Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! We hope that all of you are able to take some time to eat well, rest, recharge and visit with loved ones over the Thanksgiving break. The BTU office will close at 2:00pm on Wednesday, Nov. 26, and reopen at 8:00pm for normal business hours on Monday, Dec. 1st. Enjoy your well-deserved break.

School Closures

At last Wednesday’s School Committee meeting, dozens of educators, students and parents testified in opposition to the district’s latest proposal to close three schools and remove multiple grade levels at two others. Educators, students and parents from CASH, ACC, Lee Academy and Henderson school communities criticized the rushed approach the district is taking. Schools were notified last Monday, the proposal was submitted to the Committee that Wednesday and the vote is now scheduled for December 17th.

BTU Political Director Johnny McInnis testified on Wednesday night that

“Any decisions about our school buildings must put the voices of educators, students and families at the center..to hold a vote of the School Committee less than a month after the recommendation is submitted, in the midst of the holiday season, is no way to allow for school communities to respond to the devastating news of their closure.”

The BTU believes that Boston’s students deserve to learn in modern school buildings equipped with facilities that support their interests and encourage development. However, we do not support disrupting school communities without providing families better options. You can read more about the BTU’s vision for a facility strategy here

BTU elected leaders, organizers and staff have attended or scheduled meetings with the staff at each impacted school to hear what they have to say. Please stay tuned for more details.

The BTU Executive Board voted unanimously last week to oppose a ballot question submitted by the Pioneer Institute that would lower the Massachusetts sales tax from 5% to 4% over the course of three years. While the idea of a tax cut is very appealing during a financially difficult time, the BTU strongly opposes this ballot initiative. Cutting the state sales tax would force devastating cuts at a time when funding for public education is seriously failing to meet the needs of our students. The question of whether to oppose the ballot question will go before the membership meeting on Wednesday, December 10th.

Educator of Color Night

The BTU continued its collaboration with the Teacher’s Lounge and BPS to host the annual Educators of Color Night at the BTU Hall last Thursday. Dozens of local community organizations, financial service providers, and professional development programs attended to provide resources to attendees before they broke off into working groups. Thank you for your partnership!

MEJA Celebrates 10 Years

We’d like to congratulate the Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance (MEJA) on celebrating their 10-year anniversary last week. As a founding member of MEJA, the BTU has been proud to work with our partners for the past decade to advocate for better public schools for all children in Massachusetts. Thank you for all of the wonderful work you do!

If you have recently changed your address, please make sure to tell BPS Central Office, update your Sirius Member Portal profile, and also notify the BTU Health and Welfare Office. If your address is not up to date with the BTU Health and Welfare office, you could miss important notices about your dental or Eye Care benefits.

BTU Events and Announcements

ABA Working group: December 1st

The next BTU ABA Working Group Meeting will be on Monday, December 1st on Zoom from 5-6. Please email Madison Kronheim (madisonkronheim@gmail.com) for the Zoom link.

BTU Night at the Celtics

The BTU is purchasing a block of tickets for members to attend the Celtics vs San Antonio Spurs game January 10th at 8:00pm, in balcony 308. Please fill out the interest form and you will be sent a PayPal invoice for the tickets. 

MA AFL-CIO Student Scholarships: Deadline December 19th

The Annual AFL-CIO Scholarship and Labor Education awards financial resources to high school students pursuing trade union programs or college/university study. ­The Massachusetts AFL-CIO administers half a million dollars of scholarship awards on behalf of unions and labor councils throughout the state. Individual awards range from $500 to $16,000. You can view a list of available awards and their criteria here.

Students: Register by filling out the 2025-2026 application by Friday, December 19, 2025.

ABA Para Upcoming Trainings: December 15th

This 4 hour training will equip paraprofessionals in ABA-based classrooms with basic skills necessary to be instructional partners in their classrooms and directly support students in accessing academic, social, and vocational opportunities. 4 dates available (20 spots per class). For more details, please check out the registration link.

Monday, December 15, 2025, 9 am – 1 pm

Monday, January 19, 2026, 9 am – 1 pm

Monday, March 16, 2026, 9 am -1 pm

Labor and the Black Freedom Struggle Event: Saturday December 13, 12-2pm

Join us for a screening and discussion of a class on the powerful links between the struggle for Black liberation and the struggle for worker power. And hear from the BTU member who co-taught the class during a live Q&A! RSVP link here

Save the Date: BTU Kwanzaa! Celebration on Dec. 12th from 5:30pm-8pm
The BTU will be continuing the tradition of hosting a Kwanzaa! celebration for members at our hall on December 12th from 5:30-8:30pm. Check out the flyers below for more details!

BTU Latino Caucus Three Kings Day Celebration

The BTU Latino Caucus will be hosting a Three Kings Day Celebration at the BTU Hall on Thursday, January 15th from 5:30-7:30! We are looking for people to sign up to bring food, participate in an open mic, and donate items for a raffle. If you are interested in attending and/or helping out, use this link to sign up!

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.

• Math Working Group
• Implementing the Stations Model for SLIFE Classrooms
• Addressing Knowledge Gaps in Secondary Math (Connect & Share)
• Early Childhood Inclusive Practices Learning Cohort Sessions 3: Math
• MTSS Learning Cohort Session 2: “MTSS in Secondary” – Wednesday, January 7, 5:30-7:00 on Zoom

Community Events

Friends of the Boston Schoolyard Newsletter

The Friends of the Boston Schoolyard is an organization that supports outdoor learning in the BPS. They publish a seasonal newsletter that highlights the work of outdoor learning that is happening in the BPS and shares information about other organizations that support outdoor learning. Link: https://conta.cc/3VnDyTL

TCU Holiday Loans Now Available!

Make the most of the season with a Holiday Loan from Tremont Credit Union! Whether you’re planning festive celebrations, traveling to see loved ones, or tackling end-of-year expenses, our Holiday Loan is here to help. With flexible use and a quick application process, it’s a simple and affordable way to bring a little extra joy—and peace of mind—to your holiday season. More information here

#BPSCoders Contest 2025

Celebrate Computer Science Education Week with the annual #BPSCoders Student Contest! Please visit bit.ly/bpscoders for more information. The contest is open to all BPS students, grades K0-12, from December 8, 2025 to January 9, 2026. Contact hhosokawa@bostonpublicschools.org for more information.

Brandeis Teacher Leadership Graduate Program

The Brandeis Teacher Leadership Program is a graduate program

that prepares experienced and talented K-12 teachers to work with administrators and colleagues to improve instruction and strengthen school culture. This innovative hybrid program combines two 2.5 week summer sessions on the Brandeis campus in Waltham with online learning and 1:1 coaching during the school year. Two options are available for this affordable program: a 13-month Advanced Graduate Study credential (24 credits) or a two-year Ed.M. in Teacher Leadership (36 credits). Generous financial aid is available! For more information see go.brandeis.edu/TeacherLeadership or email msokolof@brandeis.edu

BTU in the News

BTU Political Director Johnny McInnis was quoted in a Boston Herald article covering last Wednesday’s School Committee meeting where dozens of educators testified against the latest proposed school closures.

Congratulations to the Boston International Boys soccer team on becoming the first Boston City League school in state history to win an MIAA state championship! And congratulations to Congratulations to the boys and girls BPS Cross-Country teams for each winning the MIAA Division 2 State Championship. The BPS Cross Country team completed its most successful season in history!

Thank You for Reading

Please send your comments and questions to us at bulletin@btu.org, or call the BTU at 617-288-2000.