Teacher Times #11
November 10, 2014

Birthdays of the Week 

Alexandria Tom 11/15

Professional Development and Student Opportunities

Professional development and student opportunities are posted on the PD and Student Opportunities page. This week’s highlights include:

All Schools:

§  Register by November 18: Arts Education Liaison Workshop #2

§  Register by November 21: Attend Project Chess Teacher Training Workshop at Chess in the Schools

§  Participate on November 25: History Uncorked: Think & Drink with Historians at the New-York Historical Society

§  Participate in November: November is CUNY Month!    

High Schools:

§  Register by November 24: 11th NYC High School Journalism Conference

Grant Opportunities

Grant opportunities are posted on the Grants website (you can visit the page on any computer using this link). This week’s highlights include:

§  Laura Bush Foundation

Pic Of The Week

Teacher's Choice Funds

Teachers and other eligible staff have the opportunity to purchase instructional materials and supplies for use in their classrooms through the Teacher's Choice Program. This year’s Teacher’s Choice funds will be issued to eligible school staff members in their paycheck on November 28; note that these funds are not taxed. Eligible staff members who receive these funds are required to spend them on qualifying educational materials (see “Using Teacher’s Choice Funds” on page 3) by February 28 and to submit original receipts to you or a designee by March 2. You should inform your eligible staff of this program and remind them of these guidelines and participant responsibilities, which are also posted on the Teacher’s Choice website.

If an eligible staff member does not receive funds as expected, you or your designee should email teacherschoice@schools.nyc.gov by December 5 so that funds can be issued in the staff member’s paycheck on December 31. To see a list of staff members at your school who are eligible to receive Teacher’s Choice funds, you should generate a ‘TO Report’ in myGalaxy; see here for instructions. Note that eligible staff who opted out of the program by October 24 will not receive these funds.

For upcoming deadlines regarding the program, you may opt to review the Teacher’s Choice calendar. Additional details, including updated guidelines, FAQs, and forms pertaining to the program, are posted on the Teacher’s Choice website. For questions, email teacherschoice@schools.nyc.gov or call 718-935-4000.