Get the latest news from RTA President Dr. Adam Urbanski.
Adam’s Update (8.27.24) Projected Layoffs Restored, Class Sizes Lowered, Initial Payroll Date and Stipends, Teacher Leader Program, Labor Day Parade
Colleagues, As the summer recess draws to a close, we want to welcome you back and provide a brief update: - Projected Layoffs Restored. Last Spring, the District notified the RTA that 53 teachers may be laid off in the coming school year and would be placed on the Preferred Eligibility List. After consultations with the RTA, that number was soon reduced to 29 projected layoffs. As of now, all teachers who remained available to be recalled were already restored or are scheduled to be restored at the next Board of Education meeting. We are grateful to the District for the collaborative work to achieve that shared goal. - Class Sizes Lowered. For the 2024-25 school year, as provided in the December 11, 2023 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between RTA and the District (see Section 4 in the attached MOA), maximum general education class sizes in Elementary Schools will be lowered from 26 students to 24. In Middle Schools, maximum general education class sizes will be lowered from...
read moreAdam’s Update (10.31.21) Action Needed
Colleagues, The presidents of all four unions within the RCSD sent the message below to...
Adam’s Update (10.15.21) Union Presidents Call For District Leadership Address Safety Concerns In RCSD Buildings
Colleagues, Attached is a joint letter sent to Superintendent Myers-Small and Board President Van...
Adam’s Updates (9.23.21) Vaccination/Testing Mandate, Proposed Solutions to Reopening Concerns, Negotiations, Open House
Colleagues, Here’s a brief update: - Vaccination or Testing Mandate. More than 95% of Rochester...
Adam’s Update (9.16.21) Sunday Deadline, Solution Driven Unionism, Rochester Teachers Care, Resource Handbook, Office Protocols, Thank You
Colleagues, Here’s a brief update: - Deadline Is This Sunday. More than 80% of teachers have...
Adam’s Updates (9.12.21) Bus Transportation, Simultaneous Teaching
Colleagues, Just another brief update on the issues related to the problems with bus...
Adam’s Update (9.9.21) Late Buses & Simultaneous Teaching
Colleagues, Please excuse this late hour email but we want to at least acknowledge and initially...
Adam’s Update (9.06.21) Brief Update Trying to Clear Up Confusion
Colleagues, Last night’s meeting of the RCSD Board of Education was frustrating, to say the least....
Adam’s Update (9.3.21) The Mess We’re In
Colleagues, I’m sure you’ve been following the unfolding developments with the District’s...
Adam’s Update (8.26.21) Impact Bargaining Continues
Colleagues, When the District announced a week ago their plan for reopening schools, we...
Adam’s Update (8.18.21) District Communication on Vaccinations
Colleagues, Earlier today you received a communication from the District notifying you about the...
Adam’s Update (7.22.21) Contract Extension
Dear Colleagues, I am pleased to inform you that, earlier this evening, the RTA Representative...
Adam’s Update (6.25.21) Thank You & Enjoy Your Well Deserved Summer Recess
Colleagues, Just a brief note to wish you a safe and restful summer recess. You’ve certainly...
Adam’s Update: The Truth About the District’s Budget, Part III: Pattern of Misrepresentation
Colleagues, As we wind down this difficult school year, and await the report of the Fact Finder...
The Truth About the District’s Budget, Part II: How to Spend the Additional Money
Colleagues, At the same time that the Rochester City School District continues to misrepresent and...
Adam’s Update (6.6.21) Negotiations, Simultaneous Teaching, Layoffs & Displacements, APPR, Vaccinations, Rochester Teachers Care, the District’s Masking Policy
Colleagues, As we begin the final stretch for this school year, here’s a brief update on some...
Adam’s Update (6.1.21) The Misrepresentation of the District’s Finances
Colleagues, Differences in school finances are not unusual. We’ve had these disputes before and...
Adam’s Update (4.28.21) We’re Not Falling For It
Colleagues, Before you decide whether to accept the Superintendent’s invitation (see below) to...
Adam’s Update (4.15.21) RCSD’s 2021-22 Plan
Colleagues, Earlier today you received a communication from the District about “Important...
Adam’s Update (3.15.21) Safety in Schools, Avoiding Layoffs, Simultaneous Teaching Alternatives, Insisting on an End to Bad Faith Bargaining
Colleagues, It’s been a full year of unprecedented difficulties. Yet, you have gone way beyond the...
Adam’s Updates (3.5.21) Vaccination Openings for RTA Members with Release Time
Colleagues, As I’ve indicated in Wednesday’s Update, with the help of our state-level union, the...
Adam’s Update (3.4.21) Vaccines, MOU, PPE, Reporting of COVID-19 Cases in Schools, Phase 3 Ventilation Reports, NYSUT Pushes For Early Retirement Incentive
Colleagues,Here are some timely and important notices for your information: - Vaccines For RTA and...
Adam’s Updates (2.21.21) Simultaneous Instruction, Ventilation, Accommodations, Covid Testing, Vaccinations, Reprisals, RCSD’s Lack of Readiness
Colleagues, I hope you had a safe and restful Winter recess. The Rochester City School District is...