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Colleagues,

More than 1500 RTA members, on very short notice, responded to our most recent survey about the District’s reopening of our schools. The aggregate results are summarized in an attachment below. Two-thirds of Phase 1 colleagues already back indicated that they and their students are not receiving the necessary support for safety and instructional effectiveness. And 89% of Phase 2 and 3 teachers do not have confidence that the District has the needed readiness level to effectively and safely resume the planned at-school and in-person instruction in February.

The survey results confirm what we’ve been hearing from our members. Acting on this information, the RTA Representative Assembly adopted a resolution this evening (see attached) calling on the District not to have at-school and in-person instruction for any of the Phases (1, 2 or 3) until the District develops and communicates a comprehensive plan for instruction; until the District can provide the needed resources, supplies, technology and support; until all educators have had the option and opportunity to be fully vaccinated; and until it is safe and productive to return to schools without jeopardizing the health and lives of our students, their educators, and families.

We want to share this information with you first. Soon we will contact you with suggestions as to what you could do to help inform the RCSD Board of Education and the Rochester community about the collective wisdom of teachers on this critical topic. We all want to return to at-school and in-person instruction but only when it is safe to do so and when the District is truly prepared to offer conditions for quality education for our students.

Adam Urbanski, RTA President

RTA Survey

RTA Resolution To Keep Our Students Safe