End of Year Party this Thursday!

A reminder that there is no school on Friday in observance of Juneteenth. If you’re looking for some creative lesson plans or activities centered around Juneteenth, check out this collection from ShareMyLesson!

BTU End of Year Party this Thursday

Before we break for the summer, we’d love to see you and your colleagues at the BTU End of Year Party this Thursday at the BTU Hall from 3:30-7:30! This year we’re holding a friendly Olympics-style competition and there will be plenty of prizes at stake. There will also be a buffet style dinner, dessert bar, music, and plenty of opportunities to relax and reflect on the year with your fellow members.

This event is for members only and is organized for adults only. Scan the QR code above or check out this link to register for the event!

BTU reaches Tentative Agreement for Codman Academy Charter School staff

Last week, the negotiating team representing educators at the Codman Academy Charter Public School in Dorchester reached a tentative agreement on the school’s first-ever collective bargaining agreement. A ratification vote will be held on Tuesday afternoon.

A group of longtime educators at Codman first approached the BTU more than two years ago to help secure an agreement that would provide structure to the workplace and ensure educators could voice their opinion freely and have a say in determining the direction of the school.

“For a long time, many of us felt like we were expected to do more and more without having a real voice in the decisions affecting our work,” said math teacher Tanesha Ryland. “This contract changes that. Knowing I can speak up for my students, have a seat at the table, and be protected when I do gives me hope for the future of our school.”

For more than two years, Codman educators demonstrated remarkable unity and persistence in pursuit of their goal to secure a collective bargaining agreement that prioritizes student needs and creates clear workplace protocols which empower educators to be advocates for the school community. For a more detailed summary of what the agreement entails, check out the BTU’s statement following the tentative agreement.

Unemployment Assistance ZOOM Info Session TONIGHT

Did you receive a non-renewal notice last week? If so, please be sure to attend this important session to help you apply for unemployment benefits. The state MassHire Rapid Response program is holding a Zoom session specifically for BPS employees this evening from 7-8:30pm to advise on how to best take advantage of public unemployment and job training services. The Massachusetts unemployment system can be hard to navigate for the first time, so we strongly encourage any member who was not renewed or officially laid off to attend this session. You can register for the meeting by scanning the QR code in the flyer below or by using this link.

Budget Campaign Next Steps

Now that the BPS budget is finalized, we turn our budget advocacy attention to the State House. Both the MA House of Representatives and Senate are now in the crunch period of the legislative calendar, and the state budget is up for debate by a “Conference Committee” made up of members of both the House and the Senate. Last week, the BTU sent a letter to this committee outlining our budget priorities. You can read that letter here.

BTU Political Endorsements

At last week’s monthly union meeting, the BTU membership approved the latest slate of recommended endorsements approved by the Executive Board and the COPE Committee. The list of candidates endorsed so far by the BTU membership is below:

Federal Endorsements

– Ed Markey, U.S. Senate

– Patrick Roath, candidate for U.S. Congress, District 8

State Endorsements:

MA Senate

Erika Uyterhoeven, 2nd Middlesex District

Sen. Lydia Edwards, 3rd Suffolk District

Sen. Liz Miranda, 2nd Suffolk District

Carey McDonald, 5th Middlesex District

MA House of Representatives

Rep. Russell Holmes, 6th Suffolk District

Rep. Michelle Badger, 1st Plymouth District

Rep. Mike Connolly, 26th Middlesex District

Rep. Jim Hawkins, 2nd Bristol District

Rep. Steve Ultrino, 33rd Middlesex District

Rep. Marjorie Decker, 25th Middlesex District

Rep. Samantha Montano, 15th Suffolk District

Rep. Tommy Vitolo, 15th Norfolk District

Rep. Christopher Worrell, 5th Suffolk District

Rep. Bill MacGregor, 10th Suffolk District

Ben Ewen-Campen, candidate for 27th Middlesex District

The primary election this year is being held earlier than usual, before Labor Day! Please be sure to vote in the primary on September 1, and if you want to help the BTU support our candidates, please sign up for our BTU Electoral Action Team.

We have two events right around the corner that you can register for right now! District 8 Congressional candidate Patrick Roath is holding an office launch event on Saturday, June 20th, starting at 11am. You can register for that event here.

State Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven, who is running for the 2nd Middlesex state Senate seat, is holding a canvass event on June 28th. You can register for that event here.

BTU Events and Announcements

BTU Collective Bargaining Committee & Contract Organizing Committee Applications

Get involved in next year’s contract negotiations! The Collective Bargaining Committee (CBC) is primarily responsible for developing our bargaining package and the Contract Organizing Committee (COC) is primarily responsible for setting up Contract Action (CAT) Teams that will allow us to quickly reach every single member about union actions. BTU members are encouraged to apply to either or both committees. You can find full descriptions of job roles and responsibilities here: CBC & COC Applications

Come celebrate with us on Monday, June 23, from 5:30–7:00 PM! We’ll be gathering in person to recognize everyone’s hard work and celebrate the end of another wonderful school year. Please contact Bianca Pierre at [email protected] for location.

Apply to be a BTU Summer Organizing Union Leader!

The BTU seeks 8-12 Summer Organizing Union Leaders (SOULs) to build power for our next round of BPS-BTU contract negotiations. No previous experience is necessary to be a SOUL. SOULs receive training and coaching in effective organizing practices, including how to have effective one-on-one conversations and how to escalate a campaign, in order to develop a deeper understanding of what it takes to build power and win the schools our students deserve. July 27th-Aug. 28th, 2026. Flexible hours. Trainings on Mondays from 2-5pm at BTU. Paid position: $20/hour for 60 hours total ($1200). Learn more and apply at btu.org/soul.

AFT MA/BTU Summer Organizing Institute: June 29-30

Summer Organizing Institute (SOI) is our union’s deep organizing space to build the skills we need to win for our members, students and families in the classroom and beyond. From bargaining strong contracts, building strong school-site union structures and taking our movement to the streets in this critical time— we must be ready. Join us for SOI 2026; Monday June 29th 1:00pm-4:00pm Tuesday, June 30th, 2026, 8:30am-4:00pm at the BTU. This is a FREE institute for all BTU and AFT-MA members with meals included. Learn more and register to attend at bit.ly/AFTMassSOI26

Support SLIFE students and educators
A group of BTU educators who teach in the SLIFE program organized a demonstration in front of the Bolling Building before testifying in front of last week’s School Committee Meeting against recent policy changes and late notice position cuts in the program. To learn more details and support SLIFE students and educators, read this petition!

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.

Community Events

Immigrant Student Success Virtual Conference: July 8, 11 AM-3 PM

Explore how schools can better support immigrant students in challenging times at the free virtual conference Hosted by The Immigrant Learning Center’s Public Education Institute, participants will learn how to: Foster belonging, identity and agency in students; Challenge common immigration myths; Gain strategies for supporting immigrant student mental health and wellbeing; Advocate for your immigrant students’ rights. The 2026 Immigrant Student Success virtual conference is free of charge, but you must register to participate. This virtual conference is designed for PreK-12 and adult educators, administrators, counselors, volunteers and librarians.

Byte Into Summer – Virtual Conference: Aug. 18th, 9-4:30pm.

The Office of Technology (BPSTech) invites all Central Office Staff, Educators, and School-Based Staff to dive into a day of technology exploration at our virtual conference on Tuesday, August 18 from 9:00AM to 4:30PM. We’re offering 20 engaging sessions on AI tools, digital learning strategies, and the latest updates to Google apps for teaching and productivity. Click here to register on Zoom Events with your BPS email to secure your spot. After completion, you will receive a customized certificate indicating your total PD hours earned. REGISTER HERE

BTU in the News

Check out our BTU in the News section on our website to find articles featuring BTU members regarding:

• Inclusive Education in BPS
• Letter to Editor to Washington Post Editorial Board
• The Lifechanging impact of the Horace Mann
• Biliteracy Improvement in BPS

In Memoriam

The BTU extends its sincere condolences to the loved ones of Jeff Holland, as well as to his students and colleagues at the Sarah Roberts Elementary School. Mr. Holland passed on June 12th at the age of 44. Visiting hours at the Dockray & Thomas Funeral Home 455 Washington St. Canton Wednesday June 17th from 4:00 to 7:00 pm. Funeral Mass at St. Oscar Romero Church, Canton Thursday morning June 18th at 10:00 am. Burial St. Joseph’s Cemetery, W. Roxbury. For more details, please refer to his obituary.

Thank You for Reading

Please send your comments and questions to us at [email protected], or call the BTU at 617-288-2000.