No Kings Protests this Saturday!

This Saturday, October 18, is a big day for all of us who believe in democracy and the rule of law.  The first No Kings protest in June was one of the largest days of public protest in American history. An estimated 5 million people took to the streets to denounce the Trump administration’s unprecedented attacks on the everyday rights of residents across the country. Despite the historical show of dissent, the Administration has continued to reshape our government in order to concentrate power, enrich the president and his billionaire cronies, terrorize immigrant communities and to sow division amongst Americans.

We cannot give in. There are more than 2500 demonstrations planned for this Saturday Oct. 18th and we strongly encourage you to show up to one in your area and continue fighting for what you believe in. More than 200 BTU members will be in Falmouth this weekend for our Fall Leadership Conference and we will be joining the local No Kings Demonstration.

In Boston, hundreds of AFT MA and BTU members will be attending the No Kings protest on Boston Common from 12 to 3. Register here to let event organizers know you’ll be attending the Boston event this Saturday.

As always, the BTU and its partners strongly condemn political violence of any nature. Nonviolent demonstration is a core principle of the No Kings movement and all BTU members are expected to abide by this principle at any public demonstration.

Support a minimum wage for educators!

BTU President Erik Berg and BTU Para/ABA/Substitute Field Rep. Colleen Hart testified alongside AFTMA and MTA representatives at the State House yesterday in support of legislation that would establish minimum salaries for teachers and all PSRPs. The bills in the MA House and MA Senate would establish a minimum salary of $70,000 for teachers and $55,000 for paraprofessionals and other school-related personnel. Thank you to Sen. Adam Gomez and  Reps. Erika Uyterhoeven and Tara Tong for sponsoring these bills.

Wednesday morning, BTU members at the Neighborhood House Charter School (NHCS) rallied before school to call attention to the insufficient financial proposals that NHCS administrators are offering their staff. Contract negotiations have been progressing steadily over the past year but conversations around compensation have recently stalled. As we all know, Boston is one of the most expensive cities to live in and educators at charter schools consistently make less than their non-charter counterparts. Many of the educators at NHCS have dedicated their whole careers to the school and would like to continue to do so. However, it is not a sustainable model to expect educators to work multiple jobs or commute from more than an hour away just to afford to work at NHCS.

We’ll keep you updated on upcoming opportunities to support the educators at NHCS and Codman Academy as they work towards winning their first ever union contracts.

Sick Bank Donation

Here is the link to begin the donation process, the deadline to donate is October 31st!!

Joining the sick bank is of critical importance to our union. By donating just one of your accrued sick days, you are contributing to a safety net for yourself and your colleagues who have exhausted their leave because of significant life challenges.

BTU Internal Incident Report Form

We would like to remind you that the BTU is taking on the initiative of maintaining our own record of safety incidents in our schools this year. School safety continues to be a significant challenge in this district and having accurate data only strengthens the advocacy of our elected union officials. We have created this submission form for BTU members which will confidentially document every school-based safety incident that is submitted. You can also find the form on our website.

BTU Events and Announcements

Volunteer to get Rent Control on the ballot!
Do you want to limit rent increases to 5% per year so that you and your students can afford to live in Boston? Sign up here to gather signatures for the rent control ballot initiative with fellow BTU members from the Housing Justice Committee! No experience needed, all are welcome! Be on the lookout for signature petitions at your school building.

Introducing The POP: BTU Policy & Organizing Program

A new offering combining the former Education Policy and Member Organizing programs, the POP helps members gain knowledge and skills while contributing to the BTU’s core organizing campaigns. Fellows learn about education policy, build foundational organizing skills, and conduct action research. Then they apply their learning to support a priority BTU campaign.

The course meets on 7 Saturdays this year. Stipend: $1500. Flyer, FAQ, Apply today at: bit.ly/BTUepp

Retirement Planning Seminar: October 30th

Ready to retire or just starting to plan? Join us at the BTU for a Retirement Planning Seminar for on October 30th and take the first step toward a secure and confident future. There will be a Pre-seminar Question and Answer session regarding retirement and health benefits from 3:30-4:30pm. AFT is also planning on having a financial wellness workshop, “Building Your Financial Power” from 6-7pm.

NEW! People’s Forum on Graduation Readiness: Oct. 27th

Citizens for Public Schools and the BTU are hosting a series of public forums across the state where parents, teachers, students, can come together to discuss 3 fundamental questions: What should students know/be able to do by the time they graduate from high school? How should students demonstrate their readiness to graduate? What should high school look like to prepare students for your recommended graduation requirements? Please join us from 5:00–6:30 PM, at the BTU Hall. RSVP here.

BTU Paraprofessional Information & Resource Fair: Oct. 23rd

The BTU is hosting another resource fair designed specifically for Paraprofessionals on October 23rd at the BTU Hall starting at 5pm! Representatives from multiple local colleges will be attending to share information on career advancement programs. The City of Boston will have resource tables and there will also be information on free financial coaching and tax programs.

BTU Boston Desegregation Tour: Oct. 25th, 9am-12pm
We are proud to be planning a Desegregation Tour through Boston to visit significant landmarks and locations related to the federally mandated bussing policy in the 1970s. If you’re interested in learning more about BPS history and meeting some members who lived through this period, please fill out this google form! If you are a teacher and would like to bring students please reach out to Lea at 6172976260.

Join a BPS Focus Group to Provide Feedback on Instruction and Services for Multilingual Learners

The Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS) is conducting a comprehensive review of the district’s support for multilingual learners. BPS OMME is seeking BPS educators to volunteer to share your perspective during the CGCS Strategic Support Team’s focus group. Your voice is essential in shaping how BPS supports multilingual learners and their families. More information availble here!

BTU Writing and Research Fellowship

In partnership with UMASS Boston and the Boston Writing Project, this year-long classroom-based research fellowship is open to all BTU members. The BTU Writing and Research Fellowships creates a collaborative intellectual community in which Research Fellows support one another to engage in professional identity work, conduct rigorous practitioner research, advance professional practice and promote student learning and well-being, and pursue social justice. Earn graduate credit from UMASS Boston (for a fee) and a $600 honorarium. Learn more here & Apply Today. Contact ptritter@btu.org with questions.

BTU Multilingual Educators Group: Oct. 16th

The next meeting for the BTU multilingual educators group is on Thursday, October 16th, from 4:30-5:30 then will continue on the first Thursday of each month. Please email Katie DeLaRosa (kdelarosa@btu.org) for the Zoom link.

BTU Educators for Reading Group: Oct. 16th

The next BTU Educators for Reading Group meeting is on Thursday, October 16th from 7:30-8:30pm on Zoom, and then will continue on the third Thursday of each month. Please email Steven Benjamin (steven.benjamin188@gmail.com) for the Zoom link.

BTU Extended Learning Time (ELT) Working Group: Oct. 16th

The ELT Working Group starts back up on October 16th from 5:30-6:30 on zoom. Join us as we continue our conversation around Extended Learning Time. If you are new to the group, fill out this form. Contact Caitlin Gaffny (cgaffny@btu.org) with questions.

AFT Massachusetts Virtual Town Hall: October 16th at 5:15pm

Join AFT National President Randi Weingarten and AFT MA President Jessica Tang for a virtual town hall! Learn more about union wins across Massachusetts and what we can learn from them, how local and national current events are impacting our union members and about ways you can support legislative and policy priorities. Register here!

NEW! Building Rep Orientation Make-Up Session Oct 29 at 5pm on Zoom

If you are a newly elected Building Rep or a Building Rep who missed the Building Rep orientation in August, we will be offering a make-up orientation session on zoom on Wednesday, October 29 from 5-6pm. Please register here for the zoom link

Spanish for BPS Educators is an Introductory Spanish Course geared towards adult learners in BPS to learn enough Spanish to welcome Spanish-speaking families and students into the BPS Community. Curriculum is focused on Boston schools and community and 1 ALC will be provided at end of course for students who meet course requirements. Sign up here.

ABA Working Group Survey and Meetings

The ABA Working Group has released a survey for ALL ABA Classroom Teachers to take! This survey will be administered this Fall, Winter, and Spring as a way of gathering data around class sizes/ratios, missed, services and more, and will also be administered to other districts. Please fill out this survey by Friday, October 31st! The next ABA Working Group meeting is on Monday, October 20th from 5:00-6:00pm on Zoom, and then every other Monday at the same time. Please email Madison Kronheim (madisonkronheim@icloud.com) for the Zoom link.

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.

• SY 2025-2026 Annual Notice for State Required Assessments
• ODA Back to School PD Calendar Fall 2025
• LAS Links Training Sessions – Fall SY25-26
• Online Mentoring for Professional Licensure (Virtual Introductory Session 10/23/25 –5:30-7:00)
• MTSS Learning Cohort Session 1: “Dyslexia Working Group Resources” October 15, 5:30-7:00PM
• MFA Boston “World Religions in Art” Program Series
• Friends of the Boston Schoolyard Newsletter
• Math Working Group
• Telescope Network: Elementary IM Learning Site: October 30th, 10am-3:30pm
• Language and Power summit 2: Nov 19th, 4-7 pm
• Implementing the Stations Model for SLIFE Classrooms
• Early Childhood Inclusive Practices Learning Cohort Sessions 2: Centers and Stations – Nov 5th, 5:30-7:00PM

Community Events

STEM Week Screening & Discussion of “Counted Out” on October 21, 2025 from 6:00 – 8:30 at the Trotter Elementary

This is a documentary about Math Education in the US. With education under attack and misinformation on the rise, math is more than just numbers—it’s a language for reason, a foundation for truth, and a tool for democracy. Across the country, communities are coming together to explore how math literacy shapes everything from opportunity to civic life. Join our growing movement to reimagine math—not just as a subject, but as a shared language for building a healthier, more informed future.

Please register HERE to save your seat!

In Memoriam

Boston Latin Academy Teacher Que Powell passed away unexpectedly on September 6th, 2025. They were a dedicated vocal music teacher who contributed a great deal to the BLA community in their short 1-year tenure at the school. A family obituary can be found here.

Thank You for Reading

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