CANDIDATE FORUM TONIGHT!- BTU Election Reminders
Tonight, April 27 at 6 p.m., all members are invited to attend our Zoom Candidate Night. Candidates for all offices (except Delegate) will have the opportunity to make a 2-minute pitch. Please sign up here to receive the Zoom link so you can attend and hear what they have to say! Some excellent BTU-themed door prizes will be offered to a few lucky audience members. Important: Draft ballots for BTU officers and Executive Board, RTC officers, and Delegates are now available for inspection by all members. Candidates especially should double-check their name and school/assignment and report any errors to electioncommittee@btu.org no later than Thursday, April 29th. For more information, please see our latest special election updates bulletin.
NEW- Haitian Educators Meeting: April 27, 5:00-6:30PM
Please contact Bianca Pierre for the zoom link.
NEW- Black Educators’ Alliance of MA Family Panel: April 27, 6:00-7:30PM
Join the Black Educators’ Alliance of Massachusetts tonight to hear the family perspective on education! Share with your families too. All are welcome to attend and any family who attends will be entered into a raffle! Register at bit.ly/BEAMFamily.
NEW- Connect & Share Panel Discussions: April 29, 4:30-6:00PM
Join us for a panel discussion on the topic of “Effective Hybrid Practices.” Hear from your BPS colleagues about what’s working and how they’re supporting roomies and zoomies in their classrooms and schools. Connect with peers from across BPS, get new ideas, and earn PD hours as well. RSVP now!
BTU Contract Forum for Students: April 29, 7:00-8:30PM
We want to welcome students, parents, families, and community partners into the BTU negotiation process. Our master contract expires on August 31 of this year and we are getting ourselves ready to fight for a stronger agreement. We want EVERYONE to share with us what issues and solutions are important to you within their schools and communities. Register for this forum for BPS students.
Boston May Day 2021: May 1, 1:00PM
Join in celebrating May Day, International Workers Day, and unite to oppose the attacks coming down on working people, the oppressed, and youth. This all-day celebration will start at Parkman Bandstand and followed by a march to Nubian Square.
NEW- Chelsea May Day 2021: May 1, 3:30PM
Gather at 25 6th Street in Chelsea. The program will feature essential workers, youth activists, music and dance, and more!
Para Retirement Seminar: May 3, 4:30-6:00PM
Register in advance here.
NEW- Retirement+/TARP Action Meeting: May 6, 5:00-6:00PM
The goal of this meeting is to update non-TARP contributing educators on the current status of our Home Rule Petition. A calendar invite was sent to all who voluntarily submitted their non-BPS email to the R+ Committee. If you did not receive the calendar invite for one reason or another for the meeting, email your non-BPS email to rplus@btu.org. Please distribute this widely to all staff in your building. Contact Michael McLaughlin with questions.
Mayoral Candidate Forum Series: Thursdays from May 6 to June 10
The BTU, as part of a coalition of social justice organizations that represent tens of thousands of members throughout Boston, is hosting a series of mayoral candidate forums to discuss the candidates’ vision and plans to address racial, gender and economic justice.
NEW- BTU Contract Community Forum: May 11, 7:00PM
We want to welcome community groups and coalitions fighting for justice in our communities to join us for our BTU Community Forum. More information and registration form at btu.org/engage.
NEW- Caregiver/Educator Support Group: May 11, 8:00PM
Join the Caregiver/ Educator support group as we unwind for a final time with a mini Yoga Session! Register here.
Student Debt Workshop for AFT Members: May 12, 4:30PM
Do you or a family member have student loan debt? AFT members are welcome to attend one of AFT’s Student Debt Clinics! Click here and select “MASSACHUSETTS: AFT Massachusetts *WEBINAR* 4:30 pm 05/12/2021″ to register for the workshop.
NEW- Paraprofessional Virtual Break Room: May 19, 5:30-6:30PM
Come in to say hello, play some games and have a casual social conversation… just remember, no work/union talk allowed! Please register HERE if you are interested. A link will be sent to you in the days prior.
Ethnic Studies Week of Action: May 24 – 28
Interested in getting involved in the movement for Ethnic Studies in Boston? The BTU Ethnic Studies Now committee is organizing a Week of Action. Save the date and complete this short interest form to join in at any level!
NEW- Return of Telescope Trivia: Through June 1
Join Tuesday nights from 8:00 to 9:15 for a virtual team trivia game. Drop in on your own or bring a team for some fun collaboration and light competition! New players RSVP here.
NEW- End of the Year Light Social: June 5, 10:00-11:30AM
AFT Black Caucus Boston Chapter (BTU) invites you to an End of the Year Light Social. All BTU members are welcome to attend!
NEW- Hiring for an Internal/External Organizer
The BTU is seeking applicants for an Internal/External Organizer. To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume to Khalida Smalls; position open until filled. Applicants are encouraged to apply ASAP.
EL Summer Job Postings
Summer EL job postings are live. Please see each posting for more information.
Seeking Support from Personnel Subcommittees and Hiring Committees
We are seeking the support of members who serve on school based personnel subcommittees and other hiring committees to ensure that experienced Boston Public Schools educators, our fellow BTU members, are considered for all open positions in your school. Please read this letter for more information.
NEW- Help Grow Food for BPS Students and Families in Need
Growing Resilience school gardens project was formed last Spring as the pandemic ramped up, and eventually involved 70 volunteers, primarily BTU members. This spring, with students and staff back in the buildings and needing to get outside more than ever, we hope that we can support teachers in using the gardens with students, so that next year the gardens are kept up by the school communities. If you’d like to garden, please fill out this 2-minute survey. You can also contact David Weinstein.
Madison Park Retired Educators Awards Fund: Due May 1
Now in its fourth year, the fund’s goal is to increase scholarships and tools of the trade awards to deserving seniors who have met both high academic and vocational standards. Your support will help ease their financial burdens so they can continue in their vocational/technical career area through further education and training. For more information, contact Mary Gaughan.
Accelerated Community to Teacher (ACTT) Program: Due May 10
This program is a part of an overarching strategy to increase the diversity of exemplary educators in the district’s teacher pipeline. ACTT is an intensive 12-month program designed to prepare racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse Boston residents OR BPS paraprofessionals, and substitutes who hold a Bachelor’s degree. Apply now!
NEW- Unafraid Educators’ Relief Fund
The Unafraid Educators’ Relief Fund for Boston Students & Families will be wrapping up operations before the end of the school year. Since July 2020, we have distributed 329 gift cards to Boston Public Schools families. We are doing one last fundraising push, with the hope of supporting the 1000+ families still on our waitlist. If every BTU member donates $18, we can meet our goal.
Tech Goes Home Distance Learning: May 5 – 20
Paraprofessional and Substitute Tech Go Home 2.0 Session & Beginners: TGH Distance Learning Program is a FREE program that delivers 18 hours of instruction focused on fundamental digital skills. Beginner and intermediate courses are open to adults and seniors. Register here for beginners and here for intermediate!
NEW- Young Radish Accepting Poetry and Art Projects on Joy
Young Radish, an online magazine of poetry and art by kids and teens, is now accepting submissions from educators of poetry and art project ideas around the theme of joy! If your project is accepted, your students’ work will be published in the next volume of the magazine (in early 2022). Young Radish is co-edited by BTU member Eric Fishman.
Change in Para Pay Frequency
Open enrollment for Para Pay Frequency changes began on April 1, 2020 and goes until June 1, 2021. Please see here for the form for any Paras/CFCs who wish to change their current pay frequency. Please distribute this form to any para wishing to change their current pay frequency for SY 21/22. The deadline for submission is June 1, 2021 – all forms received via fax by 11:59 p.m. on June 1 will be accepted.
NEW- April 2021 Needs Assessment Report
Hear what educators across BPS are saying about professional development needs: What do we need to learn now? What do we want to learn next?