Contract Campaign Petition Delivery Watch Party: April 6, 6:00-8:00PM
Attention BTU Members and Allies! Join us at the BTU Hall for a Petition Delivery Watch Party. We will be watching together as BTU members and allies testify over Zoom at school committee and virtually deliver our contract campaign petition with thousands of member signatures. Wear BTU Blue! Light dinner provided. Please RSVP here.

Pride at Work Meeting: April 7, 7:00PM
Pride at Work, the AFL-CIO’s official constituency group for LBTQ Union members and allies will have its next meeting on Zoom. Contact maprideatwork@gmail.com with questions!

Annual PSRP Conference: April 9
Save the date! The 2022 annual PSRP conference will be held on April 9. The theme is stress solutions, self-care, & solidarity. Register now!

VIRTUAL Spring 2022 Retirement Seminar: May 3, 4:30-6:30PM
Reserve your space for the 2022 Spring Retirement Seminar, which will now be held VIRTUALLY. Please register HERE to guarantee your seat. Zoom links will be emailed.

NEW- BTU Leadership Cruise: June 4, 11:00AM-2:00PM
As a thank you for your leadership, time and energy, appointed and elected BTU leaders (Building Reps, Committee Chairs, COPE, Para Council, etc.) are invited to attend a cruise around the harbor! $50 check required to reserve your spot, which will be reimbursed when you attend and is first come, first served. Register now!

NEW- Volunteers for AFT Convention! July 14 – 17
Volunteers are needed for the AFT 2022 Convention to staff the Boston Hosts booth. The convention will take place from July 14th through the 17th from 8 a.m. tot 4 p.m. at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Sign up here!

Seeking New Member of the Educator Supports Program (ESP) Panel
There is an opening for a new BTU appointee on the ESP Panel, which governs the Educator Supports Program (Formerly PAR and Peer Assistance). For more information about this paid opportunity which entails additional work, please see the ESP Website.  For questions about the role or to apply, please send a letter of interest and resume to eberg@btu.org.

NEW- Para Pay Frequency Form SY 21-22
Open enrollment for Para Pay Frequency changes begins on April 1 until June 1, 2022. Attached is the form for any Paras/CFCs who wish to their current pay frequency. If no change to the pay frequency is being requested, there is no need to submit a form. Email completed forms to ohcpayroll@bostonpublicschools.org. Fax completed forms to 617-635-9003.

Join the BTU Latino Caucus
We are building a Latino Caucus for BTU members. Interested in joining or learning more? Fill out this form. 

BTU Health & Welfare Fund Softball League
It’s that time of year again – time to dig out your cleats and dusty old mitt and join your colleagues on the softball field! League action starts in April. All interested players should contact the League Commissioner, Bruce Collotta, at 617-710-8486 for details.

NEW- Alray Scholars Program
The Alray Scholars Program provides 1:1 mentoring, scholarships, and career counseling to graduates of Boston Public Schools who have started higher education but were faced with setbacks on their first try. The program supports scholars who have returned or are returning to school to earn their first college degree. There are two application rounds for scholars each year, and the next due date is June 1.

Teacher Leadership Fund Applications Open
As we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Teacher Leadership Fund empowers educators to lead the way toward the learning environments and experiences our students and communities need. Applications for the ’22-23 grant program are now open. Teams of educators within and across schools can apply for up to $15,000 to address a challenge facing students who have been marginalized. Applications due: May 6th.

Reconnect to Your Purpose with the BTU and Educators Thriving
This has been a hard year. Reconnect to your purpose, clarify your core values, rediscover your strength, and finish the year strong with our spring workshop series. Free for BTU members – register here!

BE/ACTT Cohort 2023
Apply to the only grow-your-own teacher preparation and licensure program in Massachusetts that centers racial literacy and social justice. This program is for those who aspire to become anti-racist, critically conscious teachers with the tools to interrogate anti-Black racism and to create culturally affirming classrooms so their students experience unprecedented social and academic achievement. Application due June 1.

Available Full-time Teacher Leadership Roles
If you were unable to attend the info sessions to learn about the variety of new BTU and managerial instructional leadership opportunities, you can watch either of the first two sessions on video. The first is a bit longer with more detail than the second, but they cover the same information. This slide deck has links to more information.

Telescope Networker Job is Posted
The Telescope Network is expanding. We are excited to add eight new Networkers to our team. The Networker is a full-time teacher-leader role focused on developing and facilitating professional learning opportunities that elevate and share promising practices across Boston Public Schools. For this hybrid role, networkers will spend two days of each week assigned to a “home base” school, and spend the other three days supporting educators across the district. Learn more here or apply today. Contact Paulwith questions.

DESE Flex Information
DESE recently introduced a new MTEL testing policy called MTEL Flex. MTEL Flex allows licensure candidates who took certain subject-area MTELs on or after October 20, 2020 and did not earn a passing score to submit a written assessment instead of re-taking the test. Please review eligibility requirements for MTEL Flex and complete the MTEL Flex interest form to be notified about upcoming information sessions. For more information, contact Justin Norton.

Union Dues
In 2021, teachers paid $1,451.06; paraprofessionals paid $760.10; substitutes paid $760.10; and ABAs paid $943.02 in union dues. Please direct any questions about dues to Secretary-Treasurer Michael McLaughlin.

2022 Unafraid Scholarship
Hundreds of immigrants from all over the world graduate from the Boston Public Schools each year, but many face a huge obstacle: if they’re undocumented, they don’t qualify for federal financial aid. The 2022 Unafraid Scholarship is now open to BPS undocumented seniors. Please share the application with your communities! Since its inception in 2017, the Unafraid Scholarship has awarded more than $280,000 to 105 deserving BPS graduates.

Tremont Credit Union Open
The Bayside Tremont Credit Union Branch is open and fully functional.