From The Cranston Herald Wednesday, December 4, 2024
By BARBARA POLICHETTI
Frank Flynn can’t count the hours he’s spent at school committee meetings, legislative hearings, or bargaining sessions. But, as a lifelong educator and head of the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals (RIFTHP) for the past 14 years, Flynn wouldn’t take back a minute of the time he has spent working to support teachers and the work they do.
Providence, RI - The Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals (RIFTHP) held their Biennial Convention on Saturday, October 26, 2024, at the Graduate Hotel in Providence. One hundred and thirty delegates representing sixteen locals were in attendance.
The RIFTHP is the state’s largest labor union representing more than twelve thousand workers: educators, school support personnel, nurses and healthcare workers, other private and public sector employees, and retirees. We are proud of the work we do to improve the lives of Rhode Islanders.
In a historic move, the educators at Paul Cuffee Upper School have voted to join the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals (RIFTHP), making it the first independent charter school in Rhode Island to unionize with the organization.
This vote is a significant step forward in the collective effort to ensure fair working conditions, enhanced educational quality, and a stronger voice for those dedicated to serving the school's diverse student body.
The Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals, in partnership with RI Institute for Labor Studies and Research, RI AFL-CIO, the and the National Education Association RI is proud to announce the receipt of a Registered Apprenticeship in Teaching Sub-grant from the US Department of Labor as part of Building Futures’ successful Apprenticeship Hub grant proposal.
Providence artist Andrew Grover created a Lego model of the RIFTHP office on Smith Street and presented it to President Frank Flynn. Andrew brings attention to Rhode Island’s beautiful historic buildings, including public schools. He was a public school teacher for 21 years and now uses his talent and creativity to point out the beauty that is within our communities. Using Legos to create models of buildings students recognize from their neighborhoods, Andrew truly brings art to life for kids when he visits schools. The model will be proudly displayed at the office.&
As part of it’s on-going 2024 Virtual RIFTHP Professional Development offerings, over 20 RI teachers have registered for our currently running, 10 Trauma Informed Strategies to Help Students Heal 10-session series. Not only are these teachers attending 2 sessions per week from 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM after a full day in the classroom, they are attending 2 evening sessions during February Break. This is what educators do on vacation!
The student loan landscape has been changing and the AFT is working hard to be sure members know how to navigate it and get debt relief as soon as possible. The biggest news is that, after a three-year hiatus, borrowers will have to start making their student loan payments again beginning Oct. 1. The next biggest news? The SAVE plan, a more generous income-driven repayment plan that will save borrowers thousands of dollars and qualify them for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
September 19, 2023 by Gregg M. Amore
Courtesy of the Albert Shanker Institute
https://www.shankerinstitute.org/blog/civic-education-classroom-polling-...
On National Voter Registration Day, our special guest author is Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore.
On June 3 over 100 volunteers sorted, labeled, and boxed more than 30,000 books from United Way of Rhode Island's 11th Children's Book Drive — a partnership with our Women United group and Books Are Wings. These books are already on the way to Rhode Island kids taking part in afterschool and summer learning programs.
Through this project, we have put more than 300,000 books in the hands of kids over 11 years. Thank you to our dedicated partners and volunteers!
Artificial intelligence, or AI, is already pervasive in our lives. But the introduction of platforms like OpenAI/ChatGPT has the education world questioning how it should be used or if it should be used at all. In the AFT TEACH workshop “Use It or Block It? Using OpenAI in the Classroom,” presenters Peter Guyon and Kathleen Torregrossa addressed this question in front of a group of educators—some of whom were already using AI in the classroom, while others were curious about its potential.
Despite the science of reading being clear—and despite decades of the AFT sharing that science—for too long, many state and local policies on reading instruction have promoted less-effective practices.
During the workshop “Literacy for Leaders: What Locals Can Do to Support Student Literacy” at AFT TEACH, a state union leader and the Albert Shanker Institute presented research on teaching reading and a new Shanker Institute analysis of recent state laws on literacy.
The opening session of the 87th national convention of the American Federation of Teachers features AFT leaders from across the country, guest speakers such as Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and AFL-CIO Massachusetts President Steven Tolman, and the State of the Union address by AFT President Randi Weingarten.
Dr. Jessica Saint-Paul is an adjunct faculty member in the Los Angeles Community College District. She had been trying to work toward PSLF since 2008 and believed she was on track until she learned at an AFT student debt clinic that none of the payments she had made to Navient, her student loan servicer, would qualify. She agreed to become a plaintiff in AFT’s Navient lawsuit to fight for justice for borrowers who were lied to by Navient.
AFT convention delegates hear from Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, Senator Elizabeth Warren, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, Amazon Labor Union President Chris Smalls, Workers United Senior Advisor Richard Bensinger with Starbucks organizers and First Lady of the United States Dr. Jill Biden on the importance of the labor movement.
The Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III, a minister and civil rights leader, shared his grandfather’s astounding determination to vote, which he has captured in a compelling—and free—short film, Otis’ Dream. He moved AFT delegates to tears on Saturday, July 16, then had them cheering as he rallied everyone to the cause of fighting today’s rampant voter suppression.
07/16/2022
by Randi Weingarten
President, American Federation of Teachers
PTU prepares 10,000 books for book drive for Providence students.
— with Colleen Callahan and Maribeth Reynolds-Calabro at Providence Teachers Union Community Outreach.
