MEMORANDUM

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          October 27, 2020

Subject:     Updates

District Reopening Plan
Teachers, while looking forward to being with their students in person, have expressed concerns relating to the District’s “Reopening” Plan – Phase I”, due Wednesday, October 28, 2020 that is being completed by the principals.

They are being unreasonably asked for a possible commitment without being provided with critical
information.

We advise teachers to indicate that before being able to answer questions relating to their willingness to work in person with students, at a minimum, the following should be provided to them for a tentative response:

• Written copies of the sanitization procedures/schedules in their building.
• Written copies of the entry testing procedures for all entering and also procedures for those, e.g. students exiting the buildings.
• Written copies of the procedures relating to suspected/confirmed cases of COVID-19.
• Written copies of their schedules, i.e. subject/grade level, reporting times, class size, room assignments, movement of students, i.e. schedules provided and posted as is done currently.
• Copies of Reopening Plan(s) for building(s) to which they are assigned that have been agreed to by each site-based committee, the District and the BTF.

District Disrespect/Disregard for Parents, Teachers and Staff
Enclosed, please find a copy of correspondence sent to the Superintendent and members of the Board delineating just some of the instances of District disrespect and disregard for parents, teachers and staff that you and others have reported to us (Click Here).

Attention Delegates to New York State Teachers Retirement System Virtual Delegate Meeting
As you probably know, the 100th Annual Meeting of delegates to New York State Teachers Retirement System will be virtual this year. The format has changed and the sessions as well as the election of a teacher delegate will all be held on Monday, November 9, 2020. Further information should be sent to your District email from NYSTRS.

Please complete the attached (Click Here) personal leave form and submit to your school clerk for your absence on November 9th. The form is an editable PDF and can be printed and submitted or electronically signed and submitted. It has come to our attention that clerks at some schools are asking teachers to provide fund numbers when away on Board Business. All clerks have been informed that when substitute teachers are required for the absence of teaches due to attendance at this meeting, NO fund number is required. Instead, the substitute teacher days are charged to each school’s fund number.

If you have any difficulties with this process, please contact us at the BTF, (716) 881-5400.

Also:

• When emailing the BTF, please indicate your school and contact information so that it can also be forwarded to the appropriate staff person. The information is kept confidential.
• When being asked/directed to take an action that you question, advise the administrator in writing (email) that the BTF has advised teachers that the requested action be made in writing so that there are no misunderstandings. If told that the action/directive came from “City Hall”, that you have been advised by BTF to ask for a copy of the directive.
• In answer to questions, when voting, you don’t have to be a registered Working Families Party member to vote on its line in this election. When primary elections are held, then you must vote on the line of the party for which you are registered.

PR:su