Dear Member,

Last week we set an attendance record for our September membership meeting. Let’s keep this momentum up and make another strong showing at our bargaining session with the district this Thursday September 19th. Additionally, on September 30th, the BTU will participate in a national day of action calling for sustainable funding for public education, including a contract that meets our students needs. Continue reading for more details.

If you weren’t able to attend last week’s meeting, check in with your building reps. They have received a packet of resources and a timeline with details on demonstrations both in schools and on the streets. One of our goals for this fall is to improve coordination across our union. We have more than 8,000 members spread across roughly 119 school buildings. Each building is a community within itself and if we are able to connect every one of those dots across Boston then we have activated a mighty network of advocates for the city’s children.

There are numerous ways to support our campaign: testifying at School Committee meetings, speaking to the press, participating in walk-ins and contributing to social media campaigns. Let us know how you plan to act and also consider joining our contract organizing committee.

Congratulations to Dudley Neighborhood House Charter School for submitting your postcards and winning the breakfast raffle at the membership meeting!

Our solidarity will carry us throughout this campaign to secure a fair, just and equitable contract for educators and students. We need ALL HANDS ON DECK for our first “Throwdown Thursday” of the year! All BTU members should wear their BTU shirt or a button to show the district that we are united in our pursuit of a fair contract and are committed to fighting for workers’ rights.

You can keep your BTU Blues on all day and show up to our bargaining session with the district from 5 to 8pm at the BTU Hall. Our presence at these meetings matters: it shows the district that our members are engaged, holds them accountable and forces them to justify their rejections of reasonable solutions in front of the workers who keep this district running.

The BTU will be participating in a national day of walk-ins on September 30th to highlight the importance of federal support of our students’ future and the necessity of a contract settlement that continues the investments in our students and schools that were made through ESSER funding. The national action is particularly focused on covid-era relief funding but we see this as an opportunity to educate the community about the power a contract can have in ensuring resources allocated to students remain permanent.

Without the backing of a legally enforced contract, there is no guarantee that specialized services for students with disabilities will be provided by an additional teacher or that educators will receive a wage increase which allows our members to live in the community they serve. This is an opportunity to capitalize on a national spotlight to highlight how the BTU’s mission is a boon to this city’s children.

Back to School Party and Book Fair

The BTU is hosting a back to school party for members on September 20th at the BTU Hall from 4 to 8pm. We will also be holding our annual Back to School Fair for the community on Saturday September 28th where will be donating more than 40,000 books to students, parents and educators. You can find more details about these events in the section below.

 

NEW-BTU Special Election Information:

Signatures for the position for the BTU Vice President have been collected and tallied. Candidates in this race are Lea-Antoinette Serena and Paul Christian. You will be receiving a ballot in the mail within the next week. Instructions for filling out the ballot and returning it will be included.

Please fill out and return your ballot before it gets buried in your to-do pile. Ballots must be received by October 15th in order to be counted. If you do not receive a mail-in ballot or need a replacement ballot, call the vendor hotline at (203)-403-8401.  In person voting will be held at the BTU on October 16th from 8am to 6pm. New members will not receive a mail-in ballot and must vote in person.  Dues paying BTU/RTC members in good standing can vote in this election. We would like to congratulate both candidates on their nominations!

You may contact ombudsmen Marjie Crosby and Danielle Fraine with questions or concerns at electioncommittee@btu.org. Members are welcome to attend and ask questions at the start of election committee meetings. Next meeting is Sept 30 at 5 pm at the BTU. Contact mfrank@btu with any questions about your membership status.

 

 

BTU Events and Announcements BTU Member Back to School Party: September 20th Join your union siblings at the BTU Hall from 4 to 8pm to celebrate the kick-off of another wonderful school year! Register HERE BTU 11th Annual Back to School Fair: Saturday September 28th, 10am-2pm Join Educators, Families, Students and Community Partners for a joyous day celebrating Back to School! Thousands of free books! Music, Food, Family Fun Activities and much more! Please share the word with your school community! Check out our page to register and learn more about tabling for your organization!   Join the BTU Contract Organizing Committee! The Contract Organizing Committee will work in collaboration with the negotiating team and Executive Board to develop and implement organizing and action plans for our contract bargaining campaign. We’re looking to convene a diverse group of BTU members, representing a range of bargaining units, roles, grade bands, races, experience levels, and school types across as many schools as possible. Learn more and apply here. AFT Trauma Counseling All AFT members have access to trauma counseling. If you head to aft.org/members-only, you can submit a request to meet with a mental health professional to receive support following a traumatic incident at either your workplace or in your personal life.

BTU Jewish Affinity Group: September 18th 4:30-5:30pm The BTU’s Jewish Affinity Group aims to build a safe space for Jewish BTU Members to connect and organize as Jewish educators. This is a group that welcomes people with diverse perspectives on all issues, including issues related to Israel/Palestine. Please email ptritter@btu.org to be added to our mailing list and for the link to our first meeting on September 18th. Puerto Rico: Virtual Reading and Discussion: Sept. 21st @ 3pm Join the ethnic studies committee to read and discuss the text Puerto Rico, A History, by Jorel Meléndez-Badillo! We will have a discussion with the author on Zoom on 9/21 at 3pm! All are welcome for a part or all of the events! Register HERE AFT Black Caucus: Boston Chapter 1st meeting: TODAY, September 17th The first meeting of this school year is in person at the BTU Tuesday, September 17 at 4:30 pm. Stop by to meet Black Caucus officers and members and learn about priorities for the year. Educators Thriving: Make your well-being a priority this year In this free course for BTU members learning and practicing concrete strategies to prevent burnout and support your own well-being so you can be your best for yourself and your students. Those who complete the course and all assignments are eligible to earn Academic Ladder Credits toward lane advancement. Spots filled on a first come, first served basis with final due date of September 23rd. BTU Housing Justice Beginning-of-Year Gathering: September 23rd, 4:30-6:30pm The Housing Justice Committee is kicking off the year on September 23rd at the BTU Hall. Join us to learn about how to support students experiencing homelessness, as well as how to advocate for more affordable housing for our students AND staff. Dinner will be provided. Please RSVP to attend Homework Helper Program Begins: Week of September 23rd The Boston Teachers Union, Mayor of Boston, Boston Public Schools and the Boston Public Library have sponsored the Homework Helper Program since 2004. One or two nights each week at each neighborhood library that is open, a Boston Teachers Union member will be available either from 3 – 5 or 4pm – 6 pm to help any student with their homework. The program will start the week of September 23, 2024 and end the week of May 19, 2025, and will follow the BPS calendar and not be available during vacations. Haitian Educators Committee Meeting: September 24th Welcome back to a new school year! The Haitian Educators Committee’s first meeting will be virtually on Tuesday September 24th at 5 pm. Please contact Bianca Pierre for the ZOOM link at bpierre74@gmail.com   Unafraid Educators Meeting: Monday, September 23rd @ 4:30pm Please join us at Fenway High for our September Unafraid Educators Meeting! We are the BTU’s Immigrant Rights Organizing Committee, and work to support our students and families. We will discuss goals for the upcoming school year, and share what we accomplished last year! We’ll have pizza, salads, and snacks for everyone. Power Saturdays at the BTU: SY 24-25 Power Saturdays are a monthly day for BTU members to connect, learn, and grow our power together through three unique learning and leadership development opportunities. Member Organizers: Build organizing skills and take action; Education Policy Program: Connect research, policy and practice.; Writing and Research Fellowship: Deepen personal and professional identity through research and writing. Learn more and apply.   Making Strides Against Breast Cancer: Join the BTU Walkers on Oct. 5th Join a group of your BTU union siblings at the annual Making Strides against Breast Cancer Walk at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade in Boston from 8am to 10am to contribute to the fight to eradicate breast cancer. Click here to join our team and donate! Newly Hired Para/Sub/ABA reception: October 7,2024 at 5pm Please join us for light refreshment and get to know your benefits learn more about BTU. Learn more about this reception here. Harvard Conant Fellowship Information Session: October 9th, 7-8 PM This virtual event will provide an overview of degree programs and unique funding opportunities available to BTU members. Hear from Admissions and Financial Aid officers, as well as past recipients of the James Bryant Conant Fellowship, a competitive full-tuition award to support the professional growth of outstanding educators in BPS. Register Here. Para 101 PD for newly hired paraprofessionals: Multiple session in October, November and December. Para 101 is about building a community of paras who are knowledgeable about their rights and are aware of the support and strategies that they can use to build stronger relationships with students and teachers in the classroom. Please see this flyer for all of the dates and details. Paraprofessional Informational Meeting and Resources Fair: October 10th Come join us at the BTU Hall on October 10th at 5pm for important information and great resource materials from colleges, MTEL support and more. Register here! BTU Fall Conference: October 18th to 20th Join us for the 2024 Annual BTU Fall Leadership Conference from October 18-20 at the Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Hotel (250 Market St, Portsmouth, NH 03801). The program will include plenary sessions, skill-building workshops, meals, and social events to build up our power and unity as BTU member leaders. The registration deadline is October 4th. BTU Retirement Planning Seminar: October 25, 2024, 4:30-6:30pm “When will I be able to Retire?” Find out by attending the BTU Retirement Planning Seminar on Friday, October 25, 2024. Trustees from the City of Boston Retirement Board and from Health Insurance and Social Security will also be in attendance. Register Here! The applications for Para Mentor, Para Facilitator and Teacher/ Coach are up on TalentEd  This is a great opportunity to train and mentor your fellow paraprofessionals. We are looking for two teachers to help coach and mentor the para facilitators. You must have 5 years experience in BPS to apply for any of these positions Please reach out to Colleen Hart at chart@btu.org if you have any questions . STIPEND OPPORTUNITY: Teacher/Coach for Paraprofessional Professional Development Facilitator STIPEND OPPORTUNITY: BPS/BTU Paraprofessional Professional Development Facilitator (SY24-25) STIPEND OPPORTUNITY: BPS/BTU Paraprofessional Mentor (SY24-25) Participants sought for research study: Union Engagement Project with Harvard Kennedy School Tova Wang is Director of Research in Democratic Practice at the Ash Center, Harvard Kennedy School, and is developing a project to help unions understand how union activities impact levels of union member voter participation.   Tova is interested in doing a small number of interviews of BTU leaders, and then a small number of interviews with members. All interviews will be confidential. If you would be willing to talk to her for no more than an hour, or want to learn more about it, please contact her at tovawang@hks.harvard.edu.

Professional Learning & Development Updates

Each week, we have many new and exciting Professional Learning & Development opportunities to share with you. You can find a full description of each listing on our Professional Learning & Development Updates Page.

• AFT Member Benefit Virtual Workshops
• Degree Completion
• Stipend Opportunity: Educator Feedback on SY24-25 Professional Learning
• Applications now open for fully-online or hybrid teacher/school leadership programs through Salem State
• Educators Thriving: September 17th Deadline
• Educators Thriving Staff Wellness PD: Habits; 9/25, 4 – 5:30pm
• Wellness While You Work Series: Session 1; 9/18, 4 – 5pm on Zoom
• OpenSciEd Planning Cohort (Grades 6-12): Starts Sept. 23rd

 

Community News & Events

Multilingual Education in MA: Learning from the past and present to empower future learners: September 19, 7-8:30pm

“Understanding the political landscape and the multilingual parent and student experience” is the first of three virtual sessions exploring multilingual education in Massachusetts, hosted by Citizens for Public Schools. Speakers will explore the current Massachusetts political and policy landscape for multilingual learners (MLL). They will discuss effective programming for MLLs that uphold their native languages and cultures, while learning academics and English. You can register and learn more here

EdVestors’ 19th Annual School on the Move Prize Ceremony: October 22nd Each fall, the $100,000 School on the Move Prize recognizes some of the most improving Boston Public Schools. Acknowledging the tremendous effort needed to ensure every student in Boston receives a world-class education, we shine a light on those schools, leaders, and teachers who create and continuously improve learning environments where all students thrive.

This event is free and open to the public. Please consider making a donation in support of Boston’s improving schools. Breakfast will be provided.

The Boston Desegregation and Busing Initiative’s upcoming September events

The Boston Desegregation and Busing Initiative has been actively working throughout this 50th anniversary year of Boston school desegregation and busing. The focus has been on addressing “what happened,” “lessons learned,” and “what’s next for Boston Public Schools.” There are several upcoming events including a forum at the BPL on 9/28. More information here

Free Field Trips to the Arboretum for Gr. 3 and 4

There are still open dates in November to bring students for a guided field trip at the Arnold Arboretum. Programs include Native Trees/Native Peoples (gr 3), Weathering, Erosion and Deposition (gr 4) and Plants in Autumn (gr.4). Each is 2 hours long and a free bus gets you to and from the Arboretum. To register and for more information go here.

Annual BPS Attendance Symposium: September 26th

The 8th Annual BPS Attendance Symposium on Sept. 26th, from 8:30-2:00, at the Bolling Building, 2nd Floor will convene school staff, community partners, and families to shed light on the importance of consistent attendance as a critical determinant of student success. This year’s offering will uplift strategies that deepen student’s sense of belonging while activating family partnerships to strengthen school communities and improve student mental health. Please note that space will be limited to the first 150 attendees, including staff of the schools receiving awards. Contact Gabriella Cruz at gcruz@bostonpublicschools.org for more information.

Retirement Party for Sheila Jefferson: November 1st

Sheila Jefferson is retiring from Boston Public Schools after 33 years of service! Please come celebrate with her on November 1, 2024 from 7pm- 12 midnight at Canton Town Club, 300 Bailey Street in Canton. Cost of attendance is $65 and can be sent to Venmo: @TJ-Adams-4, Zelle: 6179634879, Cashapp: $Tadams70. Any questions, contact: Sheila 617-365-4907