show that she is listening to the needs of educators and believes in the importance of education.
Governor Hochul has made the following policy commitments to help educators in our state:
- Simplify and speed up the complicated certification process
- Provide schools with appropriate staff, such as social workers, school psychologists and counselors, to provide for the social-emotional needs of our students
- Fully fund Foundation Aid, which is the critical funding all schools require to provide educators and students with the support they need to teach and learn
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Help address the teacher shortage, both immediately and in the long term. This will help fill the many gaps that exist in staffing—gaps that are stretching our current teacher force too thin
In my opinion, there isn’t a politician on this earth that I can say I agree with 100%. With each one comes the good and the bad. I do not agree with all of Governor Hochul’s decisions and views. I am asking you to continue to support NYSUT with all it is doing to make our day-to-day lives better. In supporting NYSUT, you will also be supporting the HCT. A large portion of the VOTE COPE money we send to Albany gets returned to us. We use this money to assist in the passing of the Hicksville Public Schools budget and to support Hicksville Board of Education candidates who are teacher friendly.
Thank you for continuing to support one another during this “crazy” time. I am looking forward to more opportunities to be together. Keep an eye out for our “March is UNITY Month” calendar of activities.
In unity,
Stephanie Sullo
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Len Motisi Memorial Scholarship
HCT members with children who are high school seniors graduating this year and who will be attending a post-secondary institution on a full-time basis are eligible for the Long Island Teachers Benevolent Fund Len Motisi Scholarship. Completed applications MUST be received by Stephanie Sullo, HCT President, on or before Friday, March 4, 2022.
Completed applications may be dropped off for Stephanie Sullo at Dutch Lane School or in-person at the HCT office. The HCT office is open Tuesday through Thursday from 9 AM to 5 PM. Please email Stephanie to let her know you will be submitting your application.Include LITBF Scholarship Application in the subject line.
Additional information for the following grants can be found on the HCT Website.
COVID-19 Emergency Financial Grant
Burial Grant
Financial Grant for Catastrophic Loss
Military Service Grant
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Important Hicksville Deadline
If you are planning to retire after completing this school year, your letter of intent needs to be sent to the Assistant Superintendent for Personnel by Tuesday, February 15th. Please email and hand deliver a copy of your letter to the administration building before or on February 15th. Your letter should clearly state that it is your intention to resign effective June 30, 2022 for the purpose of retirement.
It is important for you to make an appointment with NYSTRS (New York State Retirement System) if you haven't done so already. Visit www.nystrs.org
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New York State Teachers’ Retirement System Seminar
March 8, 2022
4:30 P.M. via Zoom
Presented by Eric Iberger, NYSTRS Retirement Board Trustee & President of Bayport-Blue Point Teachers’ Association, this seminar is intended to provide NYSUT TRS Members with a broad overview of our defined benefit pension plan. Additional topics that will be discussed:
● The System
● Benefit Profile
● Disability Retirement
● Credit for Prior Service
● Pension Calculation
● Resigning & Retiring
● Pension Options
● Getting Paid & Paying Taxes
● COLA & Working in Retirement
● Prepare Now for Retirement
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NYSUT Pre-Retirement Workshop
Saturday, March 26, 2022
9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
NYSUT Nassau Office
Our NYSUT Retiree Services Consultant, Claire Zatorski, will be offering a Pre-Retirement Workshop for members who are part of NYTRS and who plan to retire within the next 2 years.
Registration & Continental breakfast 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM
I. Preparing to Retire – Eric Iberger, NY State Teachers Retirement System
Tier System; How to Determine FAS; Your options in retirement; How pension is calculated
II. Union for Life – Claire Zatorski, NYSUT Retiree Services Consultant
Remaining a Union member for life; How my union serves retirees; Why Vote/Cope?
III. NYSUT Legal Services – Kathleen Rose, Feldman, Kramer & Monaco, P.C.
Wills, Trusts, Proxies and Healthcare; Elder Care; Other services
IV. Understanding Social Security and Medicare – Joan Perrini, Retiree Services
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Learn About Your Pension Options |
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TUESDAY, MARCH 1
4:30 P.M.
via Zoom
Please join us for a virtual Q & A session. We will be discussing the following:
- NYSTRS Pension options
- NYSTRS Pension Tier specific age and service credit threshold
- 403(b) /457 pre retirement investment strategies
- 403(b) /457 post retirement investment strategies
- Purchase years of service credit using pre-tax money
Zoom meeting Information will be given upon RSVP registration.
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East Street and OCR Members Wear it On Wednesday!
Since this is a negotiations year, we want to present a unified front by wearing HCT-branded clothing every Wednesday. In addition, we'll be sharing photos on social media of our members proudly wearing their HCT gear.
Use the hashtag #WeAreHCT on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. If you do not use social media and/or would like me to post your photos, feel free to email them to jketyer@gmail.com and I will share them. Remember to Wear it on Wednesdays!
If you missed our fall clothing sale, there is a limited supply of HCT apparel available for sale at the HCT office. View items here. |
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March is HCT UNITY Month
The HCT will be hosting a variety of activities throughout the month of March. Keep an eye out for the calendar of events.
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Thankful Thursdays is coming back!. Tell us why you are thankful for a special colleague. You can begin sending messages today. Messages will be shared with fellow HCT members on each Thursday of the month.
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Thank you for supporting the Chonky Cookies fundraiser. |
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The cookies have been packed and are on the way to your school buildings today!
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NYSUT Celebrates Black History Month |
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Join NYSUT statewide for a virtual celebration of Black History Month. This year’s event will highlight the importance of health and wellness in the Black community.
Hosted by NYSUT Secretary-Treasurer J. Philippe Abraham, head of the statewide union's Many Threads,
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NYSUT celebrates Black History Month with a new poster highlighting Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), which were established to primarily serve Black students. Cheyney University, established in 1837, is the oldest historically Black school of higher education. HBCUs contributed substantially to the economic progress of Black Americans by providing them with access to higher education in an era of legal segregation. |
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NYSUT needs your help to spread the word about our #FutureForward initiative. There’s no better way to highlight the needs of our schools than to share real stories from real educators, students and parents.
This informative AFL-CIO podcast on the #FutureForward initiative features three teachers/task force members: Jen Wolfe, Oceanside FT; Adrienne Cohan, Starpoint TA, and Amy Hysick, North Syracuse EA .
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Share My Lesson Wellness Series
Join Share My Lesson and Catherine Zack, a meditation teacher and executive mindfulness coach, for more stress solutions for educators. This experiential workshop series is designed to give you both a better understanding of the science of stress and its impact on your body and real tools that you can use right now to manage stress, avoid feeling overwhelmed and create resiliency-building daily habits. You’ll leave this series with the foundations of a daily meditation practice and learn the building-block basics of mindfulness-based stress reduction.
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Reverse the Impact of Trauma
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ELT Wellness Seminars
ELT offers a variety of wellness seminars to help members cope with these difficult times. For example:
The Juggle: Trying to keep all the balls in the air at the same time is challenging. This 1.5-hour seminar helps you cope with the juggle while still managing all your personal and professional demands.
Learn about more topics available to NYSUT members here.
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NYSUT Student Loan Debt Webinars
A new round of our popular student loan debt webinars has been added to the schedule for December and January. More information and registration for these Zoom webinars can be found here.
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Free At-Home Covid Tests
If you haven't signed up for four free at-home COVID-19 tests from the government, you can at www.covidtests.gov.
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COVID Testing
- If you are vaccinated and have chosen not to show your vaccination card, you must participate in the weekly testing.
- If you are not vaccinated, you must participate in the weekly testing.
Members who need to be tested, do not have to use the district testing site. Members can go to their own doctors, pharmacies, or other testing sites and bring in proof of a negative test.
If an HCT member does not comply, the member will be declared ineligible to report to work and will be suspended without pay. The NYSUT Nassau Regional Office has informed us that the district is within its legal rights to do this.
Frequently Asked Questions about Covid-19 Testing and Vaccine Mandates for P-12 Employees can be found here.
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Booster Shots
After several weeks of behind the scenes work by NYSUT, the New York State Department of Labor has updated the guidance for Labor Law Sec 196-C, which allows paid leave time for COVID vaccinations, to include vaccine booster shots.
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School Related Questions
School-related COVID questions should be directed to Gail Hunker.
Her numbers are: 516-733-2149 and 516-315-0494.
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Tickets - $40 per ticket (regular price $77.80)
- Includes the 2-hour preview the day before you visit the park
- Tickets required for any visitor 3 years and older
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Tickets are valid from Opening Day to January 1, 2023 - click here to view 2022 hours of operation.
- See the Hershey Park website for hours of operation (weekends only in May until Memorial Day and weekends only in September after Labor Day
Meals Vouchers - $14 per meal (regular Price 15.85)
Parking - $20 (regular Price $25)
ORDER DEADLINE -- WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30
Alison Silvestri at Hicksville High School by March 30.
Checks should be made payable to HCT
Please include Hershey Park in the Subject Line.
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Support the Hicksville PTAs.
Become a Member Today.
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Please remember to choose Teacher/Staff Membership when joining.
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Are you interested in tutoring? |
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The HCT is updating its tutor referral database. When we receive a call for a tutor, an email will be sent to members on the list who meet the criteria for the request. It is up to the individual teacher to make arrangements as to times, fees and location. We cycle through the teachers on the list to ensure that everyone will have an opportunity to earn extra money. Replies must be made within 48 hours so that we can respond to parents in a timely manner. Once we hear back from you, we will forward the parent's phone number and student information.
If you are interested in being listed in our tutor database or would like to remain in the database, please download and complete the Tutor Referral Form and mail it to the HCT at 535 South Broadway, Suite 212, Hicksville, NY 11801. If you prefer, you can scan the completed form and email it to Hicksville_Teachers@verizon.net.
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Condolences to Jen McLeer (Middle School) on the passing of her mother. |
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Congratulations to Nicole McMahon (Lee Avenue) on her son John's graduation from Stony Brook University. |
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Congratulations to Christina Marconi and Ricky Enderle (Lee Avenue) on their nomination for Founders Day. Their colleagues are so proud! |
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Want to celebrate or share news about a colleague? Complete this short form. We'll post the info in the next Connected! |
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- Bill Lemmey, representative for Retirement Council 19, sent this to us to share with our retired members: Retirees should submit the form for Medicare Reimbursement to the Hicksville Administration. It is required along with a social security statement to have reimbursement for Medicare Payments. We are eligible because of the Empire Plan.
- Condolences to Cheryl Smith on the passing of her husband Robert on February 4, 2022.
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HCT office hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9 AM to 5 PM when school is in session. |
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535 South Broadway, Suite 212
Hicksville, NY 11801
Phone: 516-937-1288
Fax: 516-937-1925
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