May 6, 2026 bulletin – Wear Your Shirt Wednesdays, End of Year Happy Hour, Spring Election
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! The BTA appreciates the hard work that all of our staff do. Be on the lookout for a small gift from the BTA this week from a Rep or Exec Board member at your site.
NEW BTA T-shirts for everyone!
T-shirts are in! Mairead will be distributing t-shirts to Reps and sites this week for distribution.
Beginning Wednesday, May 13th, every Wednesday will be “Wear Your Shirt Wednesdays”, with spotters recording all those who wear their shirts to be entered for a drawing for a prize. Mairead will reach out to some of you who have volunteered to be spotters at your sites through the 1:1 conversations. This is a way to build solidarity and unity among our members. Take pictures of you with your co-workers wearing your shirts to be posted in the next bulletin and on social media. 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. Election flyers/posters/bios that have been submitted have been distributed to Reps and all materials are posted on the BTA vicepresident. The following positions will be on the ballot:
Treasurer
Grievance Chair
Recording Secretary
TA Representative
RA Delegate
BTA End of Year Happy Hour
The BTA will be holding an end of the year Happy Hour on Wednesday, June 3rd at 3:30pm at Bar 141 in Thornwood. Every member will get one free drink and complimentary appetizers. Wear your union shirt and come meet old friends and new members. Please RSVP on this form so that we have a head count for the restaurant. Deadline to RSVP is Friday, May 29th.
NYSUT Representative Assembly
Thank you to Mairead Schuelein and Rosalie Consani for attending NYSUT’s President Conference and Representative Assembly in Albany April 30th – May 1st. They received information on AI in bargaining, STEPS/APPR transitions, legal update, an update from SED as well as voted on NYSUT’s legislative priorities for the upcoming year. Congratulations to former president Marty Sommer on the passing of a retiree resolution he wrote.
LAP 1:1 Conversations
Thank you to our 20+ volunteers for beginning our 1:1 conversation campaign. Over 150 conversations have already been had. Each conversation should last less than 10 minutes and is used to better get to know our members.
Stacey Braun in-person financial planning sessions
All Certified Staff are entitled to 6 hours of virtual or in-person financial planning per year through the new benefit offered by Benefits Trust. In-person sessions will be held on Tuesday, May 19th from 3-5:30pm in the conference room in building 2 of RLC and on Tuesday, June 9th from 3-5:30pm in the conference room at Transfiguration. See the flyer below to sign up. Sign ups are directly through Stacey Braun, either through the QR code or by calling the number or emailing the email address listed directly above the QR code.
Contractual Deadlines for Retirement and Rescinding ESY
Certified Staff: If you plan to retire on the last school day of January 2027 (January 29, 2027) and use your BOCES Bucks, you must submit your retirement notice to HR by Friday, May 15th at 4pm. You can put in to retire at any other time of the year but will not receive your BOCES Bucks.
Aides: If you put in to work ESY this year and now do not want to work ESY, you must rescind the offer by Friday, May 15th. If you miss the deadline, you may not be entitled to summer work in the summer of 2027.
Know Your Rights
Thank you to all of you who completed the Know Your Rights survey that was sent throughout last 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 #7: Under New York State Education Law and Commissioner’s Regulations, probationary service can transfer from district to district. 72.5% 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. Probationary service does not transfer from district to district.
NYSUTDefensive Driving Course
Are you interested in lowering your car insurance? NYSUT is offering a two day defensive driving course through Member Benefits for $34. The course will be held virtually from 6-9pm on May 20th and 21st. Policyholders can save up to 10% on their car insurance. Check out this link to enroll.
NYSUT Member Benefits
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!
Joshue Ramirez, Rye Lake Campus
Jennifer Scelia, Irvington
Reminders
BASIS Sign Up for 2026-2027 School Year: If you are interested in signing up for BASIS, the form will be sent out via your SWBOCES email on Thursday or Friday of this week.
Next General Membership meeting: The next BTA General Membership meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 27th at 4pm at Transfiguration. 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 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.
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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
Reminder: Benefits bulletin – Get to know your Certified Staff benefits
April 24, 2026
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 ORTHODONTICS
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 MEMBER BENEFITS
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.
CERTIFIED STAFF BENEFITS TRUSTEES
Tyree Morris, Chairperson
Jane Shields, Secretary
Stacey DiPaola, Treasurer
Peter Schwartzott, Trustee
Mairead Schuelein, President of the BTA
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BOCES Teachers Association 