Subject: Unilateral Changes to Your Healthcare
You are to receive the healthcare benefits to which you were entitled to when you retired.
There can be no unilateral changes. We have agreed to no changes other than those for teachers who retired under our last contract. The contract is on our website (www.btfny.org).
We will be filing a grievance and pursuing litigation on this issue.
Stay Tuned.
Subject: Updates
Thanks to you, hundreds of families not only had food for Thanksgiving, but also hundreds of families will receive food in the upcoming weeks. As always, food is picked-up for distribution by The Community Action Organization, Buffalo City Mission, The Gloria Parks Community Center, Native American Community Services, Fulgham Family Foundation and Women for Human Rights and Dignity.
An initial list of the schools who brought food is as follows; D’Youville Porter Campus #3, BEST School #6, Hillery Park #27, Bilingual Center #33, International School #45, School #48@39, Adult Learning Center #46, George Blackman ECC #54, Roosevelt Academy #65, Houghton Academy #69, Lorraine Elementary #72, Herman Badillo #76, Southside Elementary #93, Harvey Austin #97, South Park HS #206, Lafayette International #207, Leonardo daVinci #212, Emerson HS #302, Hutch Tech #304, Middle Early College #335 Bioinformatics School #366, and The Buffalo Teacher Center, #910.
A special thank you to the students from Hutch Tech who came over to help pack the food on Monday, November 25, 2019 and helped take the food to the charities trucks and cars on Tuesday, November 26, 2019.
More to follow in the next Provocator (Click Here).
This was one of our most successful food drives, as you will see in the Provocator.
Thank you again.
School Safety Survey
If you haven’t completed the school safety survey, please do so. The District is counting on a low response to undermine its validity.
Time to Complete IEP’s, etc.
Questions have arisen relating to time for teachers to complete IEP’s.
As per the contract, you must receive the following (this is not a suggestions. This is what is required under the contract).
Please also note the new language relating to integrating a student into the general education setting.
I. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
By first using the resources available in the school and other resources if deemed necessary and authorized by the District, the District shall provide planning time for teachers to complete the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) forms. It is understood that such planning time may be full or half days of released time when classes are otherwise in session. When the Committee on Special Education (CSE) meets to review the case of a referred child, the referring teacher will be sent notice of the meeting. By first using the resources available in the school and other resources if deemed necessary and authorized by the District, the referring teacher will be permitted to attend meetings of the committee. The process of integrating a student with a disability into the general education setting shall include conferences between the referring teacher and the receiving teacher. The teacher designated to participate when a student’s initial classification and/or level of service is before the Committee on Special Education, shall have a vote at the CSE meeting if said vote is permitted by applicable State and Federal regulations.
If you haven’t submitted the information from the October 10, 2019 correspondence, please do now. Please send the information to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Please list extraneous duties assigned that adversely impact the time available to perform your student support services.
PR:su
MEMORANDUM
Memo To: All Buffalo Teachers
From: Philip Rumore, President, BTF
Date: December 13, 2019
Subject: Rochester Teacher Layoffs
Over one hundred fifty (150) Rochester teachers will be laid off next week as a result of a newly discovered sixty-eight million dollar ($68 million) deficit. Yes, right before the holidays.
While the District is being investigated and audited, that will not prevent the layoffs that are to be voted on by the Rochester School Board on Thursday, December 19, 2019.
We have been in contact with the teachers’ union President, Adam Urbanski, with whom we have worked for many years.
The Rochester teachers would appreciate our support by forwarding a copy of the separate email you will receive (Click Here) that was sent to the following or by sending your own message to them.
| Superintendent Terry Dade: | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | |
| RCSD BoE Members: | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | |
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| Mayor Lovely Warren: | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. |
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| NYS Board of Regents: | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | |
| Assembly Member David Gantt: | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | |
| Adam Urbanski: | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. |
As teachers who care about the education of Rochester students and their families, let’s show our Rochester colleagues and students that Buffalo teachers are fighting alongside of them and for them.
PR:su
Click Here for a Copy of the Letter of Support for the Rochester Teachers
MEMORANDUM
Memo To: All Buffalo Retired Teachers
From: Philip Rumore, President, BTF
Date: December 18, 2019
Subject: Health Insurance Grievance Survey
Please be advised that this survey only applies to those who select Medicare Advantage.
If you have any questions regarding the survey, please contact the BTF at (716) 881-5400.
Thank you.
