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BFT Action - December 2nd, 2018

BFT Action--December 2018
 
BFT Endorsed Candidates Win 2018 Election
Congratulations to all three of our endorsed School Board candidates for being elected to the School Board. We look forward to working with Ty Alper, Ka'dijah Brown and Julie Sinai this year.

In later breaking news, teacher-endorsed candidate Tony Thurmond won a close election to become the State Superintendent of Public Education. He will fight to strengthen our public schools and we are thrilled with his victory. 

BFT T-shirt Days Are Happening Throughout the 2018-19 Contract Campaign
 
Mark Your Calendars!
STRS Workshop, January 10th!

This workshop is designed for educators approaching retirement although it is informative for all BFT members. This is not a sales pitch or a gimmick. STRS counselors will explain the basics of STRS retirement, the three decisions to make when retiring, and what you should be doing to prepare for retirement. The meeting will take place January 10th at 4:00 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room at the Berkeley Adult School, 1701 San Pablo Ave. (at Virginia).

BFT Accomplishments
  • Successful Sticker Actions during Secondary PD and Elementary/Middle School Parent Conferences
  • Berkeley High and Thousand Oaks teachers speaking to the School Board about our Sustainability Crisis
  • King and Sylvia Mendez teachers speaking at School Board Office Hours
  • Updated Special Education, K-12, Adult School and Substitute Negotiations Surveys
  • High member participation rate completing our Negotiations Surveys
SAVE THE DATE: ALL Member Mobilization to the School Board on March 13th, 2019 to kick off contract negotiations!
Need a New BFT T-Shirt?
If you don't have a BFT shirt, please fill out this form and send it to BFT Vice-President Matt Meyer.
Special Education Meeting February 7th
 
There will be a Special Education meeting for all Special Education practitioners except for Berkeley High School on February 7th to discuss possible negotiations proposals relating to Special Education.

A meeting for Berkeley High Special Education practitioners will be planned separately. 

BFT Member Lourdes Rivas Publishes They Call Me Mix
 
Sylvia Mendez teacher Lourdes Rivas has written a bilingual children's book that introduces concepts of gender neutral pronouns and non-binary language. You can preorder the book here.  Congratulations Maestre Lourdes!
Congratulations to National Board Certified Teachers Molly Jo Alaimo and Jaime Vines
Oxford teachers Molly Jo Alaimo and Jaime Vines have recently qualified as National Board certified teachers. Under our BFT/BUSD contract, they will receive an annual stipend of $1943 and their certification fees will be reimbursed by BUSD. We are proud to have such distinguished teachers among our ranks. If you are interested in becoming a National Board Certified teacher, please read our FAQ.
 
Are You Considering a Sabbatical or Leave of Absence for 2019-2020?
Eligible teachers who plan to apply for a sabbatical leave or request a full-time unpaid leave of absence for the 2019-2020 school year must notify Human Resources of their intentions by March 1st. Under Article 12.1.2 of the BFT/BUSD Contract, Leave of Absence requests submitted by March 1st are automatically granted. We strongly recommend reading the Sabbatical FAQ and Leave of Absence FAQ on the BFT website for more information. The Sabbatical application and  Leave of Absence Request Form are also available on our website. 
Important February 1st Deadline for Part-Time Teachers
If you are currently on full or part-time leave you need to notify BUSD of your plans for 2019-2020 by February 1st, 2019.

REMINDER: Please Do NOT “Rate” Subs in Aesop

When you are absent and your class has a substitute teacher, you may get an email from Aesop asking for feedback on your sub.  Please DO NOT use this function to express concerns.  Please see your administrator with any concerns.  Whenever possible, please also contact the sub directly.

 

 

 

Reminder:  December certificated paychecks will be directly deposited January 2nd. If you don't have direct deposit, your check will be mailed on January 2nd.

 

 

 
Is Your Sick Leave Balance Correct?
All full-time BFT members receive 11 Sick Days each year; part-time teachers receive a pro-rated amount. Additionally, if you worked in another district before coming to BUSD your Sick Leave balance should have transferred with you. It is CRITICAL that you check your 11/30 sick leave balance.  Add up the Sick Leave days you’ve received each year in BUSD plus any days that transferred with you, subtract a rough count of days you’ve used and check that against the balance on your November 30th pay stub. If it seems like there is a discrepancy, please email Monique McCray at moniquemccray@berkeley.net with a cc to your Site Rep.
 
College Scholarships Available - Deadline to Apply is January 10th
The AFT and CFT offer several college scholarship opportunities for children of union members (both high school and seniors and continuing college students).  The CFT Raoul Teilhet scholarship applications for high school seniors are due January 10, 2019 and can be found here. For students already in college, the due date is July 1st, 2019 and the application can be found here.
Do You Plan to Retire Next Year? $1000 Bonus Available for Early Notification
Teachers who formally notify BUSD in writing prior to February 7, 2018 that they plan to retire at the end of the current school year will receive a $1000 bonus. To notify BUSD, teachers should use the Separation form and scan it into an email to Brent Daniels at brentdaniels@berkeley.net.
 
Contacting BFT by Email

Members: With the exception of sensitive matters, please cc your Site Reps on all emails to bft4tchr@lmi.net so that there is full communication.  This will ensure that you get the information and assistance you need promptly.  Thanks!

 
Calendar of Coming Events
12/22/18-1/6/19 Winter Break
1/10/19 Deadline for CFT Raoul Teilhet Scholarship Application
1/10/19 STRS Workshop for Veteran Teachers--4:00PM, Berkeley Adult School
3/13/19 All Member School Board moblization