ONIGHT- Telescope Trivia Tonight: March 8, 8:00-9:15PM
Join us for our monthly Telescope Trivia game tonight for a virtual team trivia game. Come on your own or bring a team. Last month, our quiz topics included Historic Black Women and Animal Logos. RSVP to join us. 2nd Tuesdays each month.
Teacher Leadership and Coaching Roles Info Sessions: March 10
Learn about the variety of new BTU and managerial instructional leadership opportunities supporting educators to provide equitable instruction for our students. Register and attend: Thur. 3/10 @5 p.m. Available roles include Equitable Literacy Coach, Data Inquiry Facilitator, Telescope Networker, Ethnic Studies Coach, Social Emotional & Academic Development (SEAD) Coach, Bilingual/Multilingual Instructional Coach, Transformation Coach and more. Sessions will be recorded for those unable to join. First Session recording and slide deck with links to more information.
REGISTER NOW- 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!
NEW- Call for Sergeants-at-Arms
We plan to resume our membership meetings in person beginning in April. We will need to resume having sergeant-at-arms. Sergeant-at-arms help to maintain order at our membership meetings, check cards of members before entering, and help with vote counts and other duties. There will be a training prior to the April membership meeting. If you are interested in volunteering as a sergeant-at-arms, please email Michael McLaughlin.
Become a Networker with Telescope: Full Time Teacher Leadership Role
The Telescope Network is expanding to add eight new Networkers to the 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.
NEW- 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.
NEW- 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.
Important Dates for Paras: Staffing 2022
Paras should read this document for important dates, deadlines, and information for the coming year.
CORRECTION: 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.
NEW- Educator Learning Grants Program Call for Proposals
The Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development’s Consortium Council is pleased to announce the annual Call for Proposals for the Educator Learning Grants Program for the 2022-2023 school year! The BU Consortium Educator Learning Grants Program provides funding for projects that support the learning and growth of educators and their students. This is a great opportunity to apply for funding, up to $5,000 per project, to investigate an aspect of your work that you are interested in learning more about. Applications are due March 25, 2022.
Build a Contract Action Team!
We’re getting organized at school sites to take action for our Contract Campaign! Build a Contract Action Team (CAT) at your school to enable rapid two-way communication of union actions. A CAT is like a phone tree and allows you to quickly reach every member at your school. See here for a step-by-step guide on how to get started, and let us knowwho your CAT leader is!
NEW- Tremont Credit Union Open
The Bayside Tremont Credit Union Branch is open and fully functional.