Dear Member,
We are excited to welcome thousands of educators, students and BPS families to our union hall this Saturday for our 11th annual Back to School Fair. This wonderful community event will offer 40,000 free books in multiple languages catering to students of all ages to our educators and BPS families. We hope you can join us and pick up a set of books for your classroom. Volunteers are hard at work sorting through these books this week and if you have time to spare, check out our website to learn how you can lend a hand and register for the event. We have flyers in multiple languages available on our site. See you at 10am on Saturday!
Walk-Ins September 30th
We’d like to remind you that the BTU will be participating in a national day of walk-ins on September 30th to highlight the importance of federal support for our students’ future and the necessity of a contract settlement that continues the investments in our students and schools that were made through ESSER funding. The national action is particularly focused on covid-era relief funding and we see this as an opportunity to educate the community about the power a contract can have in ensuring resources allocated to students remain permanent. If your school is one of those participating, please be sure to wear your BTU shirt and join your colleagues for the walk-in before school starts!
Modest COLA Base Increase Rejected by Boston Retirement Board
Many of you may not know that upon retiring, your pension does not increase to keep pace with inflation. In fact, only the first $15,000 of your pension can increase at all, and then it is limited to only 3%. As a result, hardworking retirees who live into their 80s and 90s see their pension chipped away significantly, to the point where it forces people into difficult decisions about housing, food, and medicine. The BTU and other City of Boston unions have been calling for years to increase that amount to $18,000, which would be a modest increase of only $90 per year for retired teachers and paras.
At a meeting of the Boston Retirement Board last week, the Board voted 3-2 against even this modest increase, which would boost retirees’ pensions by only $90 per year. Thanks to Board members Karen Cross of the BTU and Mike O’Reilly from Firefighters Union Local 718 for their advocacy and votes on this important issue. Thanks also to Councilor Ed Flynn for attending the meeting in-person and speaking on behalf of the retirees, and to Councilors Louijeune, Murphy, Santana and Weber for sending staffers to the meeting.
ABA Strand Class Size Increase
BPS announced during the first week of school that they were increasing the class size in ABA strand classrooms to 11 and in some cases even 12 students. Teachers, paraprofessionals, ABA specialists and strand specialists in ABA classrooms were shocked by the district’s surprise announcement. At a time when safety concerns are rampant within our already understaffed classrooms, this move to decrease supports for some of Boston’s most vulnerable students is a clear move in the wrong direction.
BPS named the increase in autism diagnoses as the reason for their decision, but educators know that students with autism require an improved staff:student ratio, not a worse one. The BTU strongly opposes BPS’s decision, and is working with affected staff to raise their voice against this move.
Inclusive education Updates: IPT payments and IEP Reminder
We are sending a memo to close to 900 members who worked IPT hours last school year. Some unknown number of recipients have received their IPT payment in full for the 15 hours allotted. Some have not yet been paid in full. It’s the latter group we are looking to connect with.
- If you worked on your school’s IPT last year and have NOT received your full stipend, please look for the email from the BTU and answer the questions on the Google Doc the email links to. We will be in touch after you fill out the form, and we will make sure you get the stipend you are entitled to. You may have to re-confirm with your building administrator that you worked the hours.
- If you worked on your school’s IPT last year and have received your payment in full (most payments came in two separate payments in February 2024 and in July 2024), there is nothing else for you to do.
The email you get from the BTU will have more information, and if you have any questions, please contact Will March.
As previously shared, all districts across the state are expected to implement the new IEP beginning in 2024-2025. The Office of Specialized Support created this FAQ document to support this transition and will offer weekly Office Hours to provide continued technical support on the New IEP. Office hours are every Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30-10:30 and 2:00-3:00 on Zoom. The schedule and Zoom links are in this document.
NEW-BTU Special Election Information:
Signatures for the position for the BTU Vice President have been collected and tallied. Candidates in this race are Lea-Antoinette Serena and Paul Christian. You will be receiving a ballot in the mail within the next week. Instructions for filling out the ballot and returning it will be included.
Please fill out and return your ballot before it gets buried in your to-do pile. Ballots must be received by October 15th in order to be counted. If you do not receive a mail-in ballot or need a replacement ballot, call the vendor hotline at (203)-403-8401. In person voting will be held at the BTU on October 16th from 8am to 6pm. New members will not receive a mail-in ballot and must vote in person. Dues paying BTU/RTC members in good standing can vote in this election. We would like to congratulate both candidates on their nominations!
You may contact ombudsmen Marjie Crosby and Danielle Fraine with questions or concerns at electioncommittee@btu.org. Members are welcome to attend and ask questions at the start of election committee meetings. Next meeting is Sept 30 at 5 pm at the BTU. Contact mfrank@btu with any questions about your membership status.
BTU Events and AnnouncementsBTU 11th Annual Back to School Fair: Saturday September 28th, 10am-2pm Join Educators, Families, Students and Community Partners for a joyous day celebrating Back to School! Thousands of free books! Music, Food, Family Fun Activities and much more! Please share the word with your school community! Check out our page to register and learn more about tabling for your organization! AFT Trauma Counseling All AFT members have access to trauma counseling. If you head to aft.org/members-only, you can submit a request to meet with a mental health professional to receive support following a traumatic incident at either your workplace or in your personal life. |
| Homework Helper Program Begins: Week of September 23rd
The Boston Teachers Union, Mayor of Boston, Boston Public Schools and the Boston Public Library have sponsored the Homework Helper Program since 2004. One or two nights each week at each neighborhood library that is open, a Boston Teachers Union member will be available either from 3 – 5 or 4pm – 6 pm to help any student with their homework. The program will start the week of September 23, 2024 and end the week of May 19, 2025, and will follow the BPS calendar and not be available during vacations. Haitian Educators Committee Meeting: September 24th Welcome back to a new school year! The Haitian Educators Committee’s first meeting will be virtually on Tuesday September 24th at 5 pm. Please contact Bianca Pierre for the ZOOM link at bpierre74@gmail.com
Power Saturdays at the BTU: SY 24-25 Power Saturdays are a monthly day for BTU members to connect, learn, and grow our power together through three unique learning and leadership development opportunities. Member Organizers: Build organizing skills and take action; Education Policy Program: Connect research, policy and practice.; Writing and Research Fellowship: Deepen personal and professional identity through research and writing. Learn more and apply. Boston Partners in Education Gala: Registration deadline September 26th Join us at the 2024 Boston Partners in Education Gala on October 10th. We will celebrate 58 years of BPIE’s work in the Boston Public Schools at the intersection of community, commitment, and connection, and honor Jessica Tang, Board member and advocate for BPIE, as she begins her new role supporting students and teachers across the Commonwealth. Find more information here Nurse Faculty Senate Meeting Wednesday October 2, 5-6:30 via Zoom Monthly Nurse Faculty Senate meetings are open to all nurses and healthcare paraprofessionals and are held virtually on the first Wednesday of every month. If you want to attend and have not received an invite please contact Rina Ambrose rina.ambrose@gmail.com or Natalia Cuadra-Saez ncuadrasaez@btu.org to be added to the nurses contact list. Join Zoom Meeting Making Strides Against Breast Cancer: Join the BTU Walkers on Oct. 5th Join a group of your BTU union siblings at the annual Making Strides against Breast Cancer Walk at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade in Boston from 8am to 10am to contribute to the fight to eradicate breast cancer. Click here to join our team and donate! NEW-AFT MA Fall Conference: Oct. 5th Join your union siblings from across the state for a day of power building, organizing, workshops and contract information sessions. The conference is scheduled for the Nashoba Valley Technical School, 100 Littleton Rd, Westford. Register here! Newly Hired Para/Sub/ABA reception: October 7,2024 at 5pm Please join us for light refreshment and get to know your benefits learn more about BTU. Learn more about this reception here. Harvard Conant Fellowship Information Session: October 9th, 7-8 PM This virtual event will provide an overview of degree programs and unique funding opportunities available to BTU members. Hear from Admissions and Financial Aid officers, as well as past recipients of the James Bryant Conant Fellowship, a competitive full-tuition award to support the professional growth of outstanding educators in BPS. Register Here. Para 101 PD for newly hired paraprofessionals: Multiple session in October, November and December. Para 101 is about building a community of paras who are knowledgeable about their rights and are aware of the support and strategies that they can use to build stronger relationships with students and teachers in the classroom. Please see this flyer for all of the dates and details. Paraprofessional Informational Meeting and Resources Fair: October 10th Come join us at the BTU Hall on October 10th at 5pm for important information and great resource materials from colleges, MTEL support and more. Register here! BTU Fall Conference: October 18th to 20th Join us for the 2024 Annual BTU Fall Leadership Conference from October 18-20 at the Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Hotel (250 Market St, Portsmouth, NH 03801). The program will include plenary sessions, skill-building workshops, meals, and social events to build up our power and unity as BTU member leaders. The registration deadline is October 4th. BTU Retirement Planning Seminar: October 25, 2024, 4:30-6:30pm “When will I be able to Retire?” Find out by attending the BTU Retirement Planning Seminar on Friday, October 25, 2024. Trustees from the City of Boston Retirement Board and from Health Insurance and Social Security will also be in attendance. Register Here! The applications for Para Mentor, Para Facilitator and Teacher/ Coach are up on TalentEd This is a great opportunity to train and mentor your fellow paraprofessionals. We are looking for two teachers to help coach and mentor the para facilitators. You must have 5 years experience in BPS to apply for any of these positions Please reach out to Colleen Hart at chart@btu.org if you have any questions .
Participants sought for research study: Union Engagement Project with Harvard Kennedy School Tova Wang is Director of Research in Democratic Practice at the Ash Center, Harvard Kennedy School, and is developing a project to help unions understand how union activities impact levels of union member voter participation.
Tova is interested in doing a small number of interviews of BTU leaders, and then a small number of interviews with members. All interviews will be confidential. If you would be willing to talk to her for no more than an hour, or want to learn more about it, please contact her at tovawang@hks.harvard.edu.
Professional Learning & Development UpdatesEach 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 News & EventsYODA Open House: TODAY at the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts The YODA (Youth Opportunities Developing Achievers) works to ensure students of color can excel in STEM fields by receiving access to high-quality academic experiences from engineers, college students and STEM professionals of color. On Saturday’s during the school year students will develop skills and build confidence to enter a future in various STEM fields. If you know a young person interested in STEM who would benefit from the YODA program, please have them enroll HERE and bring them to the open house. Join the Climate Resilient Schools Coalition Youth Cohort!: Application due September 30th! The Climate Resilient Schools Coalition, a network of students, teachers, school districts and social justice groups, is recruiting youth, Gr 9-12, for a paid internship to advocate for climate solutions in their schools and communities. Application are due Sept 30. More info and application are here. Urban League: Girls Empowerment Program Oct. 26th The Urban League is co-sponsoring an event with the Northeastern University School of Law. It’s a great opportunity for middle school girls to get introduced to the practice of law and meet women attorneys of color. Please share this flyer and the registration link here: Determined to Rise Academy – Ms. JD (msjdorg.lpages.co) The Boston Desegregation and Busing Initiative’s upcoming September events The Boston Desegregation and Busing Initiative has been actively working throughout this 50th anniversary year of Boston school desegregation and busing. The focus has been on addressing “what happened,” “lessons learned,” and “what’s next for Boston Public Schools.” There are several upcoming events including a forum at the BPL on 9/28. More information here Annual BPS Attendance Symposium: September 26th The 8th Annual BPS Attendance Symposium on Sept. 26th, from 8:30-2:00, at the Bolling Building, 2nd Floor will convene school staff, community partners, and families to shed light on the importance of consistent attendance as a critical determinant of student success. This year’s offering will uplift strategies that deepen student’s sense of belonging while activating family partnerships to strengthen school communities and improve student mental health. Please note that space will be limited to the first 150 attendees, including staff of the schools receiving awards. Contact Gabriella Cruz at gcruz@bostonpublicschools.org for more information. Ranked Choice Voting Hearing: Oct. 10 The Boston City Council hearing on Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) is officially scheduled for October 10 at 10 AM. This hearing is pivotal to making Boston’s elections more inclusive, equitable, and representative. Register here Right to Read Rally: October 19th, 10-11:30am The rally for the ‘Right to Read’, protesting attempted book bans from across the country, on the plaza facing Copley Square in front of the BPL Central Library’s McKim Building. There will be a slate of speakers including from ACLU Massachusetts and BPL PSA union; a silent read-in, library card drive, voter registration and other activities.
Retirement Party for Sheila Jefferson: November 1st Sheila Jefferson is retiring from Boston Public Schools after 33 years of service! Please come celebrate with her on November 1, 2024 from 7pm- 12 midnight at Canton Town Club, 300 Bailey Street in Canton. Cost of attendance is $65 and can be sent to Venmo: @TJ-Adams-4, Zelle: 6179634879, Cashapp: $Tadams70. Any questions, contact: Sheila 617-365-4907 |
