MEMORANDUM

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          September 8, 2020

Subject:     BTF School/Site Health and Safety Assessment/Update

To ensure that our schools/sites are safe for you now and our students when they return, we have developed a “BTF School/Site Health and Safety Assessment” that we will be asking your Delegate Chair/Building Committee to complete based on your and their assessment of your building/site (Click Here).

To avoid duplication and to ensure accurate tabulation, the “Assessment” link will be sent to the Delegate Chair/Building Committee in a separate email when it is operational.

Attached is a copy of the assessment which we are asking you to work with your Building Committee to complete. As you know, your Delegate Chair leads your Building Committee.

Please remember the Building Committee from last year remains in place until November 30, 2020. We will advise you of any changes.

We are asking that the assessment be completed once a week initially, or as often as needed.

We are hearing that the engineers/custodians have not received all the safety equipment they need. Please check with them as well.

Needed Supplies

It is the District’s responsibility to provide you with the equipment, supplies and materials you need (Article XI, pg. 20-22).

If you need a laptop, internet service, supplies, etc., you should request/order what you need from your principal in writing (email).

We all know that distance/virtual instruction will present issues and that there will be “glitches” in the system as we proceed.

Although some in the District like to resort to bullying, personal attacks, unrealistic expectations, etc., we continue to work with those we can as we continue our battle to ensure that our schools are safe and that our students have the best education possible.

Opening Issues

We knew there would be opening issues; however, if you have encountered one/some of which we should be made aware, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Court – September 21, 2020

We will be in court again on September 21, 2020 seeking to prevent the District from mandating teachers to report to their school/site.

Once a school/site has been determined to meet all State/Federal health requirements, we are willing to enter into an agreement with the District to allow those teachers, who wish to (not pressured to) teach from their school/site, to do so.

BTF Headquarters Reopening

As you know, we have been working virtually. The headquarters will be partially staffed on a rotating basis. Please be patient if someone does not immediately answer the phone.

As with you, the safety and well-being of our secretaries and staff is very important.

For concerns, please continue to contact the Labor Relations Specialist assigned to your school (Click Here).

Thank you for your understanding.

Please stay well. Take no chances.

PR:su