April 9, 2026 bulletin – Free BTA shirts, 1:1 conversations, discount tickets
NEW BTA T-shirts for everyone!
All BTA members will be receiving a complimentary NEW BTA t-shirt as part of one of our LAP initiatives. The deadline is Friday, April 10th. Your code for the shirt was sent by either Mairead or Stacey to your personal email address. How to order:
- Click the link here
- Choose one shirt you would like (men’s and women’s styles are available) and the size
- Add it to your cart
- Check out – you will not be asked for payment information. Ensure your first and last names are accurate
Once delivered, we will start having Wear Your Shirt Wednesdays, with spotters recording all those who wear their shirts to be entered for a drawing for a prize. This is a way to build solidarity and unity among our members. Thank you to our LAP team for this great initiative!
BTA Spring Election:
The BTA spring election will be held Tuesday, May 19th at Irvington, St. Matt’s, Transfiguration, CTE/Valhalla and Rochambeau and Wednesday, May 20th at Rye Lake Upper and Lower Campus from 3-4pm. The nomination ballot was sent out via email on Monday, April 6th and nominations will be accepted until Friday, April 17th at 3pm. The following positions will be contested
- Treasurer
- Grievance Chair
- Recording Secretary
- TA Represntative
- Aides Representative (2 Positions)
- ALC Representative
- RA Delgate
LAP 1:1 Conversations
Thank you to our 20+ volunteers for beginning our 1:1 conversation campaign. Over 90 conversations have already been had, which is a great start. Each conversation should last less than 10 minutes and is used to better get to know our members.
Know Your Contract Campaign
Know Your Contract campaign for Certified Staff is an ongoing campaign to encourage members to read and learn their contract. Reach out to a winner to see how they won. There are still approximately 30 winners still out there!
Karen Canino, RLC/Irvington
Darlene Brice, CTE
Demetria Thomas, St. Matt’s
Sabrina Ereditario, Irvington
Jane Shields, Irvington/St. Matt’s
Tiziana DeMasi, RLC
Cristina Piccolo, RLC
Meghan McCann, Transfiguration
Know Your Rights
Thank you to all of you who completed the Know Your Rights survey that was sent throughout August and September. Each month I will highlight a different question that was on the survey, how our members responded and the State Education law that explains the answer to the survey.
Question #6: Under New York State Education Law and Commissioner’s Regulations, a probationary term must be 3 years long. 55% of members answered it was false. The correct answer is false. Way to go!
As per NYS Ed Law 3012, teachers can receive tenure after 3 years if already tenured in a prior district. If not, the probationary term is 4 years long.
NYSUTMembers Organizing Institute
Are you looking for a different opportunity to make additional money this summer? Do you have interest having one to one conversations with NYSUT members while going door to door in your community? NYSUT holds a Member Organizing Institute to train members to do this work. The training is paid for and pay is $25/hour to do the work. If this sounds like something you are interested in, you can find more information here. The application deadline is April 15th.
NYSUT Member Discount Events
NYSUT has secured discounted tickets for various sporting, musical, entertainment and theater events throughout the state including the Yankees, Islanders, Rangers and the Nets locally. Gather your family members and friends and use the NYSUT discount codes provided here to secure your tickets for specific dates.
Upcoming Webinar: Homebuying & Refinancing Tips from Mid-Island Mortgage
Join us on Wednesday, May 27 at 6 p.m. for an informational webinar hosted by representatives from NYSUT Member Benefits & Mid-Island Mortgage. Are you in the market to purchase a new home, refinance your mortgage, or renovate to build more equity?
Whatever your homeownership priorities, Mid-Island Mortgage will guide you through every step, start to finish.
Registration link: https://nysut.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_a5R41PSmRwmKPLJQtE36Fg
Welcome New Members!
Gio Brice, Transfiguration
Tevar Richburg, Transfiguration
Reminders
Next Rep Council meeting: The next Rep Council meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 15th at 4pm at St. Matt’s. Meeting will also be done over Zoom. Zoom link to follow!
BTA text list: If you wish to receive texts from the BTA, please fill out this form. The BTA does not give out your cell phone number to outside parties. We use it to send reminders about meetings and upcoming event.
If you receive an email from your supervisor saying you can bring a union rep to a scheduled meeting, reach out to one of the Reps or Exec Board members listed at the bottom of this bulletin ASAP.
Executive Board and Reps
Mairead Schuelein, President
Jason Poniatowski, Executive Vice President
Stacey DiPaola, Treasurer
Derrick Green, 1st Vice President of Aides
Keith Mattos, 2nd Vice President of ALC
Mike Piccolo, Grievance Chair
Rosalie Consani, Corresponding Secretary
Liz Lopez, Recording Secretary
Julie Crosier, Teacher Rep
Theresa Saive, Teacher Rep
Pierre Fils, CTE Rep
BOCES Teachers Association 