BLOOMINGTON FEDERATION OF TEACHERS

Autumn is here and the 2020-21 school year is in full swing! With the start of this very unusual school year, the BFT had a major, although temporary, change. I am filling in as BFT President for Wendy Marczak while she is out on medical leave.

My job as acting president is and has been to monitor the MN Department of Health information and recommendations, our Governor's mandates, and our contract with BPS to ensure the district is in compliance. I am also working with Education Minnesota regarding workload issues. Governor Walz is well aware of the overwhelming special education paperwork and other issues around transitions and workload. He is very concerned about the number of teachers wanting to leave the profession. I am hoping this will result in changes coming from the state.

Please take the time to read the district's Covid Preparedness Plan. It details what has and is being done to keep students and staff save. Changes and updates to this living document will be listed in The Inside Page. In an effort to ensure that the Covid Preparedness Plan is carried out, the BFT has created a Safety MOU and is working to have the district agree to support it.

Stay healthy, be safe!

In solidarity,

Carole

• The Hybrid Shift: Staff Health & Safety Information

• Hybrid Shift Timeline

• Preparedness Plan updates

• Flu Shot Clinic Information

• The BFT VOTES 2020 contest is well underway! We are running our contest on the BFT Facebook page AND the BloomingtonBFT Instagram page. Give BOTH a follow to make sure you don't miss any of the fun. We've had four challenges and so far, and the leaderboard can be seen here. We will offer prizes for different levels of point earners after the election is over.

• Thank you to everyone who purchased a BFT mask! Masks are still available. Email Carole Bennett to purchase one.
• We are putting money raised into prize money for our BFT VOTES 2020 contest!

Voting Information-Minnesota League of Women Voters

If you haven’t had any BFT dues taken out of your October 20th paycheck or the wrong amount is taken out (based on the Dues Structure total divided by 16) email Lacey Dawson, ASAP.

• 2020-21 Dues Structure. (Take the total divided by 16 to figure out your deduction amount PER paycheck.)
• Directions: How to check your paycheck for the correct dues deduction.