Reminder: Election for the Delegates to the 2017 NYSUT RA will be held in buildings February 9 & 10^th.  We are electing 11 delegates out of 13 candidates. The two with the fewest votes will serve as alternates.

If you are a new member and have not filled out a membership form yet you will not be eligible to vote.  Please see your SFT Building Director if you have any questions. *Teachers assigned to multiple buildings will be voting in the building where paychecks are sent. All membership questions should go to Laurie Rasmussen rasmussenl@schenectady.k12.ny.us.

The delegate nominees are attached here as well.  We appreciate your participation in this election!

Paraprofessional  SFT Building Representatives are invited to attend the NYSUT Leadership Conference March 18-19 2017 at The Otesaga in Cooperstown, NY. Call Patti Zentko, 518-268-8935 for details. 

The Teacher and Paraprofessional sick banks are a wonderful benefit available through your SFT membership. These banks cover catastrophic illnesses and accidents which can be devastating in many ways. At a time when you need your salary and health benefits the most they are lost if you run out of your own accumulated leave. 

As a member of either the SFT/SCSD Teacher or Paraprofessional Sick Bank, one’s salary and health insurance benefits can be protected for up to a period of 90 days per school year after the member has exhausted their accumulated leave. (Medical documentation must be presented to the respective Sick Bank Committees when days are requested. Approval is granted/shared by the Sick Bank Committees and the director of Human Resources.)

·        Enrolling is a simple process. An individual completes the one page form below and mails it directly to the SFT office.

·        Joining requires the donation of two days into the bank in the first year of membership and one day per year in subsequent years.

·        The enrollment period will continue through December 23, 2016. Members who have already enrolled do not need to enroll again.

All Sick Bank communications are to be mailed through US mail attention SFT Teacher or Paraprofessional Sick Bank at 740 Union Street, Schenectady, NY 12305. 

Taylor Mali, slam poet extraordinaire!

Thursday, November 17th at 7 pm

Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady on Wendell Ave

Mr. Mali is the author of "What Teachers Make."  Billy Collins says, "Taylor Mali is tagged as a performance poet, but his performances, rather than being frontal assaults, are leavened by charm and wit."  Bob Holman writes, "Mali's poems are CLEAR.  They are almost always HYSTERICALLY FUNNY, often SENTIMENTAL, APPEALING, ACCESSIBLE. And SMART."  Stephen Holden, of The New York Times says, "Mr. Mali is a ranting comic showman and literary provocateur."  This is an evening you don't want to miss.  Tickets are $15 per adult, $10 per student.

Proceeds go to Safe Passage, a non-profit organization working in Guatemala City to bring hope, education, and opportunity to the children and families living in extreme poverty around the city's garbage dump.

For more information, contact Jennifer Edgar-Johnson at edgarj@schenectady.k12.ny.us

SFT Officer Elections

Officer elections occur in May. Up for election this year are: President, First Vice president, Middle level Vice president, one elementary vice president, Treasurer and Paraprofessional Chairperson.

Nominations should be forwarded by April 17th to Krista Hawk, SFT Secretary at hawk@schenectady.k12.ny.us. If you have any questions please email Juliet Benaquisto at pres803@verizon.net

*New York State Public Education Day of Action Thursday March 3^rd!!

SFT MEMBERS ARE BEING ASKED TO WEAR RED AND PARTICIPATE IN TWO EVENTS!

Happy Hour at Centre Street Pub (flyer attached)

Thursday March 3^rd 3:30-6:00 pm 308 Union St.

Locals from all over the Capital District will be coming to together to socialize and take political actions to support NYSUT’s lobbying day on March 8th.

                        -There will be food, a DJ, and raffles.

                        -This is a family friendly event.

Rally At Lincoln Elementary School (flyer attached)

AQE, Citizen Action and NYSUT are hosting a rally on Thursday, March 3rd at 7:15am at Lincoln Elementary School. They are asking parents and community members to attend in support of our children, our schools, and our communities. 
Stand up for our schools for the funding we need and deserve. Let our local and state representatives know that we need support for our schools and families, not threats of being taken over and taken away from local control. We will not stand for receivership schools being stolen from the communities they serve instead of being properly funded.

This is the Facebook page for this event:  https://www.facebook.com/events/1678524155753013/

*Equitable Funding Petition Drive is taking place!

SFT Building Directors will be asking all members to sign a petition created by the Campaign 4 Equity Funding –Schenectady.  This organization was started by local clergy in Schenectady and the petition reads We the undersigned demand by means of this petition our elected officials to more fully represent us and provide 100% of the state funding (62 million) to the children of the Schenectady’s School District by fully implementing the Foundation Aid Formula for this fiscal year and continuing thereafter.  The goal is to have the petitions filled out by Thursday so that they can be delivered to state officials as a part of the Schenectady Lobby Day on March 7^th (more details on the below).

*Schenectady Lobby Day March 7^th

You are all invited to join the Campaign 4 Equity Funding Schenectady in a time of prayer and in meeting with legislators at the Governor's Mansion on Monday, March 7, as we lobby for the $60 Million that is due to the Schenectady School District. 

Attached is the event flyer, and below is the day's schedule.

Please email: JoinSSD@gmail.com or Text Bernardo Martinez at 518-428-9339 to reserve your seat on the bus!

9:30 am - Bus departs at Emmanuel Friedens Church, 218 Nott Terrace, Schenectady

10:00 am - Bus arrives at Emmanuel Baptist Church, 275 State Street, Albany

10:00-10:45 am - Speakers at the Church welcome and go over talking points

10:45-11:15 am - Posters and Lunch - We will make hand-drawn signs to bring to the Capitol and eat a bagged lunch

11:15-11:50 am - March to the Capitol and get through security

12 Noon - Press Conference in War Room on 2nd floor of the Capitol with Labor Religion Coalition

12:30-1:30 pm - meet with Senators Farley and Amedore (All pastors will be asked to participate.)

2:00 pm - Bus leaves for Schenectady