As per Article XX, B of the Certified Staff contract, SWBOCES provides the Benefits Trust with a negotiated amount of $1750 per member each year for the Benefits Trust to provide members to that bargaining unit. No dues monies are used to provide benefits to members.
The Benefits Trust would like to remind you of all of the benefits provided to you through the Trust. Additionally, some of the benefits have been enhanced starting March 1, 2026. We strongly encourage all members (and their families) to use their benefits. If you need to add family members, change existing family members or have a question about your benefits, please reach out to one of the Trustees at the bottom of this bulletin.
DAVIS VISION
Effective March 1, 2026, all Certified Staff and their family members are entitled to a year exam and a pair of glasses or a year’s supply of contact lenses. This is an increase from the biannual exam with either glasses or one year’s supply of contact lenses. Click here to locate a Davis Vision provider near you.
DELTA DENTAL
The group number for all Certified Staff is 10919. That number, along with your birthdate, is all that is needed when going to a dentist that takes Delta Dental.
CHANGE TO ORTHOPEDICS
orthodontics have increased from $1750/dependent to $2500/dependent over the course of their lifetime. This increase began on March 1st, 2026 only for new dependents who receive orthodontics. If your child was wearing braces as of March 1st or wore braces in the past, you unfortunately do not get the additional $750 increase.
STACEY BRAUN FINANCIAL PLANNING
The BTA has a new benefit that started March 1st, 2026: 6 free sessions of financial planning with Stacey Braun Associates. To schedule an appointment, call the number below or scan the QR code and fill out an online form. See the flyers below for more information.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS REIMBURSEMENT
FELDMAN, KRAMER, AND MONACO
Everyone is entitled to a free will, healthcare proxy, power of attorney and living will as part of a legal security package through the law firm of Feldman, Kramer and Monaco. The BTA holds virtual will days twice per year, but you are welcome to work with the law firm outside of those days as well. The law firm can also help with other legal matters such as divorce, mortgage refinancing, traffic violations, etc. See this brochure for more information.
UNUM BENEFITS
UNUM offers Certified Staff three additional benefits. Click on each link for more information
NYSUT provides all members with additional benefits for being a NYSUT member. These include free subscription to the Calm App for you and 5 family members, discounted tickets, and hotels, savings on pet insurance, defensive driving courses and much more! Click on the NYSUT Member Benefits logo to learn more.
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:
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.
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.
Pictured from top left in a clockwise motion: Mairead Schuelein and Ann Marie Ross at the rally, NYSUT President Melinda Person, Governor Kathy Hochul, Mairead with NYSUT Executive Vice President Jaime Ciffone, and AFT President Randi Weingarten.
More than 15,000 people attended NYSUT’s Fix Tier 6 rally on Sunday, March 8th. This included teachers, SRPs, nurses, firefighters, police officers and government employees. Thank you to Ann Marie Ross for joining Mairead up in Albany. Governor Hochul and State Majority Leader, Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins both spoke at the rally about the importance of fixing Tier 6 this year. Additionally, the one house budgets came out on 3/11 and indicate both the state Senate and Assembly want changes to Tier 6. See this reel from NYSUT President Melinda Person and the press release from NYSUT on the rally. We won’t quit until we Fix Tier 6!
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. An email with a link to a swag shop will be sent out in the next few days, with a choice of two shirts, one in men’s and one in women’s sizing. The deadline and how to order will be included in the email. All orders will be sent to Mairead and then distributed to sites. 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!
Certified Staff Benefits Additions
As mentioned at the January and February Rep Council meeting as well as in a separate bulletin on February 23rd, the Benefits Trust has add additional benefits for all Certified Staff effective March 1st, 2026. All concerns about vision coverage have been rectified but please let us know if you continue to have an issue. The changes include:
Increase in coverage of orthodontics for kids
Increase in coverage of orthodontics for kids
Yearly vision exam with glasses or contact coverage
Addition of the Stacey Braun financial counseling
Monetary reimbursement by the Trust for up to $400 of specific items/services that relate to health and wellness as determined by the Trustees
Please note: If you have changed your address since July 1, 2025, please include an updated address with your receipt so that the check can be mailed to the correct location.
Virtual Employee’s Retirement System (ERS) workshop
The NYSUT Tarrytown Regional Office will be holding a virtual ERS seminar on Thursday, April 9, 2026 from 4:30-6pm. This is not just for people considering retirement, but for all members who will eventually retire into the system. Teacher Aides and PTs and OTs are all part of ERS. Please register via this flyerand a Zoom link will be sent to you the day before the meeting.
Virtual Will Day – Thursday, April 9th
The Spring Virtual Will Day will be held on Thursday, April 9th from 3pm to 6pm. A flyer will be sent out next week. Aides – you are also eligible for a free will through NYSUT. Please reach out to Vitaliya at navitaliya to sign up.
LAP 1:1 Conversations
As one of our LAP campaigns, the LAP team selected members across various sites to hold 1:1 conversations with BTA members over the next coming months. These conversations will be approximately 10 minutes in length, and will be used to get information from our members such as their charity interests, what tier they are, and their perception of the BTA. Thank you to all of those who responded “yes” to being chosen and a reminder that a short Zoom training will take place on Monday, March 16th at 6:30pm. If you are someone interested in being one of the interviewers, please reach out to Mairead.
Congratulations Robert DelGreco and Anchelle Allen!
Congratulations to BTA members Robert DelGreco and Anchelle Allen for February 6, 2026 being named a day in their honor by the Westchester County Board of Legislators. They were also named Champions of Change by NYSSBA back in January.
Know Your Contract campaign
The 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
Meghan McCann with her prize
Retirement Info from NYSUT Member Benefits
Congratulations Edith Rivera!
Edith was the recipient of the SWBOCES Ambassador award, which was presented to her at the March 4th Board of Education meeting. Read more about Edith’s award here
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 #5: Under New York State Education Law and Commissioner’s Regulations, either the Superintendent or the Board can recommend a teacher for tenure. 62.5% of members answered it was true. The correct answer is false.
As per NYS Ed Law 3012, only the Superintendent can recommend a teacher for tenure. The Board of Education then votes on that recommendation.
NYSUTHealth and Educational Professionals Conference
NYSUT is holding this upcoming conference in Ossining, NY. See the flyer for more details. This conference offers 5.5 CEU hours for social workers.
Free CTLE hours through NYSUT
Welcome New Members!
Donna Bruno, Rye Lake
Denise Alvarez, Irvington
Reminders
Next Rep Council meeting: The next Rep Council meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 18th at 4pm via 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 events.
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.
BOCES Teachers Association 