Volume 3, Issue 9
May, 2010
SCOPE FOR PARAS, CUSTODIAL, PLANT OPS., BUS DRIVERS AND OTHER EDU. EMPLOYEES
OUR HISTORY
A Little History of the Union you belong to and why you should encourage your co-workers to join our organization
American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO
The American Federation of Teachers, an affiliate of the AFL-C1O (14 million strong ), was founded in 1916 and represents nearly 3,000 local affiliates nationwide, 43 state affiliates and more than 1.4 million members.
Five divisions within the AFT represent the broad spectrum of the AFT’s membership: pre-K through 12th-grade teachers; paraprofessionals and other school-related personnel; higher education faculty and professional staff; federal, state and local government employees; and nurses and other healthcare professionals. In addition, the AFT represents approximately 80,000 early childhood educators and nearly 250,000 retiree members.
The AFT is governed by its elected officers and by delegates to the union’s biennial convention, which sets union policy. Elected leaders are Randi Weingarten, President; Antonia Cortese, Secretary-Treasurer; Lorretta Johnson, Executive Vice President; and a 39-member Executive Council.
Many well-known Americans have been AFT members, including John Dewey, Albert Einstein, Hubert Humphrey, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Frank McCourt, Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel, former Senate Majority Leader and Ambassador to Japan Mike Mansfield, former Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala, and former United Nations Under-Secretary and Nobel Peace Prize winner Ralph Bunche.
AFT Divisions
• AFT Teachers
• AFT PSRP (paraprofessionals and school-related personnel)
• AFT Higher Education
• AFT Public Employees
• AFT Healthcare
Food Service-Food Safety
1. When foods are delivered to your school, immediately assess their temperature and freshness.
2. Keep hot foods hot (135° F or above) and cold foods cold (41° F or below).
3. Reheat food to 165° F and verify temperatures with a food thermometer.
4. Prevent cross-contamination (i.e. keep foods apart to avoid the one food item to another).
5. Wash your hands at appropriate times.
6. Establish appropriate procedures and documentation for the control and safe handling of food.
School Bus Driver Safety Tips
School buses are considered the safest form of ground transportation because of their size and construction. They are driven by professional drivers who have a genuine concern for the well-being and safety of the children.
Everyone needs to take the minimum school bus driver training requirements seriously. It is critical that we guarantee all school bus drivers are cautious, accountable and most of all – competent!
• Always do a pre-trip inspection prior to every run to check for mechanical defects that could jeopardize safety.
• Be reliable and dependable – Your students count on you every day!
• Establish a positive relationship with your students. You are the first authority figure they encounter, and you set the tone for the day.
• Check to make sure all of the children unloading from the bus are at a place of safety before deactivating your 8 – way light system and moving the school bus.
• Do not allow children to exit the bus before all traffic has come to a complete stop and the safety equipment has been engaged.
• After unloading all children at the school or after your last stop, make sure to do a post-trip of your bus and check to make sure that no child has been left on the bus.
• Be prepared to act appropriately in emergency and crash situations. Your actions could mean the difference between life and death.
Be sure to provide adequate instruction so that every student is familiar with school bus emergency procedures and equipment use, as well as the safe loading and unloading procedures.
Get Involved in your Union:
Become an AFT e-Activist
Log on to:http://www.aft.org/getinvolved/enews.cfm
Our Students Won't Get A Second Chance: Act Now!
Tell Congress to co-sponsor legislation that will prevent the worst school cuts in 50 years. Help preserve the jobs of educators, and ensure that our students’ education is not disrupted by the economic crisis.
Stars and Stripes Torte
Ingredients
• 1 package (18-1/4 ounces) white cake mix
• 1-1/2 cups cold milk
• 1 package (3.3 ounces) instant white chocolate pudding mix
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
• 1-2/3 cups raspberry pie filling
• 1-2/3 cups blueberry pie filling
• Fresh blueberries and raspberries, optional
Directions
• Prepare and bake cake according to package directions, using two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
• In a small bowl, beat the milk, pudding mix and vanilla on low speed for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until set. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes or until thickened. Fold in whipped cream.
• Cut each cake horizontally into two layers. Place bottom layer on a serving plate; spread with raspberry pie filling. Top with second cake layer; spread with 1-2/3 cups of pudding mixture. Top with third cake layer; spread with blueberry pie filling. Top with remaining cake layer and pudding mixture.
• Place blueberries around top edge of cake and form a star with blueberries and raspberries if desired.
Yield: 10-14 servings.