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Our Mission

The Albuquerque Teachers Federation (ATF) is committed to improving the conditions of teaching and learning in our public schools while advancing the causes of social justice and democracy for our members, students and the ABQ community.

What we stand for

The Albuquerque Teachers Federation (ATF) works for proven, educator-driven school reforms that will improve education locally for over 87,000 students, and statewide for New Mexico’s 828 public schools. We believe that the improvement of public education should be taken away from those who scheme to profit from our children and should be placed in the hands of educators who work daily in the schools—those who know your students best. We strive to create the world-class educational system that New Mexico’s children deserve. To this end, we advocate for aligning policies toward a unified vision that invests in and trusts teachers as professionals, along with a focus on equity. We believe the following are essential in creating world-class schools:

Educate the Whole Child. Our state must invest to ensure that all schools have a well rounded curriculum with classes in the Fine Arts in every school. Varied elective courses should be offered, including world languages. Every school should have a library—well-stocked with books from all areas and with the latest in technology equipment and material—and should be fully staffed with qualified librarians.
Help Students Get the Best Possible Start. Children need age-appropriate education in the early grades. Students should have access to quality pre-kindergarten. Numerous studies show that high-quality early childhood programs increase the likelihood that children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, will become successful students and citizens.
Fully Fund Education.We believe that New Mexico has a moral and constitutional obligation to provide sufficient funding for public schools. There is no excuse for returning tax dollars to the most affluent while denying students the essential educational programs they deserve. This includes intervention programs to ensure success for all, as well as full funding for counselors, school nurses, social workers and therapists.
Teach ALL Students.We are committed to address any disparities in educational services and secure comprehensive, effective programs for English Language Learners and for students with special needs. Our focus must be on fulfilling our state’s commitment to Bilingual Education.
Respect the Professionals.Educators need compensation that is comparable to others with similar education and experience levels. They need paid time to adequately plan lessons and collaborate with colleagues. Teachers and related services personnel need autonomy and shared decision-making in their schools. Their professional judgment must influence policies and practices at the district and state levels.
Establish Community Schools.Community schools focus on creating stable environments in which students can live and learn, and teachers can teach. They become the hub in the neighborhood linking medical, mental and social services to children and their families. Community schools are open outside the regular school day and offer programs and services such as daycare, tutoring, after school programs and adult education.
Address the issue of poverty.We work for excellent public schools, strong unions, comprehensive public services, livable wages, tax fairness, and social & economic justice. Real education reform fights poverty.

Our Role

ATF is a professional, progressive union that represents all licensed teachers and Essential and Related Service Educators in the Albuquerque Public Schools.

Who We Are Is What We Believe

To obtain for all teachers the rights and respect to which they are entitled.
To obtain for all members of the bargaining unit the salary and working conditions essential to the best professional service.
To encourage the coordinated action of teachers and community in creating the most productive learning.
To expose and fight discrimination in education toward any individual or group on the basis of sex, gender, sexual orientation, creed, color, race, national origin, or political activities and beliefs.
To promote the welfare of children by providing equal educational opportunity for all.
To encourage cooperation with workers of other unions to promote better working conditions for all.
To advance teacher decision making power in the administration of the schools.
To promote the process of democracy in the schools which will enable teachers to better equip their pupils to take their places in the economic, social, and political life of the community.
To promote and support the professional growth and development of educators by continually providing information and learning opportunities about educational issues.
To promote political action for the benefit of teachers and other working people.

About us

The Albuquerque Teachers Federation (ATF) is a professional, progressive union.

Our dues-paying members make all of our work possible. If you are an ATF member, thank you! Please ask your colleagues to share in supporting our work on their behalf. If you are not yet a member, please take this opportunity to join. As an ATF member, you have access to the ATF staff who advocate for you, answer your questions and help you resolve conflicts and issues at your work site. You also have access to member benefits through the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), our national union. On an even larger scale, you will be helping us to advocate for your profession and for public education on local, state and national levels.

Many ways you can get involved!

You can attend one of our many professional support classes. As teachers, we need to be able to analyze and reflect on our practice to refine and improve our instruction. Acquiring this knowledge and developing our practice requires the sharing of knowledge among our fellow educators. Unique to the world of education, we know that teachers teaching teachers is the most powerful professional learning.

My student, your child, our community…

is the motto that guides our social justice work. Social justice unionism is a renewal of the long tradition of solidarity between the labor movement and the human and civil rights movement. Our work in ATF includes engaging in the wider political struggles for human rights, social justice and democracy.
One of the most important ways members can become involved is to make a voluntary additional contribution to the Committee on Political Education (COPE). By law, union dues cannot be used for political endorsements or campaign contributions; however, in New Mexico, more than 95% of our funding for public education comes from the state legislature. It is IMPERATIVE that we have education-friendly legislators, as well as an education-friendly governor, in Santa Fe. The COPE committee interviews candidates and makes recommendations based on their stance on public education and working families issues. The committee financially supports our endorsed candidates’ campaigns, and more importantly, we work to elect them. We invite you to join ATF COPE with a regular contribution of your choice and get active to support political candidates that support us.

Atf Staff

Meet our amazing team. We couldn’t do it without them!

Ellen Bernstein

President

Barbara Gonzales

Records

Arlene Maestas

Secretary

Deena Burnett

Professional Staff

Cindy Smith

Professional Staff

Jerry Thorn

Professional Staff

Dwayne Norris

Organizing & Communications

Executive Council

Ellen Bernstein

President
ATF Office

Sean Thomas

Executive VP
Eldorado High School

Derek Villanueva

Treasurer
Manzano High

Megan Sisty

Secretary
Kennedy Middle School

Angela Reynolds

Essential & Related VP
Aztec Complex

Tanya Kuhnee

High School VP
Eldorado High School

Sarah Hager

Middle School VP
Cleveland Middle School

Loyola Cortinas

Elementary VP
Tierra Antigua Elementary

Sonya Autrey

Elementary VP
Lew Wallace Elementary

Sara Attleson

COPE Chair Kennedy Middle School

Sonja Kortsch

Professional Development
Bandelier Elementary

Dwayne Norris

Organizing & Communications
ATF Office

Your Union

This is your union
Our Mission

What we stand for