TONIGHT – Haitian Educators Meeting: February 25, 4:30PM – 6:30PM at Mattahunt
The Haitian Educators Meeting will be held at Mattahunt Elementary School. Light dinner will be served. Please RSVP to Bianca Pierre at bpierre74@gmail.com.
2019 Union Dues
2019 Dues for Teachers and other Group 1 employees are $1390.68.
2019 Dues for Paraprofessionals and Substitutes are $694.32.
Please check with your tax consultants for changes that may be applicable to dues.
NEW- Journey into Education and Teaching (JET) Information Session: February 28, 4:00PM-6:00PM
Learn detailed information about the JET Program and how it works to help Paraprofessionals without a bachelor’s degree reach a goal of becoming a licensed teacher.
Get Out the Vote! February 29
Join the BTU Electoral Action Team (BEAT) as we hit the doors and phones in New Hampshire and Massachusetts for our recently-endorsed Democratic candidate Elizabeth Warren. Learn more and sign up here!
Breathe For Change Wellness Workshop: February – April
BTU and Breathe For Change are excited to be co-sponsoring a Wellness Workshop for all BPS Educators at the Union Hall. Educators will be equipped with skills and strategies to reduce stress, enhance well-being, and facilitate social-emotional learning (SEL*F), and will walk away with a deeper understanding of how to use wellness as a vehicle for social change.
Hear Diane Ravitch, Barbara Madeloni and Maurice Cunningham: February 26, 7:00PM-8:30PM at First Parish in Cambridge
Diane’s new book, Slaying Goliath: The Passionate Resistance to Privatization and the Fight to Save America’s Public Schools, features the story of Massachusetts’ victorious 2016 No on 2 campaign to keep the cap on charter schools. Learn more and RSVP here.
BTU and BEJA Present – Stronger Together: Parents and Educators Unite! February 29, 8:30AM-3:00PM
Please plan to join us from 8:30 AM to 3 PM on Saturday, February 29 for the 6th Annual BTU Winter Conference, open to all interested BTU members.
NEW- Dual Language Educators Meeting: March 2, 4:00PM – 5:30PM at Margarita Muñiz Academy
Join us for the Dual Language Educators Meeting as we network, share resources, and more!
Inclusion Done Right Campaign Meeting: March 5, 4:30PM-6:30PM
The next meeting of the Inclusion Done Right campaign is set for Thursday, March 5, 4:30 – 6:30 pm at the BTU. Please save the date and RSVP here to let us know you will attend.
UPCOMING DEADLINE- Nominate the 2020 Educator of the Year: March 6
Make sure to nominate worthy BPS educators for this year’s Educator of the Year award! See the flyer and nominate here.
BTU Toiletry Drive: March 11 – April 8
During the months of March and April, toiletry donations will be accepted for Rosie’s Place and the Pine Street Inn. During that time, drop-off boxes will be available outside of the BTU office.
Job Share Information Meeting: March 16, 4:30PM-6:30PM
Join us for a Job Share Info Meeting. Please contact your field rep for more information.
UPCOMING DEADLINE- Teacher Leadership Fund: April 1
We are excited to announce the call for proposals for year three of the Teacher Leadership Fund! For complete information about the program, see here. Contact tlf@bostonpublicschools.org with questions. We will have open office hours tonight, February 25th from 4:30-6 pm at the Bolling Building and March 4th from 4:30-6 pm at the Boston Teachers Union. Bring questions, concerns or ask for advice with grant writing.
NEW- Paraprofessional Times Vol. 3 No. 2
Check out the latest version of the BTU Paraprofessional Times!
Family Engagement Taskforce: March
Are you interested in strengthening family engagement at your school site and across our community? Sign up here to be a part of the Family Engagement Taskforce, led by BTU members Chantei Alves and Katie Mallon. We will hold our first meeting in March.
AFT Share My Lesson’s 2020 Virtual Conference: March 24-26
As a BTU member, you are invited to the professional development event for 30+ free AFT webinars. Ideal for preK-12 teachers, faculty and school staff, you’ll hear from AFT President Randi Weingarten and more for a virtual professional development event that you can attend in your PJs. Learn more here.
Retirement Seminar: March 26, 4:30PM
Join BTU Elementary Field Representative Michael W. McLaughlin, the State Boston Retirement System, and Group Health for a Retirement Seminar. Learn more and sign up here.
AFT – BTU Annual Conference for Paraprofessionals & School-Related Personnel: April 4, 8:30AM-3:30PM
If you’re an AFT paraprofessional or school-related personnel (PSRP), you’ll want to join hundreds of your colleagues from across Massachusetts for the AFT Massachusetts – Boston Teachers Union Annual Conference for Paraprofessionals & School-Related Personnel. Learn more and sign up here!
Student Debt Clinic: May 12, 4:30PM – 6:30PM
We’re inviting interested AFT members to attend a union-sponsored Student Debt Clinic for information that could help you manage student loan payments and learn about student debt forgiveness.
2020 Scholarship Information
Click here to get all of the information on BTU-sponsored and community scholarships!
NEW- DESE Requirement: Bilingual Educator Endorsement
As a part of the LOOK Act, DESE has established a new qualification requirement called Bilingual Educator Endorsement. Click here to learn more.
NEW- Excessive Classroom Heat Survey
Please fill out this survey on excessive heat and other environmental hazards in Boston classrooms, created by MassCOSH and the BTU. We want to know your concerns!
Arts Education Survey
Attention Arts Educators and Supporters: Please fill out the Arts Education survey here to let us know what is working well and what is needed at your school to provide high quality arts education for all students. This survey is sponsored by the BTU Arts Educators Committee.
Inclusion Tracker
To get the inclusion services our students deserve it will take all of us being vigilant and reporting what we see in our classrooms. Fill out the Inclusion Tracker here and visit our website for more information.
Paraprofessional Teacher Preparation Grant Program
The Paraprofessional Teacher Preparation Grant Program provides financial assistance to Massachusetts residents who are currently employed as paraprofessionals in Massachusetts public schools but wish to become certified as full-time teachers. Learn more here.
Ethnic Studies Professional Learning Community
Are you looking for a community of like-minded teachers who are developing ethnic studies pedagogy and curriculum for Boston? Contact Amrita Dani with any questions or get more information and sign up here!
Volunteers Needed for Retirement+ Committee
The Retirement+ Committee is looking to identify one or more members at every school in the BPS system who can volunteer to act as a contact or liaison to the R+ Committee. Email your name, your school and non-BPS email address to rplus@btu.org.