MEMORANDUM

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          June 1, 2023 

Subject:    Updates

Retro Pay
Retro pay will be in a separate check. The District is working on the payments.

As soon as we receive more information, it will be forwarded to you.

Paystubs
The District is aware that there was a problem resulting in teachers not receiving a “paystub” with your 10% bonus check. The “paystubs” are being sent out.

Seniority Lists
For some reason, seniority lists have been delayed. As soon as we receive them, you will be notified and they will be posted.

There will also be a document to complete if you believe your information/placement is incorrect.

Extended Pay Plan
Changes to your enrollment, direct deposit information, and contributions for the Extended Pay Plan can be made for next school year by completing a new enrollment card. If you would like a hard copy sent to you, please call the BTF office. Completed forms may be mailed back to the BTF office or delivered in person. Changes for next school year must be received by July 31, 2023.

The distribution dates for this summer are: July 14, July 28, August 11, and August 25 and the number of disbursements you will receive is based on the option you selected when you enrolled.

For those currently enrolled who are still receiving paper checks, now would be a good time to consider signing up for direct deposit for this summer. It is safe, secure, and convenient. Contact the BTF office to enroll in direct deposit.

Professional Learning Team Survey
Please complete the Professional Learning Team (PLT) Needs Assessment Survey - Elementary- Spring ‘23 or High School ‘23.

In order to provide the highest quality and broadest selection of professional learning opportunities for educators, it is important to have your input. This survey will provide the BPS Professional Learning Team with valuable information to guide decisions regarding future programming, resources, and the 2023-20234 BPS Professional Development Plan.

Your feedback will help inform programming for the 2023-24 school year.

Please click on the link and follow the steps listed below.

https://buffalo.truenorthlogic.com/ia/empari/tab/CourseCatalog?_ct=CourseCatalog

1. Login to PGS
2. Go to Course Catalog
3. Click this survey's name under the “My Surveys” section.

Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with questions or concerns.

MEMORANDUM

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          May 23, 2023 

Subject:    Schedule Change

Schedule Change
In an attempt to prevent confusion resulting from any teacher transfers this year, the BTF and District have agreed to the following:

• Requests for a transfer for the 2023-2024 school year shall be made from May 22 – June 2, 2023 using the transfer portal.
• All previous transfer requests for the 2023-2024 school year that were submitted prior to the March 23 deadline this year must be resubmitted during the May 22 – June 2, 2023 window.
• If there is a change to the school schedule changes reviewed by the Buffalo Board of Education on May 10, 2023 and/or the school schedule changes voted on by the Buffalo Board of Education on May 17, 2023 and a school that was listed as changing its starting and ending time does not end up changing its starting or ending time a teacher may either: (a) remain on the transfer list, or (b) withdraw his or her name from the transfer list.
• The requirement that “Transferred teachers will remain in place for a minimum of two (2) years unless parties otherwise agree” (Article XIV G.) is waived for teachers receiving a transfer for the 2023-2024 school year only.
• This Memorandum of Understanding is made by the parties pertaining only to the matter involved herein. It is made without precedent or prejudice to either party regarding the positions contained herein and/or any position taken by either party in the future except as necessary to enforce the terms of this Agreement.

These are in addition to the previous information provided. (Click Here)

My Retirement
First, thank you to those who have sent cards and wished me well in retirement.

For those who have asked about a retirement “event”, as many know, I, while appreciative of the thought, do not like to be honored.

No major accomplishments are achieved by one person. They are achieved by everyone working together.

Thank you for all that you have accomplished and for your understanding of my wishes.

MEMORANDUM

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          June 20, 2023 

Subject:    The Attacks Continue - Anti-Union Correspondence

Those who hate unions, who organize to fight for workers and communities, are, again, attempting to break our solidarity by sending anti-union correspondence to teachers and others.

They have not and will not succeed.

Indeed, they obviously think we are stupid and can attack our intelligence by sending a “legal notice” and a bogus check.

They wrongly call themselves the “Freedom Foundation”. Yes, freedom for us to be exploited!

When you ask yourselves, “Why would they want to break the organizations who are fighting for us?” The answer is obvious – to help those who want to control us.

While we will always have differences, we will always pull together, not be divided and prevail over all obstacles.

We always have and always will.

They will not break our solidarity. Not now, not ever.

Don’t just trash the insulting attack letter, tear it up first.

In never to be broken solidarity,

 Phil

MEMORANDUM

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          June 22, 2023 

Subject:    Solidarity Day Reminder

As always, tomorrow, June 23, 2023, we will join together to demonstrate our indomitable solidarity and support for each other and our students by wearing something displaying our BTF logo.

In doing so, let us also demonstrate our support for Rich Nigro, our newly elected President, Melinda MacPherson-Sullivan, BTF Vice President, Mark Mecca, BTF Secretary and the newly elected members of the BTF Executive Committee.

With your continued solidarity and support, all obstacles and challenges will continue to be overcome and become victories.

Let there be no doubt.

Once again, I thank you for your support, caring and well wishes.

You are and will always be, my family.

- Phil

REMEMBER: WHEN SOMEONE ASKS YOU HOW YOU ARE ENJOYING YOUR “SUMMER VACATION”, REMIND THEM THAT THE CHILDREN ARE ON “SUMMER VACATION” - TEACHERS ARE LAID OFF. NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE KNOW IT IS NOT A PAID VACATION FOR TEACHERS IN THE SUMMER, BUT RATHER TWO MONTHS WITHOUT PAY. LET US CONTINUE USING THE TERM SUMMER “LAY-OFF” AND MAYBE THEY WILL GET THE MESSAGE.

To Further Brighten Your Day

1. The fattest knight at King Arthurs round table was Sir Cumference. He acquired his size from too much pi.
2. I thought I saw an eye doctor on an Alaskan island, but it turned out to be an optical Aleutian.
3. He was only a whiskey maker, but she loved him still.
4. A rubber band pistol was confiscated from algebra class, because it was a weapon of math disruption.
5. No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery.
6. A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering.
7. A grenade thrown into a kitchen in France would result in Linoleum Blownapart.
8. Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie.
9. A hole has been found in the nudist camp wall. The police are looking into it.
10. Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
11. Atheism is a non-prophet organization.
12. Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the hallway. One hat said to the other: You stay here; I'll go on a head.
13. I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger. Then it hit me.
14. A sign on the lawn at a drug rehab center said: Keep off the Grass.
15. The midget fortune-teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.
16. The soldier who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned veteran.
17. A backward poet writes inverse.
18. In a democracy it's your vote that counts. In feudalism it's your count that votes.
19. When cannibals ate a missionary, they got a taste of religion.
20. If you jumped off the bridge in Paris, you'd be in Seine.
21. A vulture boards an airplane, carrying two dead raccoons. The stewardess looks at him and says, I'm sorry, sir, only one carrion allowed per passenger.
22. Two fish swim into a concrete wall. One turns to the other and says Dam!
23. Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, so they lit a fire in the craft. Unsurprisingly it sank, proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.
24. Two hydrogen atoms meet. One says, I've lost my electron. The other says Are you sure? The first replies, Yes, I'm positive.
25. Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused Novocain during a root canal? His goal: transcend dental medication.
26. There was the person who sent ten puns to friends, with the hope that at least one of the puns would make them laugh. No pun in ten did.

MEMORANDUM

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          July 28, 2023 

Subject:    Payroll Update

Good morning,

I just met with the head of Payroll. Supplemental checks for the difference of what you should have been paid today will be directly deposited on Monday 07/31/2023 into accounts for teachers who currently have that payment method in place with the Payroll Department. For those teachers who receive paper checks, supplemental checks will be mailed to the home address you have on file with the BPS on Monday 07/31/2023.

Please know that your union will remain in contact with Payroll to address concerns as they arise. And moving forward, we will be working with Payroll to improve processes that will help mitigate some of these errors.

Yours in Solidarity,
Rich

MEMORANDUM

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Rich Nigro, President, BTF

Date:          October 30, 2023

Subject:     School Violence

In recent weeks, there has been a marked increase in reports from teachers of violence in our schools. Incidents range from raucous crowds of students during dismissals from lunch and school; outbreaks of fights throughout the day both inside and outside school; and, most disturbingly, assaults against teachers and other staff. 

At her invitation, Vice President MacPherson-Sullivan and I met with Superintendent Williams last week to discuss the frequency of and responses to these incidents. Dr. Williams shared our concerns and is committed to working with the BTF on developing solutions, stating she would like to meet with the BTF monthly. 

This week, we will email you the first in a series of brief teacher surveys intended to collect your first-hand account of violent incidents and, more importantly, ideas and suggestions for improving things based on your professional experience as an educator. Further, the BTF Health & Safety Committee (composed of teachers) will be extending invitations to representatives from BCSA, BEST, Substitutes United, and Parent Organizations. Your survey responses will drive the group’s conversation as they scrutinize such things as: 

1. Where the problem areas are 
2. How administrators respond to preemptive information they receive before a fight occurs 
3. Expected procedures for responding to violence 
4. Conditions needed to reduce violence in our schools 

Some members have reported being discouraged from recording violent occurrences in Infinite Campus. If we hope to improve the situation, we must look at it honestly and objectively. That begins with documentation. Therefore, when there is an act of violence, it is the BTF’s position that teachers should record such instances in the Infinite Campus Student Behavior tab under the appropriate student profile. We spoke with an ASL who confirmed that this is the District’s position as well. Thus, please document accordingly and retain a printed or digital copy for your records. 

Teachers cannot be expected to teach while simultaneously responding to student fights. Students cannot be expected to learn while instruction is interrupted by violent outbursts. And no one should be made to fear for his or her safety while at school. We at BTF headquarters take the safety of our teacher members and the students you teach very seriously. As we take these first steps toward improving school safety, we look forward to broadening collaboration with other community, law enforcement, and District stakeholders.