Senator Elizabeth Warren and AFT President Randi Weingarten were joined by President Tang, BTU member Tanya Ruhling (2nd from the right), President Kontos of AFT MA as well as other AFT-MA leaders and members on public service loan forgiveness Monday.
Good morning,
We hope everyone had a chance to enjoy the beautiful spring weather this weekend. To all of our members who celebrated, we hope you had a wonderful St. Patrick’s Day!
Yesterday afternoon, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren and AFT President Randi Weingarten convened AFT MA members, including BTU member Tanya Ruhling, for a discussion on the student loan debt crisis and the importance of public service loan forgiveness opportunities. The roundtable discussion was moderated by BTU President Jessica Tang and highlighted the life-changing impact that the Biden Administration’s reforms to loan forgiveness programs have had for our members, public servants across the country and millions of others struggling to make ends meet because of predatory student loans. To date, approximately four million people have had some form of debt relief due to the Biden Administration’s efforts and our coalition’s collective advocacy. The roundtable was covered by the Globe.
The discussion also emphasized the challenges borrowers face in seeking loan forgiveness and the serious implications of having an anti-public education administration return to the White House. We’d like to thank U.S. Senator Warren, Congresswoman Pressley and AFT President Randi Weingarten for continuing to be fierce advocates for borrowers struggling under this burden. The AFT is holding virtual debt clinics weekly, with the next one occurring tomorrow!
This work does not happen without the support of elected leaders who understand the importance of public education, public service and the work we do. We encourage you to join our new BTU Electoral Action Team (BEAT) to do your part in supporting candidates who value public education, labor unions and our respective values in upcoming elections.
Negotiation, inclusive education and public advocacy updates:
Last week the BTU Negotiating Team met with representatives from the City of Boston and Boston Public Schools for the third bargaining session regarding our 2024-2027 contract proposal.
Multiple Coordinators of Special Education (COSEs) from across the district shared their personal experiences to emphasize how our proposals would improve student outcomes and staff success. Our Negotiating Team proposed a caseload limit for COSEs to ensure they are able to dedicate the time and energy that every student deserves without experiencing significant burnout. BTU member and COSE Crystal Campbell described the stakes and situation perfectly: “The burnout is not a symptom of weakness, but a symptom of a system that has a huge weakness.”
The Negotiating Team also revisited our proposal to require the district to hire nine regional restorative justice coaches despite the district insisting that it is meeting its obligation to support this essential work. We have shared a bargaining summary below. You can find all of our summaries, our contract proposal and important updates on the bargaining process at btu.org/bargaining.
We are thrilled that so far more than 300 members have attended these sessions to show BPS how unified our membership is behind these proposals. The more informed and engaged we are, the easier it will be to activate and mobilize around our priorities if negotiations stall in the coming months. Check out our contract action toolkit for tips on how to engage and recruit your colleagues.
We are excited to announce that ongoing negotiations have already resulted in significant progress towards our goal of making every BPS school a holistic environment that empowers students, educators and families. Last Friday, the BTU and BPS were to finally able to come to an agreement on contractual language that improves working conditions for Boston Community Hub Schools Coordinators (BCHS), re-establishes the Citywide BCHS coordinator, and codifies 14 established Hub Schools. BPS will also strive to establish a total of 20 BCHS by SY2025-2026.
While we continue to fight for quality schools through our negotiations, this is not our only tool. Our Inclusion Done Right Committee is working to recruit parents, educators, students and community members to testify at the School Committee meeting on March 20th to discuss the impact of the district’s Inclusive Education rollout. Testimony will occur between 5 and 6 p.m. virtually. You can sign up to receive support from the BTU team to work on writing testimony and join a watch party!
Access to quality early childhood care also remains a top priority. Members of BTU and AFT MA’s political teams joined community partners at the statehouse last week to witness the State Senate pass a 1.5 billion dollar budget to increase access and affordability of early childhood care. We will continue to engage with leaders in the state House of Representatives to ensure this crucial funding is passed by their chamber and sent to Governor Maura Healey’s desk for ratification.
We were honored to host this year’s Social Work Month Professional Development Celebration at the BTU Hall. We are deeply grateful for the work our social workers do every day to support our students and build welcoming, engaging and culturally affirming school communities.
As a reminder, the BTU Women’s Rights Committee will resume hosting their Glass Ceilings Awards this year on Saturday March 23rd. Please be sure to register in advance! Learn more about the event and our honorees from the flyer listed below.
Yesterday evening, AFT President Randi Weingarten also moderated a panel at the BTU featuring two representatives, Sally Abed and Alon-Lee Green, from the organization Standing Together. Standing Together describes itself as a grassroots group of progressive Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel that advocates for peace, equity, and climate and social justice.
Abed and Green of Standing Together joined BTU members Hani Murad and Paul Tritter. Murad is a Palestinian-American school psychologist who spent 15 years working with children in Gaza. Tritter is the Director of Professional Learning for the Boston Teachers Union. Thank you to all of our speakers for their poise and vulnerability and to President Weingarten for deftly moderating this emotional discussion.
Thank you to all of our members and AFT union siblings for attending the event and engaging in a difficult yet constructive conversation regarding this tragic and traumatic humanitarian crisis. We are committed to making the BTU a space where all of our members can come together in good faith and share their experiences and perspectives with an open mind and heart. We will be planning a debrief of the event in an effort to continue the dialogue as we seek to achieve freedom and justice for Palestinians as well as safety for Jewish people.
Finally, we’d like to congratulate the student athletes and coaches of the New Mission High and Charlestown High boys basketball teams and the Boston Latin boys Hockey team on becoming state champions this past weekend. Read more about their amazing achievements!
The BTU Negotiating Team introduced proposals seeking better working conditions for COSEs at last week’s bargaining session with BPS. The next bargaining session is scheduled at the Bolling Building from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday March 21st.
BTU Events and Announcements
Join the BTU Electoral Action Team
Help make a difference and strengthen democracy with the Boston Teachers Union. The BTU is looking for members to get involved with our BEAT(BTU Electoral Action Team) to organize and take action in the upcoming elections. WE NEED YOU! Sign up here using this form!
Haitian Educators Committee Meeting: Tuesday, March 19th, 5:00-6:30PM
Join us on zoom to discuss issues and concerns in our community. We will also plan for our next in person meeting. Please contact Bianca Pierre for the zoom link.
AFT Black Caucus Boston Chapter Meeting: Tuesday, March 19
The AFT Black Caucus Boston Chapter is holding an in-person meeting at the BTU Hall from 5 to 6 p.m. Join us to learn about how you can get involved in our advocacy work across the state. See this flyer for more information.
Jewish Affinity Group
This year has been difficult for Jewish people including Jewish members of the BTU. If you are interested in gathering with other Jewish members to create community and share our experiences and challenges, please contact Paul Tritter or fill out this form.
School Committee Testimony on Inclusive Education: Wednesday, March 20
Join BTU members, families and community partners in testifying on the budgetary and programmatic impact of the current rollout of Inclusion in our schools at the next School Committee meeting. Sign up to speak on some of the most prominent issues that we have heard from members and families which are: Changes to inclusion model with no additional resources, educators requiring multiple licenses for inclusion implementation, lack of transparency with your IPT process. Sign up here to work with BTU on preparing your testimony.
Women’s Right’s Committee Awards Brunch March 23 11am-1pm
The BTU Women Right’s Committee is hosting their Glass Ceiling Awards Brunch. The honorees are: Sonia Chang-Diaz, Jean McGuire and Nora Baston. Please RSVP.
BTU Building Update for Members: Tuesday, March 26
There will be a meeting for interested BTU members to hear from the architects about the initial program for a new BTU building, and provide an opportunity to share your vision for what a new BTU headquarters building could provide. The meeting will be at the BTU, from 5:00-6:00p.m.
Paraprofessional/PSRP Regional Conference and Social: Register by March 27
The BTU and AFT-MA is hosting a two-day paraprofessional regional conference on April 5th and 6th. Join us for dinner, musical bingo and karaoke on Friday, April 5th from 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. at the Para Social. On Saturday, April 6th from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00pm, join us at the Annual Para Conference. Sessions will be around Knowing Your Rights & Enforcing Your Rights, PSRP Bill Of Rights, Tai Chi and more. You can register here.
Family2Family Conference: Saturday, March 30th
Join us on Saturday, March 30th for this year’s annual Family2Family Conference! This conference is for parents/caregivers, students, and educators to share and learn from each other, support family engagement, promote family advocacy, and strengthen family and educator collaboration. The free Conference will take place on Saturday, March 30th, from 9:30 am – 3:30 pm, in person at Fenway High School (67 Alleghany St, Boston, MA 02120). For more information visit https://btu.org/family2family/
The Teacher Leadership Fund Grant: Applications due April 1st
A feature of our contract, the Teacher Leadership Fund offers grants of up to $15,000 for educator teams who want to work in community to learn about, create, and/or share solutions to improve student learning & well-being. Application Due April 1st (early deadline) or May 2nd (final deadline). For complete information about the program including application and guidelines, see http://www.bit.ly/TLF2024. You can also contact Randyl Wilkerson.
BTU Intent to Retire Fair: April 5, 2024
These meetings are intended for members who wish to retire between 04/05/2024 through 08/05/2024 only. The meeting is not to be used for questions on creditable service, buy backs, estimates or any other routine retirement function. Sign-up form
Unafraid Educators Meeting: April 8th @ 4:30pm
Please join us on April 8th for our next Unafraid Educators Meeting! We’ll meet at Fenway High at 4:30pm During the meeting we will plan for the Immigrant Pride Week of Action and plan to fundraise for the Unafraid Scholarship. Please RSVP
BTU Dependent Scholarship: April 19
Every year the BTU awards roughly 16 scholarships in the amount of $2,000 to high school seniors who are dependents of BTU members. See the application and scholarships requirements here.
Register ahead of time to secure your spot at the Women Right’s Committee’s Glass Ceiling Awards brunch! Please note seating is limited, and it is first come first served for BTU members and guests!
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
- Igniting Minds through Innovation & Challenge
- Implementing EL Learning Site March 20th, 9:00 am – 2:30pm
- UMass Boston’s Instructional Technology Licensure Virtual Open House April 22, 4:30 p.m.
Join educators, families and community partners for a conference that will promote family engagement and collaboration in order to advocate for better schools within BPS.
Community News & Events
Bone Marrow Drive at New Mission High School Thursday March 21st
The National Marrow Donor Program is holding a registration event at New Mission High School in Hyde Park from 2:15 to 6:15 p.m. The organization will admission a swab test, enter you into a database and potentially connect you with a patient in need. Check out more details on this flyer.
Joy of Learning Grants: Application Due March 22nd
Friends of the Boston Schoolyards is giving out 10 Joy of Learning mini-grants of $300 to $500 to support teaching and learning that will take place outside in Boston schoolyards this spring. Applicants are encouraged to focus on how outdoor learning spaces will be used to achieve project goals. Projects can range from painting in the garden and doing math problems using plants; to writing poetry and reading stories outside, to observing bugs on the school grounds and growing food to eat. The possibilities are endless. Application.
Recruiting Asian, Low-Income, & Immigrant Youth for Virtual Mentoring Program: Information Session March 26th
Current 8th through 11th-grade students: Apply for Apex for Youth’s National Virtual Mentorship Program (NVMP)! Our free program provides high school students from Asian, low-income, and immigrant backgrounds across the United States with a 1-1 mentor for at least two years, with monthly virtual workshops and community building. Mentees would also be eligible for an in-person summer retreat, college scholarships, and other opportunities. More information: https://apexforyouth.org/nvmp/
Hyde Square Task Force Jóvenes en Acción (JEA) program: April 1st
This after-school program offers opportunities to current 8th-11th graders to study Afro-Latin art, receive free access to mentoring , tutoring and College/Career Exploration, participate in civic engagement workshops and social-emotional support. Applications for the Spring Session are due on April 1st.
Part-time bike instructor for City of Boston Youth Cycling Program
The City of Boston is hiring five bike instructors! We are looking for people to share their love of bicycling by teaching BPS students and other Bostonians to ride safely, confidently, and joyfully. A full job description can be found at the link.
Courage to Teach Nature & Renewal Day for Educators: Saturday, April 27, 9 AM-3 PM
The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University in Jamaica Plain is hosting a one-day retreat on Saturday, April 27, 9 AM-3 PM for Boston area educators. Based on the work of Parker J. Palmer and rooted in the belief that good teaching flows from the identity and integrity of the teacher, this professional development opportunity focuses on renewing the inner lives and well-being of educators. More details here.
National Board Program Social: April 4th
Join us on April 4th (location TBD) from 4:30-7:30 for a gathering of current National Board Certified Teachers, those currently pursuing certification, and this interested. We will be honoring the most recently certified folks and building community and sharing opportunities for those interested and those currently certified. Food will be provided. Register here.
Aspire & Inspire Educator Symposium: May 30th
Celebrate this school year with BPS’s Office of Educator Development and Leadership (OEDL) on May 30th from 4:30-7:30 (location TBD) by honoring the work of educators who are leaders both in and outside of the classroom. There will be a variety of ways for attendees to engage– join a presentation, talk to a teacher leader 1-on-1, and explore the OEDL programs! Food and beverages will be served. bit.ly/AIES24
FREE Summer Middle School Science Program, July1-August 2
The Arnold Arboretum runs a free, science and nature based summer program intended for current 6th and 7th graders from BPS, called Arboretum Young Scientists. We are actively recruiting students who are interested in furthering their learning and growth in science and love being in nature for our 5 week program, July 1 through August 2. The application form can also be found on the AYS (Arboretum) webpage, and it is in both English and Spanish.
In Memoriam
We are sorry to share that Cornelia “Connie” Callahan passed away on February 22 2024. She is survived by her sister Mary Lou Knepple of Exeter N.H. and many relatives and friends. Connie taught in the BPS for over 35 years and was a long-time building rep and delegate. Donations can be made in memory to the Wounded Warrior Project. Our thoughts are with her family, friends and colleagues.
Long time Brighton High School retired paraprofessional, Will Tammick recently passed away. His beloved wife of 30 years, retired BHS teacher and former BTU Building Rep, Shirley Tammick mourns his loss. Our heartfelt sympathy is extended to Will & Shirley’s family, friends and colleagues.