News, Alerts & Events

MEMORANDUM

 

 

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          March 17, 2020

 

Subject:     Update

Some teachers have asked if they must report from March 19, 2020 until April 20, 2020. As of today, schools are closed until April 20, 2020 and teachers do not need to report. We have advised the District to reiterate this.

If anything, it might be longer.

We will keep you advised.

PR:su

 

 

MEMORANDUM
 
 
Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers
 
From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF
 
Date:          September 18, 2018
 
Subject:     BTF Updates
_____________________________________________________________________________________
 
BTF Member Survey
We have begun the review of our survey of what we are doing well and suggestions for how we can better serve you.
 
Thank you for taking the time to participate. We have begun by making the contract searchable on our website (www.btfny.org/ContractInfo/FAQs) and are in the process of determining how we can make most of your inquires searchable as well. You should note that there is a FAQ section relating to the contact under the same tab.
 
Negotiations Survey
Beginning in the first part of November or before, we will be surveying teachers seeking input on their priorities for our contract negotiations that begin in January 2019.
 
School Safety
We have sent a compilation of your safety concerns and suggestions to the Superintendent and Board of Education based upon our survey. We will again be surveying teachers to determine if the concerns raised and suggestions have been addressed. We will continue until we are confident that our schools are safe – and will not stop until they are.
 
NEA/AFT Dues
After our BTF budget was passed, the NEA/AFT, our national affiliates, decided not to raise dues for this year. The increase was projected to be $3.52 per teacher, per year or $0.17 per check.
 
The current dues deduction reflects the $0.17 per check NEA/AFT increase.
 
There are at least 3 options from which the Council of Delegates will be asked to select.
  • Have the dues reduced by $0.17 per check as soon as possible and put any overpayments into our reserves.
  • Have the dues reduced by $0.17 per check as soon as possible and reduce the remaining 2018-2019 checks by the total overpayment (about $0.02 more per check)
  • Keep the NEA/AFT dues as is for this year only and put the $0.17 per check into a negotiations contingency fund.
  • Any other variations/suggestions.

Please advise your delegates of your position on this issue. We felt it was important that you should be advised of this for your input.

APPR
Teachers who received an “Ineffective” or “Developing” should consider appealing said (and in my opinion wrong) determination, i.e. teachers who received the rating of “Ineffective” or those who received a “Developing” and who received a probationary appointment on or after July 1, 2015 and received either 1) two developing ratings during the probationary period or 2) a developing rating in the final year of your probationary term.
 
To do so, fill out the attached appeal form and return it to the BTF using your personal email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or fax it to the BTF at 881-6678. Please send a copy of the final composite effectiveness score document that you received from the District as well as a copy of the mailing address cover of the envelope which includes the postmark date.
 
The deadline to file an appeal is 60 calendar days after you receive your final composite effectiveness score. We estimate that day to be October 28, 2018. However, there is preparation work that need to be
accomplished. Therefore, we are asking for your appeal form to be received by the BTF by October 14, 2019.
 
United Way Campaign
Your United Way materials should have been delivered to your school last week. If you have not received your pledge forms and information, please contact Kaleigh Terranova, United Way Community Engagement Specialist, at 887-2704.
 
The completed envelope should be delivered to:
 
United Way of Buffalo & Erie County
742 Delaware Ave
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
 
Between 2:00–6:00 p.m.
 
Thank you in advance for coordinating the United Way campaign at your school.
 
Lesson Plans
We have been informed that some principals have mandated that teachers input their lesson plans into “Schoology”. Our position is that any such use of “Schoology” should be voluntary.
 
If your principal has mandated that you input your lesson plans into “Schoology” please advise us of your school by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
 
We will be filing a grievance on this issue.

 

PR:su

MEMORANDUM

 

 

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          March 18, 2020

 

Subject:     So Much For Working Together

Enclosed (click here) please find a copy of correspondence from the District asking for our approval of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and our response.  Note the time and date we received it.

Apparently, the District had no intention of working with us, but rather wanted to impose its will on us.  Yes, they could have waited until we reached out to you and worked together.  Obviously, they chose not to.

We obviously, as do you, have concerns and questions relating to the document -- both in substance and tone.
We have asked for advice from NYSUT Legal as to what teachers can and cannot be required to do, especially under the current conditions.

The District’s seeking our last second agreement and then imposing it without our agreement is both demonstrative of bad faith and illegal.  So much for working together.   

We wonder how many teachers the District reached out to.   Regardless of the District’s actions, we are teachers, who care about our students, and therefore want to find ways to help them during what may well be a long time out of school.

Please review the attached and forward concerns and suggestions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  We will forward them to the Superintendent.  We have reviewed it and obviously have concerns with tone (shall), implementation, definition of terms and phrases, etc.

Reminder –

As a result of the increased incidences of the coronavirus and to ensure the safety of our staff, the BTF office:

  • Will be open today, March 18, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.
  • Will be closed beginning Thursday, March 19, 2020 until Tuesday, March 24, 2020.
  • Will be open for one day from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm on Wednesday, March 25, 2020.
  • Will be closed Thursday, March 26, 2020, until further notice. 
  • As previously requested, we ask that there be no visits to the office unless you have an appointment.
  • Staff will be available via email.

Jenna Burke – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Matt Kibler – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Rob Mueller- This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Rebecca Pordum – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Joseph Montante – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phil Rumore – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and/or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

 

Click Here to view the staff assignment listing by school.

We appreciate your support and understanding as we overcome this very serious danger.

 

MEMORANDUM

 

 

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          March 19, 2020

 

Subject:     Updates

The attached correspondence (see link below) was sent to the Superintendent yesterday, March 18, 2020. Another will be sent later today (Click Here) based upon the concerns/suggestions you have forwarded to us.

We will continue to keep you informed as issues arise.

As always, in difficult times, we will all pull together in the interests of our students, our families, and the community.

We are teachers. We care.


The correspondence can be found at http:/www.btfny.org/email/2020/cash_letter_31820.pdf. If the link is not clickable, try copying and pasting in into the address bar of your web browser.

 

PR:su

MEMORANDUM

 

 

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          March 19, 2020

 

Subject:     Update

The correspondence attached (click here) was sent to Dr. Cash today, March 19, 2020.

 

We will continue to keep you updated.

 

PR:su

 

MEMORANDUM

 

 

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          March 20, 2020

 

Subject:     Updates

  • State exams will apparently be canceled.
  • Teachers are reminded that March 23, 2020 is the final date (as of now) to apply for a transfer. To apply via email, use This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Keep a copy and send one to your LRS. 
  • Obviously, the Tuesday, March 24, 2020 BTF retirement workshop will be rescheduled.

 

Please stay safe and healthy.


PR:su

Important Information

  • The Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) Information 

    The APPR is a process by which teachers are evaluated in NYS. The intent of APPR is to assist educators to improve the quality of instruction in schools and to improve students' performance for colleges and careers. District APPR plans must meet strict state guidelines and be negotiated with local unions. Under state guidelines, APPR takes into account classroom observations and student performance. Teachers across NYS receive an overall effectiveness rating every year.

     

    APPR is complex and can often be overwhelming.  Click here to keep up to date on all the current APPR information.

  • Opt-Out Information 

    Teachers and parents share deep concerns about the standardized tests used by NYS for accountability purposes that include; stress on students, in-appropriateness and lack of validity of the Common Core-aligned tests, loss of learning time, and lack of transparency on state test content. Parents who decide it is not in their children’s best interests to take these assessments are part of an “Opt-Out” movement. BTF fully supports parents’ right to choose what is best for their children.

     

    Click here to keep up to date on the "Opt-Out" movement and other information.

  • COVID-19 Information

    For our members, BTF has collected COVID-19 resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization, as well as our affiliates, NYSUT, the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association. Together we must, and will, be proactive to ensure that Coronavirus does not infect and spread to our students, staff and community.
     
    Click here to view recent information and writen correspondence. The BTF will post more information as it becomes available.

Buffalo Teachers Federation

 officers 2023
 
The Buffalo Teachers Federation is the professional union that represents over 3800 contract, probationary and temporary teachers of the Buffalo Public Schools.

 The BTF is proud to be a member of New York State United Teachers and affiliated nationally with the National Education Association and American Federation of Teachers.
          
 We invite you to explore our website for information and resources specifically for our members and retirees.

Calendar

 March 2025
 13   Executive Committee Meeting - 5:30 pm
 13    Council of Delegates Meeting - 7:00 pm      
 25   BTF Retirement Seminar
 
 April 2025
  11   BTF Office Closed at 4:00 pm
14-21   Spring Recess       
  24   Executive Committee Meeting - 5:30 pm   
  24   Council of Delegates Meeting - 7:00 pm      
     

Office Information

Mailing Address:
Buffalo Teachers Federation
271 Porter Avenue
Buffalo, New York 14201
Phone: 716-881-5400
 
Supplemental Benefit Fund:
Phone: 716-881-5462
Fax:     716-881-0580
 
Hours of Operation:
Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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