Colleagues, Hope you had a restful weekend. Here’s a brief update on negotiations and a few timely reminders: - Negotiations. Bargaining for a successor contract is still in the mediation stage and is assisted by the NYS Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). And while neither party is at liberty to reveal the specifics under negotiations, we can tell you that, generally speaking, the District is seeking more district-controlled and administration-driven mandatory meetings, additional time without commensurate compensation, reduction of teachers’ professional discretion, greater management and administrative control,  concessions in health care benefits, and other changes that would only further deteriorate the climate for teaching and learning in our schools. Additionally, the District’s salary proposal thus far is woefully inadequate and unacceptable - totally ignoring the reality of the current teacher shortage and the spiking increases in inflation and cost of living. RTA...