The Boston Celtics celebrated some of our 2023 Educators of the Year on Friday. From Left to right: Tanisha Milton, Grade 8 History at TechBoston Academy, Sally Ng, K2 at East Boston Early Childhood Center, Sheila Santana, Grade 4 at Sarah Greenwood K-8 School , Kelly Gallagher, Region 8 Social Worker, Beth Rymarczyk, Occupational Therapist at Beethoven Elementary, BPS Superintendent Mary Skipper and BTU President Jessica Tang.
Good morning,
Whether you like to hunker down with some blankets on the couch or to dive face first into the snow, we hope the winter’s first storm provided some opportunity for rest and joy. To all those who celebrated, we hope that you had a wonderful Three Kings Day. We’re back into the full swing of the things and we have a busy second half of the school year ahead of us.
First off, welcome to the BTU’s new eBulletin format! We appreciate the patience and understanding you all showed as we confronted difficulties with our old email service which disrupted our ability to connect with our members and broader BTU community. It will take some time to restore our full mailing lists but today’s bulletin should reach all of our active and retired members. We’d appreciate it if you shared our new sign-up form with your colleagues and anyone who may be interested in receiving important news within BPS and the BTU.
Last week, we received numerous press inquiries and questions from our members following the release of the BPS long-term school facilities plan. Without adequate context, some of the press coverage put a disproportionate focus on a hypothetical situation in which half of all school buildings could theoretically close in the coming years, leading to some sensationalist headlines and heightened anxiety among our members, students and families. While we agree that having a blueprint to guide long-term investing in facility improvement is a step in the right direction, we will of course continue to advocate for transparency and consistent communication from the district about how and when they plan to either merge, close or rebuild some of the long outdated facilities within the district. We will be present at every meeting, planning review and will work closely with our communities to ensure we to get clear answers as the process moves forward. Click here to read our full statement on this matter from last week.
BPS Central Office has completed their review of the school inclusion plans and as of yesterday, should have provided each school leader and IPT facilitator with a response to the proposal that includes a budget allocation amount specifically for inclusion. Over the next two weeks, Inclusion Planning Teams will meet to review the response together and have an opportunity to provide feedback to the district. School leaders will also continue to have conversations in their budget collab and probable org meetings throughout January.
We have heard from some schools that their inclusion plans still have not been shared and we encourage all elected members of IPTs to ensure that your school community has access to both the plan proposal and the district response. School Site Councils and Governing Boards meet every January to review and approve the next school year budget and we want to make sure members on these councils ask to see both the inclusion budget and the school budget because they were provided to schools as two separate amounts.
As you may recall, in accordance with the most recent contract, the School Committee formed an Inclusion Working Group to monitor the progress and implementation of inclusive education in the District. As the inclusion plan responses are reviewed and implementation plans begin to take shape, we are finalizing a process to make an appeal to the Inclusion Working Group should there be an issue with the inclusion implementation plan that can not be resolved by the school based Inclusion Planning Team. This will be shared with membership as soon as it is finalized. In the meantime, please continue to share your concerns with the Inclusion Liaison and your Field Reps.
We will hear from coaches from the Office of Multicultural and Multilingual Education (OMME) at the membership meeting tomorrow afternoon about the changes to SEI and what we can expect next year. They will begin by answering questions that have already been submitted and we will have an opportunity to ask for additional long-term clarity.
Throughout this process, we will continue to do what we always do—mobilize and organize to fight for the schools and communities our students, educators and families deserve.
We want to extend our deep condolences and support to the school communities who were affected by the tragic loss of students due to accidents and illnesses last week. The loss of a young life instills grief in our families, students, schools and broader communities. While several schools were directly impacted, we know that these students had families and friends in many others as well. We’d like to share some resources suggested by BPS to support the parents, siblings, friends and educators who worked with these promising young minds.
- Assisting Parents/ Caregivers in Coping with Collective Traumas
- Boston Medical Center Grief Sheet
- MA Behavioral Health Helpline 24/7
- How Caregivers Can Foster Resilience
- How Schools Can Foster Resilience
- Supporting Children’s Mental Wellness
We are continuing to advocate on behalf of our retired members to pass legislation that would reform the R+ program and we need your help. We need everyone to call the House Speaker’s Office to ask that our bills before the Joint Committee on Public Service be reported out favorably before the deadline for action on February 9th. Please call 617-722-2500 and leave a brief, polite message asking the House Leadership to take immediate action. You can use the script below as a guide.
“Hello. My name is __________. I am a teacher in _________, and I live in ________. I am calling to ask the Speaker to support a Fair Fix for R+, and to help move bills H.2483 and H2630 out of the Joint Committee on Public Service with a positive recommendation. Thank you.”
Finally, we hope to see you all at our membership meeting TOMORROW January 10. We will be providing important updates on the status of our contract proposal. Our Organizing, Contract Bargaining Committee and Negotiating teams have made significant progress in creating a contract proposal reflective of our membership’s diverse perspectives and needs. We are finalizing the language of our proposals centered around Sustainable Work and Working Conditions, Educating All Students and Equity and Respect for Educators. If you need childcare for the next meeting, please register here. We have a full agenda, and we look forward to seeing you there!
BTU Events and Announcements
BPS Paraprofessionals Technology PD Series: DATE CHANGE to January 22
Join this session to develop a basic understanding of BPS technology systems to be effective in the classroom and in schools with students. This tech training session aims to familiarize beginners with the fundamentals of basic navigation and the Google suite, and for those with more experience, a higher level look at these systems. The session runs from 5-7 p.m.
Fundraiser for a Mildred Avenue K-8 School Family
Please support the family of Miles, an 8-year-old second grader at the Mildred Avenue School who passed last week. Miles passed unexpectedly after enduring pneumococcal meningitis. All donations go to fund his funeral services and to support his family. Please donate what you can.
Housing Justice Committee Meeting: January 8 & 22, 5:30PM
Do you want to address homelessness in BPS and housing affordability for BPS staff? Join the Housing Justice Committee to plan an educational event around housing justice. The meeting is on Zoom at this link.
Strategies of Successful Inclusion for Children with Disabilities: January 9
The Pyramid Model Consortium is presenting a four part series for teachers, paras and UPK educators. Each session will have a different presenter; Session 1 on Tuesday, January 9, 2024 is “Power of Peers”. You can find more information here.
Bruins Tickets: January 15
The BTU has Bruins tickets available for the game against the New Jersey Devils at 1:00 P.M. on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The seats are in Balcony 320 section and are $120 per seat. You can email our admin assistant Michelle Frank for more information and direct your payment through our Paypal.
Haitian Educators Committee Meeting: January 16, 5:30-6:30 PM
Join us for our bi-monthly meeting to discuss the needs and concerns of our community. We will discuss and plan our next in person meeting. We will also discuss the next Reading with Joy (RAJ) workshop which will happen on Wednesday, January 24th at 6 pm on Zoom. Please contact Bianca Pierre for the Zoom link.
NEW-BTU Member Winter Party: January 19
Come gather with your union siblings and colleagues for a winter celebration at the BTU Hall at 180 Mt. Vernon St. in Dorchester. There will be food, dancing and refreshments. Please register ahead of time.
NEW-Childcare and Early Education Town Hall: January 20
Parents, families, educators and community members please join us to share with your elected leaders why childcare & early education matter to you and what needs to be done to make a system that works for you. We will hear from Early educators, Family childcare providers and Parents. Bring your stories and your solutions. Register here and check out the flyer below.
NEW- Thrive Act Day of Action: January 30
Join us and our community allies for a day of action in support of the Thrive Act.
We’ll come together in-person and virtually across the state to take action, bring communities together, and grow people power across Massachusetts.
The time is always right to build an accountability and assessment system rooted in our most impacted communities. Register to learn more about how you can fight for educational excellence.
NEW- Important dates for paraprofessionals: February Deadlines
There are multiple important dates for paraprofessionals pertaining to transfer requests, excess and layoff notices approaching in the coming months. Check out this breakdown for more information
NEW- Climate Resilient Schools Coalition Network: February 8
The Climate Resilient Schools Coalition is a diverse network that empowers teachers, students and community members to catalyze rigorous climate education and infrastructure improvements in Massachusetts schools by passing and implementing climate action resolutions at the district level. Register for the inaugural meeting of the Climate Resilient Schools Organizing Network on February 8 from 4pm-5pm. In the meantime, fill out this brief, 2-minute survey to get involved and stay connected with organizers statewide who are working to build more climate resilient schools.
NEW- Bilingual Education/Accelerated Community to Teachers(BE/ACTT): February 13
The program is designed for paraeducators, substitute teachers, community members, or career changers who wish to become teachers in the Boston Public Schools. Our program is “accelerated” in that we offer coursework, MTEL preparation, and several experiences and opportunities to get hired in the district- all in 12 months! Learn more about this event taking place at the BTU Hall.
Paraprofessional Online Vector Training
This “IORAD training” provides step-by-step instructions to get on to Vector and enroll in any PD offered to them. This training with help you learn how access Vector and how use Vector. You can find the presentation here.
A Conversation with Kim Kelly: February 4
Kim Kelly, the author of “Fight Like Hell: The Untold History of American Labor”, will be speaking at the BTU Hall to discuss how past labor struggles and organizing tactics can inform our practices today. This is open to the public, please make sure to register ahead of time.
Professional Learning & Development Updates
Each week, we have many new and exciting Professional Learning & Development opportunities to share with you. You can find a full description of each listing on our Professional Learning & Development Updates Page.
- AFT Member Benefit Virtual Workshops
- Secondary Open Up Math Unit Virtual Previews
- Degree Completion
- National Board Certification Leader Team Seeks Leaders and Readers
- Secondary Leadership Certificate in Critical & Equitable Literacy
- Wellness While You Work Series: Next Session on January 10th, 4 – 5pm
- Connect & Share on “Foundational Literacy”: January 18, 5:30-7:00 pm on Zoom
- Telescope Illustrative Math Planning Cohort: January 24, 12pm-3pm
Community News & Events
“Hear Me Now: Highlighting the Work of Enslaved Artists and Contemporary Responses”: January 9, 2024
Join K-12 educators from around the country in a virtual workshop with multimedia artist Ademunmi Gbadebo and a discussion of how middle and high school teachers are integrating content from the “Hear Me Now: The Black Potters of Old Edgefield, South Carolina” exhibition into their curriculum.
2nd Annual BLA Step and Stroll Fest: Deadline Application January 12
Boston Latin Academy is inviting all schools and organizations in Boston and surrounding areas to join us in celebrating Black culture in its finest in all forms of entertainment. If your school/ organization has a step team, dance team, choir or students who are extremely talented in other areas, we extend a warm invite for them to be part of the show! Registration is here and the actual show will be on March 8.
National Board Info Session January 17
Are you interested in starting the process of National Board Certification? The BPS/BTU National Board Program currently has many types of support sessions available. Join us on January 17th 6:00pm (on zoom) for an overview of the National Board Certification process and benefits. Register here
Scholarship Opportunity for Graduating Students
The Fidelity Scholars Program provides access to education and ongoing support to historically underserved and underrepresented students who want to attend four-year, two-year and certificate academic programs. The deadline to apply is January 11th.
MassCEC’s Equity Workforce Training, Equipment, and Infrastructure Grants: DEADLINE JANUARY 19
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center is offering direct funding and technical assistance to organizations and vocational schools that can build and scale career pathways leading to climate-critical priority occupations for individuals from Environmental Justice (EJ) neighborhoods or low-income communities, members of Federally recognized and State-acknowledged Tribes, Fossil Fuel Workers, and other underrepresented populations. Learn More about the grant process here.
NEW- Iron Workers Local 7 4th Annual School Supply Drive: February 24
Our union siblings are hosting a school supply drive at their union hall located at 195 Old Colony Ave. in South Boston. They’ll be accepting donations up until the date. All teachers, parents and students are welcome. See the flyer below.
In Memoriam
Marline Miller passed peacefully at the age of 90 on December 30th. Miller taught kindergarten at the Quincy Dickerman School in Dorchester for over thirty years, and upon her retirement, the classroom was named in her honor.
Read more about Marline here.
Patricia Coulombe passed away on January 3, 2024. Pat was a long time BPS teacher who retired from the Washington Irving Middle School after many years as an ELA teacher and Literacy Coach. Her dedication to her students won her the Educator of the Year award. You can read more about Pat here.
Our thoughts are with Marline and Pat’s loved ones at this difficult time.
|
|