BFT Action - January 10th, 2021
BFT Action--January 2021
 
Welcome Back BFT Members!
DATE CHANGE!
STRS Workshop has been moved to January 26th

This workshop is designed for educators approaching retirement but all BFT members are welcome to attend.  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 26th at 3:30 p.m. 

If you are interested in attending, please use this registration link: 
Registration (gotowebinar.com).
 

The BFT Executive Board is honored to once again support the Berkeley Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast on Monday, January 18, 2021 from 9:00- 10:00 a.m. This year the event is virtual. BFT has made a donation and members who are interested can attend by registering with link above. 
 
Health and Safety Monitoring

BFT is monitoring the district's adherence to our Health and Safety MOU. Please contact BFT Vice President Janine Waddell if you feel like aspects of this MOU are not being followed.
 

2021- 2022
BFT Negotiations Team

If you would like to be considered  for the 2021-2022 BFT Negotiations Team, please send an email to BFT President Matt Meyer expressing your interest by January 13. 

 
BFT has put together an FAQ on Reopening Schools for the wider Berkeley Community. If you are getting questions from the community on this topic, please feel free to direct them to this FAQ. 

You can find BFT Negotiations Updates here.
 
CFT Convention 

The 2021 CFT Convention will take place March 26- 27th. All BFT members are eligible to become delegates.

Please email president@berkeleyteachers.org if you are interested in being a delegate. If you are a delegate, please plan on attending all day on Friday, March 26 and Saturday, March 27. Resolutions as well as changes to the CFT By-laws and Constitution to be considered at the CFT Convention should be voted on at the January 21st Executive Board Meeting. 
 
Do You Plan to Retire Next Year?
$1000 Bonus Available for Early Notification
Teachers who formally notify BUSD in writing prior to February 7, 2021 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/Retirement form available on the BFT website and scan it into an email to Samantha Tobias- Espinosa at samanthatobiasespinosa@berkeley.net  

We encourage members to make use of this union-negotiated benefit.
 
Housing Workgroup

BFT is putting together a small group of members that can speak to the need of subsidized employee housing. If this is something that interests you please contact BFT President Matt Meyer. 
 
Are You Considering a Sabbatical or Leave of Absence for 2020-2021?
Eligible teachers who plan to apply for a sabbatical leave or request a full-time unpaid leave of absence for the 2021-2022 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. 
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Reduced Workload Leave "Willie Brown"
You must notify HR by April 15th if you are want to take a Reduced Workload Leave. Information can be found here.
 

Want To Enroll Your Child In A Berkeley School?

Article 21.3 of the BUSD/BFT contract gives you this right, even if you do not live in Berkeley and are part-time. See the "Enrolling Your Child in a BUSD School" FAQ for more important details. 
 
 
Calendar of Coming Events
1/18/21 No School--Martin Luther King Jr. Day
1/25/20 Professional Development Day
1/26/21 STRS Workshop for Veteran Teachers--3:30 p.m