Welcome to the website of the Beacon Teachers’ Association, NYSUT local 13010 and AFT local 2490. We are a union of professional educators employed by the Beacon City School District located in the Hudson valley region in New York State, approximately 90 miles north of New York City. Our members are teachers, social workers, school psychologists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, library media specialists and guidance counselors. Our local is part of the 600,000 member New York State United Teachers (NYSUT). We are nationally affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the AFL-CIO. We are dedicated in maintaining a fair and professional relationship with the Beacon City School District with the goals of ensuring the most productive instructional conditions for teachers and the best possible learning opportunities for our students. We value the need to build and maintain a healthy and meaningful relationship with the community we serve.
BTA wins four awards in journalism in the 2010 New York Teacher Journalism Competition sponsored by NYSUT. Awards include:
· Award of Merit: Best Website and Best New Story: "New York State Budget Crisis" (January, 2009)
· First Place: Best Opinion: "Beacon's Future is in your Hands” (November, 2008) and Best Newsletter (November, 2008)
The BTA is offering three courses for new teachers (0-5 years) and space is limited. These ELT (Education Learning Trust) courses are offered FREE to Beacon Teachers from NYSUT.
· Classroom Management- October 28, 2009
· Achieving Tenure- January 26, 2010
· Effective Discipline Strategies- April 20, 2010
All classes will be held from 4-6pm in the LGI at Beacon High School. Please sign up with Amanda Conover or Cassandra O’Dell as soon as possible.
The BTA is offering a FREE retirement seminar for teachers within ten years of retirement. The seminar will be on March 8, 2010 in the LGI at Beacon High School from 4-6pm. Space is very limited. If you are interested in attending this seminar, contact Gina Fontenot as soon as possible.
Dear Colleagues,
I hope you have enjoyed a well rested summer. This summer members of our union continued working on developing and strengthening our Association as many hours were spent planning for the upcoming school year. Diane D’Uva (Vice President), Dawn Clemens (Secretary), Charlotte Sypher (NYSUT delegate), John Burns (Vote/Cope coordinator), along with me attended NYSUT’s Leadership conference in Cooperstown, New York. NYSUT also offered a new presidents conference in Latham, N.Y., in which I was able to attend as well. Each of these conferences was very informational and well received. We had the opportunity to learn the many facets and functions of our union.
Our new leadership will continue on a path to help educate not only ourselves but the members in which we serve. We plan to work diligently to strengthen communications through general membership meetings, Between Assignments, and our newly implemented web page, Beaconteachers.org. I would like to recognize and thank Tom Burns, Bill Castaldi, and Dawn Clemens for their hours of commitment and dedication in developing our website.
During this past school year, many new people got involved in various levels of our union leadership. We are striving for a more unified group where members will take active roles while learning the functions of our union. It is through our efforts with coalition building, outreaches with the community, and participation at various levels of decision making that guarantee us a voice in matters of professional concern within our district. The BTA has participated in many activities and functions over the course of last year, such as: fundraising, committee work, community mailings, School Board recognition, BTA apparel, NYSUT Representative Assembly, ED13 meetings, various NYSUT meetings, DCUTC Presidents’ meetings, retirement seminar, public relations, social events, Parent University, endorsement of Board candidates, Board of Education meetings, finance meetings, education meetings, teacher appreciation, SRP recognition, REACH reading program, scholarships, amending and ratifying constitution and bylaws, VOTE/COPE contributions, and established a union office.
The BTA is recognized for its commitment, work, and voice at all levels of action. We have a dedicated and outstanding group of professionals throughout our Association and I am confident we will continue to grow.
This year, I ask for everyone to do at least one thing for the BTA. Your contribution on some level is what makes the difference. The energy and efforts made by each of you is visible and welcome. Whether you have worn BTA apparel, chaired a committee, attended an event, or assisted in anyway, you have made an impact and I appreciate all of the efforts on behalf of all of us. To all of our members who have stepped forward and engaged on some level, I thank you for your professionalism, your energy, your curiosity, your wisdom, and your tenacity. With the help of new voices, new committees, improved technology, and renewed partnerships we will continue to steadily improve in a positive direction. I look forward to working with all of you this year and wish you all the best!
