BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — After 42 years, the Buffalo Teachers Federation President Phil Rumore, is retiring.
However, this was not the only notable topic at Wednesday night's Buffalo Public Schools Board meeting.
There was a packed agenda.
Board members wrapped up their meeting, covering a number of key issues including the ongoing discussion over the teachers union contract, adding new items to the curriculum and a major announcement regarding the head of the teachers union.
Rumore sharing this information via a thank you letter - ahead of Wednesday night's BPS meeting.
PREVIOUS STORY: Buffalo Teachers Federation President announces retirement
Riverside High School history teacher, Marc Bruno, shared his experience after working with Rumore for the last 22 years, which is also his entire career span.
Bruno said, "Unions are like families. We get together a lot. We laugh together. We cry together. Sometimes we argue with each other and then we move on and do it all over again. Phil Rumore is a tightened something that will probably never be seen in this city again."
This as the Buffalo Public Schools Board members reached an agreement after three hours, Tuesday, just one day ahead of Wednesday night's school board meeting.
"We reached the framework of a tentative, collective bargaining agreement for our teachers which we are very excited about," Buffalo Public Schools lawyer, Nathaniel Kuzma said.
After years of no contract, the District's contract lawyer is hoping for a unanimous agreement for the union.
"We've been negotiating for the last four years. Our teachers have been without a contact and it's been a noisy, contentious process at times. Our state of goal is to get a contract that our teachers can be proud of. I think we've accomplished that with the union," Kuzma said.
Lastly, the board handled picking a new Native American Resource Program Supervisor.
"It's very important for our students to see a familiar face," Celina Irene said, "Part of the cultural identity issues, we're hoping will be filled with learning your culture and your language."
A member of Seneca Nation and a member of the Wolf clan, Celina Irene, is the Native American Parent/Student Committee Treasurer.
She said the committee want there to be a nationwide search for this role, and wants there to be a Native preference.
"You need to be Native American to understand our culture, our language, our unique historical trauma from the residential boarding school. We all are descendants of grandparents and great-grandparents who grew up in these residential boarding schools," Irene said.
The Board will be reviewing and voting on that contract on a special meeting Friday, April 21 at 3 p.m.
Teachers will be convening at Kleinhans Music Hall Monday afternoon to vote
To watch Wednesday night's BPS Board meeting in its entirety, click here.
