Voluntary Transfer Update
RTA and the RCSD agreed that, for this year, the cap on the number of transfer applications that any teacher may file has been lifted. Thus, elementary teachers have until Friday, March 5, 2010 and secondary teachers have until Friday March 12, 2010 to file additional and unlimited Voluntary Transfer Requests.
The district and the union also agreed that the following positions be exempted from the Voluntary Transfer process:
- Wilson Commencement and Wilson Foundation Academies:
mathematics, social studies, English, foreign language and science because these are subject areas that require specialized training in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. Special Education and Computer Science are also exempt from the voluntary transfer process. Therefore, we expect that there will be a separate application process for those teaching positions at both Wilson schools.
- For similar reasons, the Montessori School (#53) is also exempted.
- Finally, approved Autonomous Contract Schools will be exempted, too. The list of approved schools should be available soon.
Please post or distribute this information. Call the RTA (546-2681) if we can clarify or answer any questions. Thank you.
Retirement Information
Planning to retire? The following links will provide useful information from RTA, NYSTRS & NYSUT
Retirement Planning Video
Form letter due by March 1st for teachers who qualify for the Absentee Reduction Plan. See Section 60 of the contract for more details.
Form letter for notifying the district of your retirement.
NYS Teacher's Retirement System Help Page
Checklist for Retirees Article from NYSUT Leader
Recent Poll of City Residents Shows Lack of Support for Mayoral Control
To view the poll results and additional information, click the links below:
City Council Makes Suggestions to Governor
On February 3, 2010 the Rochester City Council sent a letter to Governor Paterson outlining their vision of Mayoral Control. The letter is available for download here.
Duffy Seeking Mayoral Control of RCSD
There have been many stories recently in the local media regarding this issue, but please take time to read William Cala's editorial from City Newspaper available here.
RTA Members may comment by going to the RTA Facebook group.
Duffy To Seek Control of City Schools, Eliminate Board
RTA Responds to Race To The Top Grant Application
The Rochester Teachers Association believes that the best ways to strengthen our schools are to lower class sizes, ensure
greater parental involvement, increase school safety and student discipline, support professionalization of teaching, and
improve our students’ readiness for learning by providing them the support and services that they need and deserve. But
that is not at all the thrust of the New York State’s Race to the Top Grant Application. After careful examination of the
current proposal, we find the following provisions troubling and potentially harmful to our schools and to our students:
- Ill-advised and punitive school improvement models. The RTTT application imposes unpromising and
unproven approaches to fixing struggling schools. Turning them into charter schools is not the answer. Nor is it
to simply oust and replace the teachers. The best ways to improve schools is to allow the professionals the needed
time, resources and authority to adopt proven and promising pedagogical approaches and school structures. This
is precisely the opposite of blame-fixing, punishment, and deficit-based approaches proposed in the current RTTT
grant application.
- Unlimited expansion of Charter Schools. Lifting the cap on charter schools would further drain the limited
resources now available to our schools. The application calls for that and for even more money for charter schools
– as well as expansion of their reach to new areas, such as pre-K education and BOCES services. The grant
application even calls for authorizing the Commissioner of Education to order struggling schools to become
charter schools. All this may be good for charter school proponents but very hurtful for the students left behind in
our public schools.
- Lowering of teaching standards. The grant application calls for accepting teachers certified by “non-profit
organizations and others” and for also accepting teachers with Masters Degrees form “non-collegiate
organizations.” It proposes unknown ways to use student data for the evaluation of teachers, granting of teacher
tenure, and perhaps for teacher compensation linked to test scores. Furthermore, the grant application seeks
unspecified ways to “streamline” the statutory due process (3020A) for disciplining and dismissing teachers.
- Undermining local control of public education. The New York State RTTT grant application would authorize
education management organizations to directly manage schools and would give the Board of Regents the
authority to appoint “Education Oversight Boards.” All this, we believe, could lead to the weakening of local
control of public schools and to undermining of public education.
The RTTT funding, even if awarded, would be only available for three years and would then be discontinued -
leaving our schools and our students stranded. But the larger issue is that of principles, and our principles are not for sale.
For all the reasons cited above, therefore, the Rochester Teachers Association will not sign off on the New York State’s
Race to the Top Grant Proposal as now formulated.
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Voluntary Transfers for the 2009-10 School Year
Elementary Teachers' Applications for the 2010-2011 school year must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. in the HCI (in Central Office) on Friday, March 5, 2010.
Secondary Teachers' Applications for the 2010-2011 school year must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. in the HCI (in Central Office) on Friday, March 12, 2010.
Please note the deadline has been extended once again.
Applications and related materials are available here in pdf format.
Learn More About
The New Health Care Plan
Excellus set up a dedicated unit phone number and website for members.
Phone: 1-800-584-4842
Website: www.myexcellusplan.com/rcsd
Comparison of HMO Plans (pdf format)
Comparison of Traditional Plans (pdf format)
Projected Rates for 2010
2009-2010 Pay Dates
The new salary rate should be reflected in paychecks as of December 4, 2009. The new salary is based on a 3.53% increase from your salary as of June 2009.
9/11/09 |
2/12/10 |
9/25/09 |
2/26/10 |
10/9/09 |
3/12/10 |
10/23/09 |
3/26/10 |
11/6/09 |
4/9/10 |
11/20/09 |
4/23/10 |
12/4/09 |
5/7/10 |
12/18/09 |
5/21/10 |
12/31/09 |
6/4/10 |
1/15/10 |
6/18/10 |
1/29/10 |
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Updated Assault Forms & Information
Please review the forms below along with the chart & timelines. Some key points:
- Initial Employee report of Assault needs to be completed within 3 days unless teacher is unable to complete.
- Application for Assault Pay is only completed after a teacher misses work due to an assault.
- Application for Assault Pay is to be completed within 7 days.
- Administrators do not have the right to determine whether or not a teacher was assaulted. Only the District's Designated Representative (at Central Office) may make those determinations.
Downloadable Forms
Employee Report of Assault
Application for Assault Pay
Timeline Chart
Please contact the RTA office if you have any other questions.
Elementary Start Times for 2009-2010
The district announced their decision to change starting times for elementary schools. Below find the new schedule for 2009-2010.
TIER 1 Schools:
Buses will arrive in order to accommodate the 7:50 a.m. school start time and 2:10 p.m. dismissal time. Bus arrival times will accommodate school breakfast prior to classes.
School 1
School 3
School 8
School 12
School 15
School 20
School 22
School 25
School 29
School 30
School 34
School 36
School 41
School 43
School 44
School 45
School 50
School 53 (Franklin Montessori)
School 57 |
TIER 2 Schools:
Buses will arrive in order to accommodate the 9:15 a.m. school start time and 3:35 p.m. dismissal time. Bus arrival times will accommodate school breakfast prior to classes.
School 2
School 4
School 5
School 6
School 7
School 9
School 10
School 14
School 16
School 17
School 19
School 23
School 28
School 33
School 35
School 39
School 42
School 46
School 52
School 54
School 58 |
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Deadlines, Announcements & Information
Updated Tuition Reimbursement Information
Available to Teachers completing their first Masters Degree
Process & Timelines
Application Form
Rep Assembly & Exec Council
2009-2010 Meeting Schedule
2009-2010 School Calendar
One Page PDF Version
Complete RCSD 2009-10 Calendar
Substitute Job Numbers
If the emergency substitute plan is used or a substitute does not cover a teacher's absence, reps should use the form below to report the Job Numbers. Please return the form to the RTA as needed.
Unfilled Sub Job Reporting Form
EAP Video from Assault Training
Video available by clicking here.
Summer Professional Development Incentive Hours
Click here for the original PowerPoint Slides regarding the PD Incentive
Tenured Teachers:
22 out of 36 hours may be completed through hours pre-approved by your school's SBPT
All 36 hours may be completed through district approved professional development
Probationary Teachers:
18 out of 24 hours may be completed through hours pre-approved by your school's SBPT
All 24 hours may be completed through district approved professional development
Chancery Home Access
click here for the district's instructions
Check the status of your NYS Certification
NYS Certification Site
Please call the RTA office with any other questions.
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