Welcome back. Hopefully, your summer “layoff” was restful, safe, and productive. This year will be, as are most, filled with challenges; however, we will, as always, change them into successes and accomplishments. With the finest and most dedicated teachers anywhere, how can we miss?

Once again, this year ’s challenges begin with: negotiations, the Control Board, the budget, possible teacher cuts, charter schools siphoning funds, etc. - challenges, that by pulling together, we always manage to overcome. We will again have our new member workshops and, as always, be looking for more ways to support you.

Our legal papers have been filed seeking a court ruling that Board employees be placed on the correct step, not moved just one step. The city unions have also initiated legal action. We’ll keep you up to date. We will continue to take all possible actions to ensure that we are placed on the correct step.

We have filed legal papers with the courts to challenge the Board’s delaying tactics. The Board, it seems, is doing all it can to delay a decision on whether our successful single carrier arbitration (which was upheld by the lower court) will again be upheld. The appellate court in Rochester agreed and ordered the Board to file its answer by the end of August. They only have one place to go after Rochester – the NYS Court of Appeals which can (and we expect will) refuse to hear the case. xxx

Remember the arbiter ordered our laid-off colleagues returned with back pay and interest. That the Superintendent and Board continue to appeal, while our colleagues remain laid off, is pathetic.

You will be receiving a letter which will provide you with a procedure to check and update your BTF information, address, phone number, etc. by computer.

Please review the letter and update your data as soon as possible – especially your home e-mail address. This will enable us to contact you in a timely fashion.

We have reached an agreement with the District in conjunction with what is called the Contract for Excellence money. That is the additional State Education aid directed to poor school districts that can only be used for certain initiatives. Buffalo will receive an additional $26,000,000 this year.

Some brief points:

xxx-Students will have an additional hour in school. Teachers will not work additional time. Over-lapping teacher schedules and teacher aides will facilitate this.

xxx-Class size will be reduced:
xxxxxo -K – 3 20 students
xxxxxo -4 – 12 25 students
xxxxxo -Intensive instruction – each teacher will have no more than 10 xxxxxxxstudents.

xxx-Inservice – voluntary

xxx-Additional time in summer – voluntary

We will have a more complete write up in the next President’s Report or Provocator.

Temporary teachers should call the Board’s Benefits Office at 816-3754 or 816-3755 to confirm that your health care is still being provided by the Board. As always, when in doubt, call.

If there are openings in your school being filled with substitutes instead of regular teachers, i.e. there is no teacher assigned to the position or no “replacement” (temporary) teacher is assigned where the “regular” teacher is not expected to return until at least the second semester of the school year, please call us at BTF. (Regular and “replacement” (temporary) teachers are members of the BTF bargaining unit.)

If there has been a change in your marital status, it may be necessary to change your life Insurance beneficiary, NYSTRS beneficiary, SBF benefit cards, and health insurance policy.

Check your check! Is your address correct? If not, you should notify the Administration (Human Resources/Personnel Office, Room 720 and Payroll Office, Room 814 City Hall) in writing. You should also notify the BTF.

Teachers are advised that under the terms of the contract, if you applied for a transfer prior to March 23rd, or were cut from a school due to a reduction in force during the school year and made a request for a transfer, you have a right to and preference for vacancies that existed this summer. If you fit one of the above categories and were denied a position, please read pages 30-33 of the BTF Master Contract and call the BTF.

Completion of course work, which leads to a pay differential, should be reported immediately. Obtain an Advanced Credit Differential application from your office. If none are available, call the BTF. (Refer to page 57 of your contract.) Differentials are granted for the semester following completion of the 10-hour block, provided forms are filed within thirty (30) days after school starts or completion of the course work. Credit for such course work has not been frozen by the Control Board.

I want to know about every act of violence against teachers. Once an incident is reported, we provide support for the teacher, legal advice, and we contact the District Attorney’s Office to ensure that the criminal is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. There is nothing more important to me than your safety in your school. If at all possible, I will be in court with you.

Your Delegate Chairperson also has copies of our “BTF Inappropriate/Inadequate Discipline Report Form” to report incidents of what you consider inappropriate/inadequate discipline resulting from a student(s) with weapons, involved in acts of violence, or engaging in sexual harassment, etc, including students being returned to the same school/class after committing acts of violence against anyone (including other students).

Teachers injured on the job should immediately file an accident report form and the Worker’s Compensation form (C-2), even if the injury does not result in immediate lost time from work.

Remember, we continue to develop our web site. It is www.btfny.org. Check it out and use our 24-hour tapeline, 881-4818, to keep informed.

The Buffalo Alliance for Education has produced an Educator’s Resource Guide. This is an annual publication of over 100 on-site and off-site programs available to students. These guides are distributed to school offices and libraries at the beginning of each school year. It is also available in a searchable database on their website, http://www.buffaloalliance.org.
For more information, contact THE BUFFALO ALLIANCE FOR EDUCATION, 845-6500.

As part of our continuing “From the Classroom to the Living Room” initiative, we are distributing a pad of “Buffalo’s Best” awards for each teacher.

They are a quick way for teachers to reward positive behavior. We all know that too often parents are only notified when there is a problem.

The “Buffalo’s Best” awards will provide you with a quick and effective way to say to a student and parent, “Good job”.

The forms were designed by BTF and printed by NYSUT, our state affiliate. When you run out, call BTF… we have extras. You can have more or come and make copies.