Important Announcement about Schools Considering Innovation Status
Some members have reached out to the BTU to say Principals are encouraging staff to convert to Innovation status, and some have begun writing plans. If this has happened at your school, please contact Erik Berg or Jessica Tang as soon as possible.  Innovation status may be right for some schools, but it comes with significant restrictions on members’ ability to have a voice in the future of their schools. If your school community is interested in trying new ideas that you believe are outside the current contract, we can support you in making those changes in a way that maintains your rights and your voice within the school community. Please reach out before it’s too late!

New – Buy Celtics Tickets
The BTU is selling its Annual Celtics Game Tickets! There are 2 games with tickets available: 12/9 Celtics v. The Cavaliers & 1/18 Celtics v. The Suns.  For ALL the information about the games and tickets available, click here to view the official flyer! To see how many tickets are remaining for each game, click here! Go Celtics!

NEW – Arts Committee meeting, November 6, 4:30 pm
The Arts Committee will hold its first meeting of this school year on Wednesday afternoon, November 6, 4:30 pm, at the BTU.  Refreshments will be served. Read more here. 

Do you have a Juris Doctorate? Fill out this form!
Per our new contract, BPS and BTU are identifying teachers who have earned a Juris Doctorate to determine the most appropriate way to compensate them for their education. If you have a JD, please complete this form. Participation is voluntary.

TODAY – Haitian Educators Committee, October 22
The Haitian Educators Committee will hold its first meeting of the new school year on Tuesday, October 22, 4:30 pm, at the Mattahunt Elementary School in Mattapan.  For more information, please contact Bianca Pierre at bpierre74@gmail.com.

NEW – To Kill A Mockingbird Class set Giveaway
Join the fIRST book SMML Community to enter the contest and win an AFT special limited edition of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Find more details here.

Fill out the Massachusetts Latino Educator Survey by October 25
In an effort to identify the policies and practices to recruit and retain Latino educators, Latinos for Education is releasing a state-wide survey for Latino teachers, staff and administrators. They invite you to complete the Massachusetts Latino Educator Survey to share your ideas as well as to share this opportunity with your networks.

Schedule A ELT Updates
Our new contract includes several changes to the ELT agreement, but many aspects remain the same. The most frequently asked about issues include:

  • $200 Supply and Material Fund – This is unchanged. Each teacher in a Schedule A school continues to be allocated $200 for supplies. Schools should use the same/similar procedures for completing orders as they have in the past.
  • TFT Time– The 40-minute teacher-directed collaborative planning time has been eliminated and is converted to individually directed P&D time for elementary teachers. For secondary teachers, this time may be converted to administratively directed CPT. Schools may choose to maintain TFT through a contractual waiver process.
  • TFT Facilitator Stipends- This expenditure has been eliminated from the contract, but BPS has opted to continue the allocation for one year. The funds must be used for stipends, but the purpose of these stipends is at the discretion of the administrator.

For more information, see this memo which was sent to principals this summer, or contact Paul Tritter or Maggie Riddell.

Join our Retired Teachers Chapter Activist Network
The RTC is setting up a committee for this network. If you are interested in joining the RTC Activist Network, please fill out this form or e-mail Marilyn Marion with questions  at mmarion@btu.org.

Fund for Teachers: Design Your Own Transformative PD
The BTU is a proud local partner of Fund for Teachers. Applications are now open for this year’s cycle. The Boston program is open to BPS and Boston charter school teachers to apply for grants of $5000 (individuals) or $10,000 (teams) to design professional learning experiences that inspire and sustain them as people and professionals. You can use the Application Learning Center for help. Contact Paul at ptritter@btu.org for more information.

Inclusion Done Right 
Please join the fight for Inclusion Done Right by filling out this survey to inform us about how inclusion/special education is being implemented at your school. Please encourage other members to do so as well! Is your school ready to take further action for the Inclusion Done Right campaign? Please contact BTU Organizer Ilene Carver at icarver@btu.org.

This Week! BTU Blood Drive: October 23
The BTU will hold a blood drive from 1:00 to 6:00 pm. Read more here.

Cancer Awareness Fair: November 2
On November 2, 10:00 am-2:00 pm, the Boston Teachers Union Women’s Rights Committee is hosting a cancer awareness fair. Come learn about prevention, resources, and supports for BTU members, friends, BPS families, and loved ones. Read more here.

Latinx Educators Organizing
Do you identify as Latinx? Are you a BTU or AFT-MA member? Are you interested in organizing around issues that affect Latinx educators and the wider Latinx community? Fill out this interest survey to get involved!