One major topic of the the Para Conference this past weekend was Senator Markey’s PSRP Bill of Rights! He is pictured here with members of the BTU Para Council, BTU Field Rep Colleen Hart, President Kontos of AFT MA and President Tang. Thank you to the Para team for a wonderful conference. See the full album.
Good morning,
We hope everyone had a safe viewing of the eclipse yesterday and enjoyed the clear skies and wonderful spring weather. We’d like to start this morning’s bulletin with some acknowledgments and appreciations:
April is Occupational Therapy Month and this week is National Librarian Appreciation week. Thank you to all of our OTs, librarians and librarian paraprofessionals who provide crucial services to support student growth and development.
To all of our members who practice, we wish you a joyous Eid al-fitr surrounded by loved ones. April is also Arab American Heritage month. Share My Lesson has a wide-reaching collection of useful resources, activities and lesson plans for your classrooms.
Our monthly membership meeting is TOMORROW from 4:30 to 6:30pm at the BTU Hall. This is a great time for building reps to turn in their contract endorsement sign-up sheets. We’ll be holding a raffle for the schools who have collected 100 percent of member signatures, and the winner will receive a special visit and hot breakfast from the BTU!
We’ll also be providing some important updates on our contract campaign. Plans are already in motion to connect with our coalition partners, families and students to mobilize and emphasize the level of labor and community support for our priorities.
We’ll be launching a social media campaign this Thursday and Friday. Every Thursday will be “Throw Down Thursdays” where we are asking all our members to wear their BTU Blues at school and submit pictures to photos@btu.org. Every Friday we’ll be posting “Fun Fact Fridays” on our social media accounts (Instagram, Facebook and X), highlighting the challenges and obstacles facing our district and members, as well as our solutions. These are the first steps we can take leading up to a citywide BTU Contract Rally on June 5th, so make sure to attend tomorrow’s meeting or check in with your Building Reps to learn more details.
Check out btu.org/bargaining/ for future updates. You can read the meeting agenda beforehand and register for childcare if you need it.
We are conducting a BTU Educator License & Teaching Survey to assess what licenses BTU educators currently use and how many they will be required to use next year. The data will be used to inform our contract negotiations and to connect educators in similar programs. The survey is just seven questions long and takes less than five minutes to complete.
Schools with current K2 SEI programs: Your IPTs have until this Friday to indicate that you would like to keep your current BPS SEI program in K2 instead of using the DESE SEI model that was imposed earlier in the year. The BTU and the Multilingual Alliance believe that DESE SEI provides the LEAST amount of native language access and support for multilingual learners and that students should not have to lose their home language when they begin schooling in BPS. We continue to advocate for programming that will better fit the needs of our students which you can read more about here.
The BTU plans to present contract proposals specifically related to inclusion this Thursday, April 11th! The school district has also indicated that they plan to share a comprehensive wage proposal this week. We will also be awaiting responses to a number of previous proposals and counters. BTU members – we hope you will join us from 5-8pm at the BTU Hall to show your support.
We were thrilled to see so many paraprofessionals and school related personnel at the BTU Hall this past weekend for our New England PSRP conference. Paraprofessional/ABA/
Senator Ed Markey attended to discuss his PSRP Bill of Rights legislation which he filed in November. The bill would guarantee fair wages, paid leave, full benefits and safe working conditions for all PSRPs and we’re dedicated to continue advocating for its passage. AFT National Executive Vice President Evelyn DeJesus also delivered a powerful speech emphasizing solidarity among unions and reiterated the importance of collective action leading into a critical election season. You can check out some photos on our Facebook page, which we will continue to update in the coming days.
Due to severe weather last week, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley’s reelection campaign kickoff had to be postponed. We invite you to the IBEW Local 103, 256 Freeport Street, Dorchester, MA 02122 this Saturday, April 13, from 2 to 4 p.m. Please register ahead of time to let us know if you can show up to support one of our strongest allies in Congress! Don’t forget to wear your BTU blues!
Finally, April is also an opportunity for the BTU and community partners to organize leading up to an Earth Day demonstration, which is focused on the threat of global plastic pollution. If you’re interested in getting involved with the BTU Climate Justice Committee for occasional emails, you can contact bdrinan@gmail.org. For more resources on how to elevate the issue, check out this toolkit.
See you tomorrow at our Membership Meeting!
AFT National Executive Vice President Evelyn DeJesus spoke at the New England PSRP conference at the BTU Hall this past Saturday. DeJesus focused on solidarity, advocacy and political engagement. Thank you to all who attended from across MA and New England!
BTU Events and Announcements
NEW Call for BTU Election Committee Members: Deadline April 23rd
Every year, we have a volunteer group of BTU members who are responsible for overseeing the BTU elections. If you are interested in being appointed to the BTU Election Committee, please fill out this form by Tuesday April 23rd and share why you are interested in serving and what relevant experience, if any, you may have. No experience required, however!
Join the BTU Electoral Action Team
Help make a difference and strengthen democracy with the Boston Teachers Union. The BTU is looking for members to get involved with our BEAT(BTU Electoral Action Team) to organize and take action in the upcoming elections. WE NEED YOU to win this fall! Please sign up here.
Haitian Educators Committee (HEC) Meeting: Tuesday, April 9th, 5:00-6:30PM
Join us on zoom to discuss issues and concerns in our community. We will also discuss the Haitian educators appreciation event that OMME in collaboration with HEC is preparing for the evening of May 11th. And to hear your ideas regarding Reading with Joy trip to the library on April 23rd at 6 pm. Please contact Bianca Pierre for the zoom link.
Teacher Leadership Fund Information Session: April 9th
The Teacher Leadership Fund will be having an information session on April 9th from 5:00-6:00 on Zoom. Learn how you and a team of educators can receive up to $15,000 to make a change in your classroom, school, or BPS community! We will share an overview of the program and answer any questions that attendees have. We hope to see you there! You can RSVP here.
NEW DATE Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley’s campaign rally: April 13th
Join the BTU and other local unions in supporting one of our greatest champions, Congresswoman Ayanna Presley. The Congresswoman will be holding a reelection rally on April 13th from 2 to 4 p.m. The event will occur at IBEW Local 103, 256 Freeport Street, Dorchester, MA 02122. Register here and don’t forget to wear your BTU blues!
Share your perspective on mandatory reporting!
AFT and the University of California, Irvine are conducting an online survey to learn more about educators’ perceptions of reporting to Child Protective Services. Even if you haven’t reported to CPS, we are interested in hearing from you. Survey participants will be entered into a drawing to receive one of 65 Target, Staples, or Bookshop gift cards for $15. Get more information and participate in the study. Please invite other educators, as well.
BTU Dependent Scholarship: April 19 deadline
Every year the BTU awards roughly 16 scholarships in the amount of $2,000 to high school seniors who are dependents of BTU members. See the application and scholarships requirements here.
NEW-Thrive Act Activist Afternoons: April 21st, 4:00-6:00PM
Join the Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance (MEJA) on April 21st to push for the Thrive Act with Activist Afternoons! Join fellow activists to call folks across Massachusetts to share about the Thrive Act and encourage them to contact their legislators. We’ll provide training and support to get you ready to call! Just bring a computer and phone! Sign up here.
NEW-The Spring 2024 Teacher Climate Survey opens on Monday, April 22th!
All classroom teachers will receive an email with a link to a short survey administered by Panorama. It is completely anonymous. BPS will not be able to see your email address nor be able to link your responses to your email address or employee ID. If you have any questions about the survey, please contact the Office of Data and Accountability surveys@bostonpublicschools.
NEW DATE April Unafraid Meeting POSTPONED to April 29th
Due to the solar eclipse, we are going to postpone our April monthly meeting to April 29th. We will meet at Fenway High School at 4:30pm. During the meeting we will plan for the Immigrant Pride Week of Action and plan to fundraise for the Unafraid Scholarship. Please RSVP here
Technology Series for Paraprofessionals/ Libraries / Library Paras and Substitutes: June 3rd 5-7pm
This tech training session aims to familiarize beginners with the fundamentals of basic navigation and the Google Workspace, and for those with more experience, a higher level look at these systems. The content of the session aims to familiarize educators with BPS systems and tools available to them as educators at BPS. Beginner and advanced sessions are from 5-7 PM on June 3rd at the BTU. Sign up here!
Check out the bargaining summary from our negotiation session with BPS on April 4th. Join your union siblings at our next bargaining session this Thursday at the BTU Hall from 5 to 8p.m.
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
- Degree Completion
- Teacher Leadership Fund Information Session: April 9th
- UMass Boston’s Instructional Technology Licensure Virtual Open House April 22, 4:30 p.m.
- Rules-Based Reading Virtual Edcamp 5/1, 5:30-7:00PM
- Elementary IM Math Learning Site: May 2, 2024, 10:30am-3pm
BTU President Jessica Tang was featured on a panel “Celebrating Women Workers Who Advocate for Change” hosted by the U.S. Department of Labor last week. The panel featured women in elected office, labor unions, professional sports and worker advocacy for a fireside chat at the department’s Washington headquarters on how women are making a difference in the workplace. Read more about the event here.
Community News & Events
NEW-More Teaching Less Testing Virtual National Conference: April 13th, 2 to 5:30 p.m.
This Conference explores the growing resistance to the use of high stakes testing to control school curriculum and student learning, as well as the need for increased state and federal financial investments –“Books not Bombs”- to insure quality education for all. Click here for registration.
Call for Feedback on ESL Curriculum in Grades K2-12: Complete Survey by April 15th
OMME is working with a team from Harvard to gather feedback on the ESL Curriculum in order to revise and improve the curriculum for the upcoming school year. They are collecting feedback on curriculum and resources for ESL in grades K2-12 through a survey and focus groups. See the flyer for more information and links to the survey/focus group sign up. Teachers who complete the survey by 4/15 will be entered in a random drawing to win an Amazon gift card of $20. Three winners will be selected!
NEW-UndocuAlly Conference and Resource Fair for students: April 16th-April 18th
UMass Boston will be holding its 3rd UndocuWeek from April 16th- April 18th. This week is aimed to celebrate and highlight undocumented student experiences. Every year approximately 1,000-3,000 undocumented students graduate from a Massachusetts high school. With the recent influx of migrants to Massachusetts, it is more prominent than ever for educators to be aware of opportunities and barriers this group experiences. The link to register for UndocuWeek 2024 can be found here.
NEW-Generative AI and Social Science Summer Program by Stanford Alumni:
Inspirit AI is a 25-hour project-based AI program taught by Stanford graduates that introduces middle and high school students to fundamental AI concepts to build interdisciplinary AI projects across domains. In 2024, the team is excited to announce new projects such as Generating Language Safely with ChatGPT. No CS experience is necessary to apply and priority applications are due soon.
Courage to Teach Nature & Renewal Day for Educators: Saturday, April 27, 9 AM-3 PM
The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University in Jamaica Plain is hosting a one-day retreat on Saturday, April 27, from 9a.m. to 3 p.m. for Boston area educators. Based on the work of Parker J. Palmer and rooted in the belief that good teaching flows from the identity and integrity of the teacher, this professional development opportunity focuses on renewing the inner lives and well-being of educators. More details here.
Aspire & Inspire Educator Symposium: May 30th
Celebrate this school year with BPS’s Office of Educator Development and Leadership (OEDL) on May 30th from 4:30-7:30 (location TBD) by honoring the work of educators who are leaders both in and outside of the classroom. There will be a variety of ways for attendees to engage– join a presentation, talk to a teacher leader 1-on-1, and explore the OEDL programs! Food and beverages will be served. bit.ly/AIES24
FREE Summer Middle School Science Program, July 1st-August 2nd
The Arnold Arboretum runs a free, science and nature based summer program intended for current 6th and 7th graders from BPS, called Arboretum Young Scientists. We are actively recruiting students who are interested in furthering their learning and growth in science and love being in nature for our 5 week program, July 1 through August 2. The application form can also be found on the AYS (Arboretum) webpage, and it is in both English and Spanish.
BTU Election News
BTU Delegates met last week to endorse BTU prospective candidates at the AFT MA Convention May 4th. Delegates voted to support Jessica Tang in her run for AFT MA President, and five delegates were chosen to represent the BTU and run for AFT MA VP (board) positions: Erik Berg, Brenda Chaney, Colleen Hart, A Vanessa LaRocque and Johnny McInnis. Current AFT MA President Beth Kontos has announced she is not running for re-election. Please see Globe and WBUR coverage on the upcoming election and impending leadership change.