The BTU membership has approved the hiring of an organizer to help out both internally and externally. Internally, we hope and expect to better organize our membership. Externally we hope to develop deeper partnerships with more community groups, parents, and students. For this position, we have hired Jessica Tang, a member of our E Board and a teacher at the Young Achievers School. Jessica brings a wealth of experience to this position, and we expect that our membership and union will be well served.
We have also, along with the school department, hired a Professional Development Institute Director to head our fledgling operation. We have asked Paul Tritter from Snowden International High School to work with us to guide the institute, which will be housed at the BTU. We hope, under Paul’s leadership, to begin to make PD more valuable and relevant to our members. A group of 10 BTU members screened and interviewed a number of excellent candidates from a list of 19 who applied. Many were excellent candidates, and we thought Paul the best fit.
Contract booklets have arrived, and close to 3/4 of our schools have picked them up. C’mon over and get yours.
Last week the school district, the mayor’s office, and the BTU held our annual Educator of the Year event. Fourteen staff were honored. This is a nice event.
(Top row, L to R: Cynthia Hairston, Renee Borrero, Seamus Foy, Erik Berg, Amy Piacitelli, Cynthia Soo Hoo, Seth Peterson, Carmen O’Hara, Janira Arocha, Linda Cruz. Bottom row, L to R: Esther Louis Jeudi, Carmen Davis, Neema Avashia, Marlayna McDuffie)
A number of questions have come into the office regarding the creation of the 18-hr PD schedule for next year. There has been a change, so here’s how the scheduling works now.
The six hours on January 2 are still subject to a vote of staff only if the staff wishes to vote to convert January 2 to hours.
What’s more, we have lost one day at the beginning of the schoolyear for next year only; that day’s hours have to be made up. Three of those hours are subject to being scheduled by a staff vote only. For the other three, you are on your own and you must verify completion of three hours’ work for room preparation. See the agreement herefor a full explanation of how the lost day’s hours are to be made up.
In summary, the first 18 are subject to the call of the administrator subject to the restrictions mentioned; the last three (or nine, if the staff wants to convert January 2, 2014) are subject to a staff vote. Questions, please email Michael or Caren.