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
