Colleagues,
Thank you to the many RTA members who have called or emailed NYS Senate leaders urging them to provide the needed additional funding that our students and their educators need. If you haven’t already done so, please do it before the State budget is finalized this Wednesday. Their voicemail boxes are already full, so please email them. See their email addresses and the suggested message template in the attachment below.
Understandably, many teachers have serious concerns about the budget cuts proposed for the next school year. The cuts not only disproportionately target RTA members (81% of all proposed layoffs) but also programs for our most vulnerable students: Young Mothers Program, Bilingual Academy. Special Education and ELL students, among others. The proposed cuts are yet to be approved by the school board. We urge you to email them <BoardOfEducation@rcsdk12.org> to express your perspective or even to suggest alternatives that would be less hurtful to our students.
We have been notified by the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) that Governor Cuomo issued an Executive Order directing that all school districts in NYS must provide continued instruction, distribution of meals and childcare each day during school closure through April 15, 2020 – including during what was previously scheduled as Spring Break. Failure to provide all this could result in loss of State aid.
This week’s Rochester Teachers Care video <https://youtu.be/MNBu2xVY1ZE> features School #2 Physical Education teacher Chris Passamonte and how he helps his students to remain active and fit even while schools remain closed. His dedication and creativity exemplify what Rochester teachers still do every day to express their caring and commitment.
Stay healthy and safe.
Adam Urbanski, RTA President
ROC-SOS Email Template to Senators
