Good morning,
To all of our members and their families who have lost a loved one to military service, we join you in observing Memorial day and giving tribute to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom and democracy. We also thank all of our members and families who have served and continue to serve.
We welcome you back from the long weekend and the unofficial start of summer. We hope you are well-rested because we are now in the final recruitment push leading up to our rally on June 5th at 4:30pm the Bolling Building next Wednesday.
We have put together some tips on how to recruit your union siblings and community members to attend and also put together video to explain our goals for this campaign. Our aim is to have at least 10 percent of the members at every school register ahead of time. Nearly 20 schools have already reached this goal!
We understand that the end of the school year can be hectic and that you may be tired and feeling burn out. That is precisely why we need to dig deep and harness our collective energy to continue this fight together. The priorities we are pursuing in our contract proposal would go a long way in addressing the staffing shortages, low pay and poor working conditions that can drain our educators as they continue to make do with what they have to serve Boston’s students. Because you are feeling exhausted is why we need you there!
The BTU will be holding a virtual Town Hall on June 2nd from 5 to 6pm to provide an overview of our contract proposal, updates on the bargaining process and to take YOUR questions. For our members who haven’t had the opportunity to participate yet, this is a perfect chance to get informed and get involved! Please register ahead of time, we will share a zoom link this weekend.
Last week is a perfect example of what is at stake. During our negotiating session with the district and the mayor’s office, their representatives once again dismissed our proposal of a one-teacher/one license model as a non-starter. The district dug its heels in, despite hearing first-hand testimony from educators on how forcing one teacher to use multiple licenses harms students and leads to significant burnout and instability.
The district offered two scenarios last week. The BTU could continue to fight to fix their broken approach to inclusive education and brace for a protracted negotiating process or ratify a contract and trust that the district will bargain in good faith to reach a Memorandum of Understanding at a later date. We have offered them that courtesy before, and we ended up fighting in court (and winning!) in order for them to finish their bargaining obligations.
The district has repeatedly said that their priority is to elevate our lowest paid workers and argue that leaves little funding to address significant issues within the district. But even that wage proposal falls far short of what is needed to result in immediate, real change for our members. We live in one of the wealthiest cities in the world, we should not be forced to choose between living wages and sustainable staffing for our members or an equitable education for all students that offers high-quality facilities and extracurricular programs. This is the obstinance we are confronting.
That is to say, it is essential to show the district that they are facing a unified front every time they try to stonewall or outright reject proposals that would markedly improve the quality of education we offer to our students.
The more people involved, the stronger our unity and the more visible our activism, the better our contract would be and the faster it will get ratified. Sign up and join our fight, and share the registration with your colleagues.
Last week we shared some important information regarding Inclusive Education. They’re reposted below as a reminder:
Inclusive education Professional Development stipends:
- By June 20, 2024: Educators must complete PD hours and log with school leader
- By June 20, 2024: School Leaders confirm PD hours completion
- July 5, 2024: PD hours will be included in this paycheck
Educators who completed one or more of the 4 foundational inclusive education modules can demonstrate their completion by downloading certificates from Vector or BrightSpace. On Vector, you will need to fill out the feedback form to have credit assigned and certificates appear.
Inclusion Planning Team Hours Stipends
School Leaders must approve attendance reports by May 30, 2024. IPT members should get paid within the pay cycles of either Friday, June 21st or Friday, July 5th.
Inclusion Planning Team Elections
Members of the school inclusion planning team should confirm at the end of each year whether they would like to continue to serve. After two (2) years of service that seat should be open to election and the member may choose to run and continue to serve if elected. At least 50% of the IPT must be BTU elected, through a school-based BTU vote that follows the same protocols as all other faculty votes. Results should be shared with the school leader and the BTU Inclusion Liaison Katie DeLaRosa.
We know that our work will continue into the summer, so we’re happy to share some upcoming opportunities to gather with colleagues and decompress. We encourage you to join the BTU in marching in the Boston Pride for the People Parade on June 8th or the first ever State Wide Community Schools Summit. We’re also excited to invite you to our End of the Year Party that night on Saturday June 8th!
Finally, we want to congratulate the BTU members who were awarded grants through the Fund For Teachers program so they can spend the summer learning from educators in different countries and then share those new perspectives with students next school year. Learn more about their projects and keep an eye out for an application for next summer!
Apply to be a Summer Organizing Union Leader! (Earn a stipend!)
The BTU seeks Summer Organizing Union Leaders (SOULs) to support BTU’s contract campaigns. This is opportunity comes with a stipend. Program runs from July 8-August 9 with flexible hours. Learn more and apply at btu.org/soul.
Free Program for Paras and Others Who Want to Become Teachers
Applications are open for the Bilingual Education/Accelerated Community To Teacher (BE/ACTT) program, which is a free, one-year pre-practicum program that is designed for paras, subs, career switchers, and others looking to become teachers of record in BPS. There is no requirement to be bilingual to participate. Application to apply (deadline is May 31st).
Unafraid Educators Week of Action & Social!
Happy May everyone! This year’s Immigrant Pride Week of Action will be from May 28th – May 31st. You’re invited to our Spring Social on May 29th at the Brendan Behan at 4:30pm. Please fill out this interest form and spread the word in your school communities: https://bit.ly/
Housing Justice Committee End of Year Celebration: May 29th at BTU Hall
Want to organize for a more affordable Boston for BTU members and BPS students? Join the BTU Housing Justice Committee for an end of year celebration and documentary screening! RSVP here.
Free BPS Initial Licensure Program: May 31 DEADLINE
Applications are open for the BPS Teaching Fellowship, which is a free, one-year practicum program designed to support novice teachers on waivers, emergency license, or provisional license to complete an ed prep program to secure initial licensure in either ESL or Moderate Disabilities (note: this would also allow for initial licensure in one’s subject area pending any other requirements from DESE, which are subject-dependent). Deadline is May 31, 2024; application here.
BTU Scholarships by Tremont Credit Union: June 8th Deadline
The Tremont Credit Union will be awarding $10,000 in scholarships to graduating seniors who have a parent, guardian, or caregiver who is a member of the Boston Teacher’s Union. For more details on scholarship requirements and the application, please visit the Credit Union’s page.
March with the BTU in the Boston Pride for the People Parade: June 8th
The Boston Pride for the People parade is returning to Boston this summer, and the BTU wants you to be a part of it! The parade exists to commemorate the brave LGBTQ+ people who risked their safety to advocate for the lives and humanity of LGBTQ+ people, to celebrate the richness and complexity of LGBTQ+ community, and to continue to advocate for equity and inclusion for LGBTQ+ people. Sign up HERE to march with the BTU in our delegation.
NEW – Community Schools State-wide Summit June 8th, 9am-3:30pm at the BTU!
Join us for the first state-wide summit on Community Schools! Featuring guest speakers CTU President Stacy Davis Gates and Jitu Brown from Journey for Justice! Join us for a day exploring this evidence-based nationally recognized strategy for transforming school climate and academics. Learn more about Boston Community Hub Schools at btu.org/boston-community-hub-
Educators on the Hill Day- June 11th
June 11 will be our annual Educators on the Hill Day! The event to lobby for the Educator Diversity Act will start at 10am with a rally on the State House steps, followed by a legislative briefing in the Member’s Lounge at 11:20 and then end with door knocking from 1-3pm. We will send out more information on the event and on opportunities to support and engage. Please reach out to Lea Serena at lserena@btu.org
Summer Organizing Institute: August 14-15 at the BTU
Join AFT Massachusetts and the Boston Teachers Union for our annual Summer Organizing Institute. Whether you are a brand new building rep or activist learning the basic building blocks of organizing or a seasoned union leader looking to bargaining your strongest contract ever these two days are for you. Register with this form
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
- Critically Disciplinary Literacy Course: Weekly from May 7-June 11
- August 2024 MIT Climate Professional Development Workshop (paid) for high school educators
- Aspire & Inspire Educator Symposium: May 30, 4:30-7:30PM
- Stipend Opportunity: Educator Feedback on SY24-25 Professional Learning
- National Board Summer Program Manager: Summer Stipended Role to Support Educators of Color
Community News & Events
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