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| Frequently Asked Questions | Officers & Committees | Directions | Contact Us | Links |
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| Greetings! Although we have not yet reached an agreement on staffing for teachers and paras in schools noticed for closing or redeployment, teachers and paras in those schools are invited to a meeting at the BTU on Monday, November 24th, at 4:00 PM. At the meeting we will provide up-to-date information on the status of negotiations at that time. Please insure that all staff is advised of this meeting. ******************************************************** Congratulations to the eight schools that sent in completed Discovery School applications. We will be in touch shortly.
On Monday or Tuesday of this week the BTU will post an announcement of the hiring of two teacher-leader positions at our new school, the Boston Teacher Union School, which will open as a K1-2 & 6, at the Young Achievers Site this September. In a previous memo, we referred to the school as a K0-2 & 6. It is a K1 -2 & 6. Mea culpa. More information will be forthcoming in that bulletin. Here's the procedure we envision: post on 11/17 or 18, submission of applications by 12/5, paper screen applicants through 12/12, and try to conduct interviews by the holiday. Then we will do some on-site visits in early January. ******************************************************** On December 2, at the BTU, we are having an all-day meeting to discuss the programmatic offerings available in the BPS. The union and the superintendent are jointly sponsoring this event. We are working together to inform people of the wonderful scope and breadth of our academic programs in the BPS. See article below on charter schools to obtain more information about the December 2 meeting. Invitations to schools have been sent. |
| Be Aware: Understand BPS Options Before Recommending Charter Schools to Students in Transition Grades |
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| Each year many school employees inadvertently recommend charter school options to our students looking for a new school at a transition grade. We have many terrific programs in our own schools that we ought to recommend FIRST before suggesting charter school options to our students. |  |
For every student who goes to a charter schools, the city must pay $11,000 in tuition to that charter school. This year, the city is spending $49.5 Million in charter school payments. This is money that would otherwise be spent in our own classrooms on our own students. By the way, if you took that $49.5 Million and spread it out over each of the 55,800 students in our schools, it would amount to an increase of $887.10 per pupil in spending on our own students. That's a lot of money, a lot of extra resources. So, please let's be attentive to this loss of resources when we make recommendations to students. For your information, here's a list of Boston-based charter schools:
Here's a list of our own Boston Public Schools . There may be some people reading this who feel we are being too harsh. Consider this: At best the charter schools ignore us. At worst, they badmouth us. None of them publicizes our offerings in a favorable light. None of them entertains us in their schools, gives us an audience, and allows us to publicize our programs to their students. Yet, we invite them into our schools, we give them space, and we allow their recruitment posters to take root in our corridors. What's wrong with this picture? Please familiarize yourself with the terrific programs we offer. And please think twice before encouraging our students to leave the BPS. The BTU and the School Department are sponsoring an event on 12/2, that will further explain our system's programmatic offerings to key people in each school at each grade level. On Tuesday, December 2, 2008, at the Boston Teachers Union Hall, 180 Mt. Vernon Street, Dorchester, the following meetings will take place. Session I, from 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM. K-8 and Middle Schools hear from High Schools about their offerings; Breakfast will be provided. Session II, from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM. Elementary School leaders hear from Middle Schools and some K-8 Schools about their offerings; Lunch will be provided. |
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| Elevator Version: What Would You Recommend Re. Literacy if you had 30 Seconds with Dr. Johnson |
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Imagine that you were traveling in an elevator with Dr. Johnson, what would you recommend be incorporated into the citywide literacy plan? |
Responses will be kept anonymous, however, please identify your grade level. Also indicate whether you would like to be part of a possible Literacy Plan Focus Group.Email your responses to Betsy Drinan . The 'elevator questions' are brought to you periodically by the BTU's Professional Issues Committee as a way of surveying the membership regarding important issues in the BPS. Responses are compiled and shared with the superintendent in an effort to increase teacher voice in policy debates and decision making in the district. Please share this with a colleague. |
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| Boston Teachers Union School Looking for a Grant Writer |
The BTU Pilot school planning committee is looking for a grant writer. Do you have successful experience writing grants? Please contact Michael McLaughlin . |
| Important Class Size Notice to Teachers |
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We want to remind everyone whose maximum class - size is over the limit in the 2008 - 2009 school year to take the following steps: |
| Notify the BTU immediately by going to the BTU website and file your class - size violation, i.e. the particular class and the number of students that report to your class. |
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| Dates: Parties, SSC, Certification, Celtics, NBPTS, Seminars |
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| DC School Chief Offers $$ to Swap Tenure. Controversial School Head's Stock in Trade: Promote Divisiveness |
Wash DC school Chief, Michelle Rhee, continues her single-handed fight to abolish tenure in return for a temporary wage increase. See recent NY Times article A School Chief Takes On Tenure, Stirring a Fight. Want to read more? In today's Washington Post, there's an article you will find equally chilling. Read how the superintendent and the mayor in DC are 'seeking federal legislation declaring the school system in a "state of emergency," a move that would eliminate the need to bargain with the Washington Teachers' Union.' |
| Mass AFL-CIO Scholarship Competition |
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We are pleased to announce the 51st Annual Scholarship Awards Program for all high school seniors throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts who are seeking higher education. Students attending schools outside of Massachusetts must obtain permission from their high school to participate. The contact at the high school should then contact Jackie Bergantino, MA AFL-CIO Scholarship Coordinator, at 781-324-8230 x 10 for further instructions. |
| L4L Update |
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Annual Laptop Registration |
| Some Real (Bad) Economic Data |
Last week we linked to ominous economic data from the Economic Policy Institute. The link didn't work. Let's try again . |
| Science Teachers' November "Science Social"! |
From 3-7pm, on 11/21, come join us as we relax, network, and enjoy the company of the dynamic BPS science community. Each month features a different neighborhood and host schools. Special thanks to UMass COSMIC for sponsoring appetizers.
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| Son of BTU Member Needs Bone Marrow Donor |
Alexander Phan, son of Murphy School Paraprofessional Khoi Phan is in need of a bone marrow donor. Khoi Phan is the brother of Holland School teacher Jen Phan and MPHS teacher Tuan Phan. There are three marrow donor drives occurring locally in November and December.
need donors who are between the ages of 18 and 60, meet the health guidelines. When you go to a donor drive, the NMDP staff will explain what it means to become a donor, help you understand your commitment, answer your questions and help you through the process. All you need to do is:Complete a registration form with contact information, health history questions and a signed agreement to join the NMDP Registry. To help you complete the form, bring along:
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| Celtics Tix--ALL SOLD OUT |
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| There are NO tickets left for either game. Sorry. |
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| Obituary |
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Sincerely,
Richard Stutman
BTU President
rstutman@btu.org (work)
617-288-2000
BTU e-Bulletins
Back Issues
| 2008 - 09 School Year | |
| #1 | 07/18/08 |
| #2 | 08/29/08 |
| #3 | 09/08/08 |
| #4 | 09/14/08 |
| #5 | 09/22/08 |
| #6 | 09/27/08 |
| #7 | 10/01/08 |
| #8 | 10/05/09 |
| #9 | 10/06/08 |
| #10 | 10/12/08 |
| #11 | 10/20/08 |
| #12 | 10/27/08 |
| #13 | 11/02/08 |
| #14 | 11/09/08 |