Colleagues,
This is an especially tough week for all of us because approximately 200 of our colleagues are receiving layoff notices for the next school year. Here are the numbers of layoffs by tenure areas: 46 Elementary; 39 Reading; 20 Math; 19 Speech and Language; 19 ESOL; 14 Physical Education; 14 Art; 14 School Social Workers; 4 School Counselors; 3 Music; 3 Librarians; 2 Health; 2 Science; 1 Graphic Arts; 1 Design; 1 English. These latest numbers already take into account the known retirements and resignations. The numbers of projected layoffs may be reduced by future attrition and/or by any additional revenues for our District. And while all planned layoffs of Special Education teachers have been averted, dozens of Elementary Special Education teachers, who are certified in K-12, have been notified that they would be displaced and moved to Secondary school positions. This according to the District, was done in order to avoid layoffs of Special Education teachers.
We will hold a Zoom meeting with all teachers who have received a layoff notice on Monday, June 8, at 4pm. Affected teachers will soon receive an invitation with information about how to connect and join. Meanwhile, if you want to know your ranking, or if you want to know why it has changed, or why you were displaced from your current position, please email Martha Keating <maskerade6@aol.com>.
With the help of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) and the Rochester Community Coalition to Save Our Schools (ROC-SOS), we are continuing our efforts to lobby for additional funding, especially the Federal Stimulus Bill and the NYS Foundation Aid. That additional revenue would help restore for our students the services and educators that are being taken away from them. The cuts and layoffs, as you already know, target our most vulnerable students.
You can help. Send a message right now to the Rochester City School District’s Board of Education and urge them to revisit their budget priorities, to lobby for additional funding, and to spare our students by restoring to them the services and educators they need. The link is here:
<https://actionnetwork.org/letters/spare-our-students-and-save-rochesters-schools?source=RTA>
Thank you, in advance, for advocating for all our students.
Adam Urbanski,
RTA President