Our membership celebrated Educator of the Year Award Winners Sally Ng, K2 teacher at East Boston ECC (L), Donald Neville, 7th Grade Math Teacher at the Mildred (2nd from R) and Beth Rymarczyk, Occupational Therapist at the Beethoven (R).
Unions make Democracy work. Our dedication to ensuring our City Council is staffed by representatives who share our vision for building a Boston Public School system that serves all students has paid off. Ten of the 11 City Council candidates that the BTU endorsed ended up winning last week’s municipal election on November 7. Congratulations to Ruthzee Louijeune At- Large, Julia Mejia At-Large, Henry Santana At-Large, Ed Flynn District 2, Brian Worrell District 4, Enrique Pepen District 5, Ben Weber District 6, Tania Fernandes Anderson District 7, Sharon Durkan District 8, and Liz Breadon District 9.
We’d also like to thank Joel Richards, a former Boston Public School teacher and BTU member, for running a passionate, inclusive and community-centered campaign in District 3. We were proud to support his effort to bring his expertise and compassion to the city council, and hope to support future endeavors to do so.
We know we have impact in our city. Now let’s carry this momentum into supporting our educator and union siblings across the state! The Andover Education Association is currently on strike after an obstinate School Committee has rejected fair proposals to increase the salary for Instructional Aides and teachers, provide paid parental leave and give more recess time for their youngest students. We stand in solidarity with our fellow educators! #1u
Our paraprofessionals in North Reading (AFT-MA affiliate) also need our support! Their starting pay is currently at $24k and 67% of our union siblings are forced to work a second job to make ends meet. One Job Should Be Enough! Join them for a rally TODAY in North Reading at 3:15p.m. We also have an opportunity to fight for these values on a national level — Senator Ed Markey has introduced a Bill of Rights for Paraprofessionals and Education Support Staff.
We have an important update on the district’s plans regarding the changes to Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) classrooms and impacts on multilingual learners (ML). Based on stakeholder feedback, BPS and DESE are in conversations to revise the current implementation timeline planned for next school year that would impact all K-8 SEI classrooms. IPT’s should be aware of possible changes as they continue to plan. The BTU is advocating for a better timeline and approach, and has serious concerns that the current plan is not in the best interests of our multilingual learners and ML’s with disabilities. We are hopeful that the district and DESE will agree on a better plan shortly.
Join us in celebrating National Native American Heritage Month! Check out these preK-12 resources and lesson plans on Indigenous peoples and Native Americans put together by our national parent organization AFT. The AFT is also in the process of forming a task force focused on Native American and Indigenous Peoples representation. If you are interested in details or potentially joining the new task force, please contact President Tang at jtang@btu.org.
Please be sure to join your school’s Faculty Senate meeting or check in with your Building Reps to get updates from last week’s membership meeting. The membership voted on a number of important decisions including signing on to a labor movement petition calling for a ceasefire and other measures, voting to reaffiliate with the Greater Boston Labor Council, and to approve a change to our bylaws regarding new accountability measures for BTU members serving in leadership positions. We also had a chance to celebrate some of our recent Educators of the Year award winners: Donald Neville, 7th Grade Math Teacher at the Mildred; Sally Ng, K2 teacher at East Boston EEC; and Beth Rymarczyk, Occupational Therapist at the Beethoven.
BTU Events and Announcements
Join us for a Meet and Greet event at Toutwèl Restaurant to welcome new members and discuss issues in our community. We will also be discussing the next Reading With Joy Workshop which will take place the next day on November 15th. Please contact Bianca Pierre for the address.
The Unafraid Educators is hosting a meeting on Monday, November 20 at 4:30pm on Zoom. Unafraid Educators is the BTU’s immigrant rights organizing group. Please email unafraideducators@gmail.com to be added to the listserv and receive the meeting link.
Apply to become a mentor to paraprofessionals who are seeking to complete their degree and license requirements to become teachers. This paid position, which also satisfies professional development licensure, supports JET’s mission to create an ethnically diverse workforce in Massachusetts’ schools. Apply here
The BTU & BPS work together to support teachers in becoming National Board Certified! This is a unique chance to improve your practice and increase your salary. Register here for an info session!
Engage in an open discussion about your experiences, needs, and how identity impacts navigating classroom instruction and/or professional spaces. Come and connect with colleagues from across Greater Boston discuss the question, “What does it mean to be an educator of color in public schools? BPS Participants will earn two Professional Development hours. Register here.
The BTU, AFT Massachusetts and MTA are holding an information session on November 14 that covers several bills currently before the Joint Committee on Public Service, including updates on the status of one of our main priorities, Retirement Plus. Make sure to register ahead of time.
Join the BTU and partners on one of three dates for an information session on why an active and collaborative Faculty Senate is essential for a functioning school community. Light refreshments will be served. The dates are November 14, December 12 and January 23. You can see our flyer and register here.
NEW- BTU Transformation Schools Focus Groups: November 27
We are looking for BTU members in Transformation Schools to participate in a focus group to share your thoughts and experiences. What kind of impact has the Transformation School label had on your school? The focus group is meeting at the BTU Hall from 4:30. Sign up at bit.ly/TSfocusgroup and pass along to any members at your school that might be interested in participating. If you have questions please email Katie Kilian at kilian.kathleen@gmail.com.
Trainings for BTU Building Reps and member leaders on the topics you’ve requested!
All workshops are from 4:30-6 p.m. on Zoom. See full workshop descriptions and register for the Zoom link
at bit.ly/BTUwws24.NEW- Computer Science Education Week: December 4-10
Celebrate Computer Science Education Week with BPSTechnology with the annual #BPSCoders Student Contest and more. Visit https://bit.ly/bpscoders for complete information.
Professional Learning & Development Updates
- AFT Member Benefit Virtual Workshops
- Asynchronous Spanish for BPS Educators: Fall 2023
- Secondary Open Up Math Unit Virtual Previews
- Degree Completion
- 2 Day Substance Use Prevention Training
- Nearpod in the Inclusion Classroom PD Sessions: 11/15 and 11/29
- National Board Certification Leader Team Seeks Leaders and Readers
- Effective Team Learning Site 11/28
- Early Childhood Phonics Learning Site 11/29
- Connect & Share on “Explicit Writing Instruction K-12”: Dec 5
Community News & Events
Join a participatory educator workshop in the exhibition “Tender Loving Care” at the MFA on Thursday, November 16 from 4:30-6:30. We’ll use prompts to spark discussion connected to the exhibition themes of threads, thresholds, rest, vibrant matter, and adoration. After the workshop attend a public panel discussion with three exhibition artists Lucia Hierro, Gisela Charfauros McDaniel, and Joan Snyder. Learn more and register here.
The office of Attorney General Andrea Campbell is hosting webinars explaining student loan forgiveness options for public service employees. There are seminars for the next three weeks, including this Wednesday.
NEW- Fairy Houses Family Hike at the Arboretum: November 19
The Arnold Arboretum offers family hikes once a month, and November’s activity will be to make fairy houses. Attendees will collect sticks, cones, leaves, seeds, and all kinds of natural materials from the forest floor, and then make our Fairy Houses among the maples! Free and open to all; most suitable for children ages four through ten. Please register here to attend. Arboretum contact: Nancy Sableski, nsablesk@oeb.harvard.edu.
The Arnold Arboretum is looking for a new Manager of Youth Education Programs who will oversee programs such as Field Study Programs, Family Hikes and Arboretum Young Scientists. The position involves working directly with Boston Public School Teachers and requires a background in education. Read through the full job description and consider applying!
Elementary Field Rep Lea-Antoinette Serena (L), President Jessica Tang and Henderson Upper teacher Connell Cloyd (R) standing alongside activist and historic trailblazer Ruby Bridges.
BTU in the News
Congratulations to Dr. Ivonne Borreo and Jackie Rodriguez, who were recognized as 2023 Hispanic Leaders in School Psychology by the Boston Public School System.
The BTU had the privilege of sponsoring the 17th annual Robert Coles Call of Service Award given to Ruby Bridges this year. President Tang welcomed Ruby Bridges to the event with a tribute. Henderson Upper teacher Connell Cloyd attended the ceremony with Elementary Field Rep Lea-Antoinette Serena along with Executive Board members CasSandra Samuels and Kafunda Banks. Cloyd recently received the national Barbara Henry Courage in Teaching Award, which is named after BPS alum Barbara Henry who was the only teacher willing to instruct Ruby Bridges when she broke the color barrier at an all-white school in Louisiana in 1960.