Colleagues,
Here’s a brief update and some timely reminders:
-Negotiations. Thank you to the hundreds of teachers who responded to our survey on bargaining priorities. We also received helpful suggestions from department zoom forums conducted by members of the RTA Executive Council. Based on all that, plus our own research and deliberations, we are in the final stages of preparing a comprehensive set of negotiations proposals for a successor collective bargaining agreement. In addition to continuing to ensure competitive salaries at a time of widespread teacher shortages and maintaining our health benefits, additional priorities identified by teachers included: lowering class sizes and caseloads, increasing social/emotional services for students, creating additional alternative programs, providing incentives to address high shortage positions, addressing school safety and student discipline, and improving teaching and learning conditions. The details of negotiations must remain confidential during the bargaining but we will keep you informed about the general progress of our efforts on your behalf.
– Voluntary Transfers. The deadline for filing for voluntary transfers, originally set for February 25, has been extended to February 28. The link for applications for voluntary transfers for the 2022-23 school year is also on the RTA website <www.rochesterteachers.com>. Applying for a transfer does not obligate you to actually transfer but it does increase your options if you choose to do so. Given the current instability in the Rochester City School District, you are encouraged to take advantage of this precaution.
– Sabbaticals. If you have served in the Rochester City School District for at least 5 years, you are eligible to apply for a sabbatical. The deadline for returning completed applications, for a full-year or one-semester sabbatical, is March 18th. You can find additional pertinent information, as well as the link to the online application, in the attachment below. The link is also on the RTA website <https://rochesterteachers.org/sabbatical-leave-application-is-now-online/>. If you have questions, please call Stefan Cohen (585 262 8541) or email him at <stefan.cohen@rcsdk12.org>.
– Late Dismissal Compensation. We are still trying to resolve issues related to compensating teachers who worked additional time assisting with the late dismissal of students. While we’ve been able to address most of the issues, a few final details are yet to be finalized. Meanwhile, teachers are encouraged to continue to keep a record of the amount of time dedicated to this voluntary activity (dates and length of time on each date) and to communicate that documentation to RTA’s Martha Keating <maskerade6@aol.com>.
– Job Sharing. If you are in a job-sharing arrangement, and wish to continue it next year, please so notify the District’s Human Capital Initiatives (HCI) office by March 1st. The deadline for new job sharing proposals is May 1. Details about this benefit are contained in Section 51 of our collective bargaining agreement which is posted on the RTA website <www.rochesterteachers.com>. RTA’s Martha Keating can advise and assist you in this process if you email to her <maskerade6@aol.com> the requisite information (your name, tenure area, your current work location, your personal email address, your phone number, and whether you are willing to accept a job-sharing opportunity at another school if it is unavailable at your current school.
Adam Urbanski, RTA President