We hope you all are having a nice week, and to those who are observing Yom Kippur, we hope you have an easy fast.
We had a wonderful time at our Back to School BTU Party at IBEW Local 103’s union hall last Friday. Thanks to all who joined! Full album of photos are on our Facebook page. Thank you to our BTU Social Committee for their hard work in planning the event, organizing the raffles, fundraising for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer and ensuring everyone had a well-deserved, fun time to start their weekend! Please contact Daphne at dsoto@btu.org if you’re interested in joining the Social Committee.
We’re holding a Student Debt Clinic for AFT members TODAY at 4:30 p.m.! AFT has been on the frontlines fighting make college affordable and student debt manageable for years. Staff from the BPS Office of Human Capital will be onsite to help answer questions and sign on forms that are needed for student debt cancellation. You can join us in-person at the BTU Hall or online on Zoom. Register here! If you can’t make the event today, AFT offers resources for those who need to learn the landscape of free and underused federal programs that help many student loan borrowers lower their monthly payments and, in some cases, even have their debt forgiven.
Our October membership meeting is next Wednesday, October 12 at 4:30 p.m. It will be an in-person meeting. You do NOT need to register, though, as always, you should bring your BTU card for admittance. (We will have a problem-solving table for those who do not have their card, but you must bring a photo ID or BPS pay stub.) If you need childcare, please register here.
Last Wednesday, the School Committee voted to approve our new contract. The agreement now goes go to the City Council, who will vote on appropriations to implement the contract.
One of the critical pieces of the new contract is a new BTU/BPS district-wide position called the Inclusive Education Liaison, similar the BTU Director of Professional Learning. This role will be critical to supporting educators in the district and our union to get Inclusion Done Right. The job posting is live, and you can see more on the position below. If you are interested in leading the implementation and improvement of inclusion in the district, please apply ASAP.
Last chance to register for the annual BTU Fall Conference from Oct 21-23 at the Seacrest Beach Hotel! Our goal is to have as many schools and committees represented at this conference as possible. If you are interested in getting more involved and developing your leadership in this union, this is the right opportunity for you! Come to meet new people, to learn from the workshops, and to have a great time. Hotel room and meals are FREE for members who choose to room with another member (or $125/night if you want your own room). Register today at btu.org/fallconference. Deadline is October 10, but we encourage folks to register early to guarantee their spot.
Reminder: The BTU is recruiting new members for our Committee on Political Education (COPE). The COPE committee recommends candidates who are campaigning for an elected office to be endorsed by the BTU after reviewing their questionnaire then interviewing them. Please fill out this form if you are interested in participating. The BTU President appoints members to the committee. Priority is given to members who live in Allston/Brighton and East Boston where we need more representation.