On Thursday, we released a report in partnership with the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health outlining safety concerns and recommendations for school buildings based on walkthroughs of six schools that MassCOSH and BTU staff took part in two weeks ago, along with the data from the walkthroughs that building reps and nurses did in all schools. We participated in the walkthroughs to identify changes to the buildings needed to create a safe and healthy learning and teaching environment during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
We found major issues relating to windows and fans, ventilation and filtration, indoor air quality inspection data, and cleaning protocols. You can read the full press release on the report here. We are recommending a second walk-through for health and safety teams this week and cannot recommend that students return to buildings where basic measures, including PPE, are not yet present.
We will be having an emergency Building Reps meeting tonight from 5 to 7 p.m. to discuss next steps and give guidance on the status of our schools. Building Reps received a special bulletin last night to register for the meeting. If you cannot attend, please be sure that someone from your building can. It is important that a BTU leader in your school has the latest information. Due to the last minute nature of this meeting, we are only able to host 500 on our Zoom account and that is why we are limiting attendance to Building Reps and/or their designees.
We are glad to share that the BTU and BPS have come to a shared agreement to extend the following Educator Evaluation Deadlines on a one-time basis for SY2020-21, for Self-Directed and Developing Educator Plans:
10/1 Self-Assessment Submission (Extension to 10/15/20)
10/1 Goal Submission (Extension to 10/15/20)
11/1 Goal Approval by Evaluators (Extension to 11/15/20)
11/15 First Observation for 1- and 2-year plans (Extension to 12/1/20)
We hope this gives everyone a bit of breathing room this week.
Time is running out to participate in the 2020 census! The last day to be counted is September 30, and it is vital that you complete the census this year. This once-in-a-decade opportunity will determine the number of elected representatives Boston will have, how legislative districts will be formed, and the amount of federal funding we will receive for crucial services and programs for the next 10 years. You can fill out the census online or by phone. If you are interested in the census phone banking with the City, you can volunteer here.
The November election is just around the corner. Here are some important updates to get involved:
- Please sign up for our Political Activist list to get more information about our progress and other opportunities as they come up.
- Save the Date: October 19 will be the AFL-CIO Massachusetts Educators Phone Bank! This will be a joint BTU, AFT-MA, and MTA event, and we will be calling voters in Maine. Register HERE and please share our Facebook event so we can get as many volunteers as possible!
- BTU has standing phone banks Saturdays between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and Tuesdays between 5 and 7 p.m. from now until Election Day. Your support is crucial in order for us to retake the U.S. Senate and make sure we have a President who cares about public education. We ask that you please support our efforts here (most volunteers sign up for two shifts). Sign up here!
- If you are not available during those times, you can sign up for AFT phone banks any other day of the week by going to the AFT’s Mobilize landing page. They are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays between 5 and 7 p.m., and Fridays between 3 and 5 p.m. At these phone banks, make sure to tell the lead that you are representing BTU.
- We have a new Facebook profile picture frame for members to show their support for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. To find it, visit this link and put “btuvotes” on the search bar. Select the one that says ‘high-res’ for the better quality image. Please use it and share it with your BTU friends!
We wish everyone a wonderful second week of school!
- Questions regarding the MOU or COVID Concerns? We are resuming our Q&A submission form for COVID-related questions. Please remember these should be general questions, not individual ones that should be directed to your Field Rep or BTU staff.
- Information about options for leave, particularly for high-risk educators: We recommend seeking accommodations from the Office of Equity first. Please see our special bulletin for updated details, and click here for emergency paid sick leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). If you need support or are applying for the family or childcare leave under for FFCRA, pleaseemail OHC leaves, but, again, we suggest contacting Equity first.
- Many educators are being asked to complete the WIDA 15 Hour self-paced Language Objectives and Differentiation PD. If contractual time is not provided, you may be required to complete it on your own time and be compensated at your real pro-rata rate. We have received reports that some school leaders are asking educators to complete these hours but saying, essentially, that no funds are available, but you have to do it anyway. You have a clear, contractual right to be compensated for this time. Please reach out to your field rep if this is happening to you.
- Some LATF professional development sessions which have traditionally been held during the contractual day have been moved after school.Attendance is voluntary, and you should be compensated if you attend.
- Attention paraprofessionals and substitutes: we are looking to gauge interest on the following topics for future PD opportunities. Bullying Prevention & Intervention will review the definition of bullying and its types & modes, as well as cyberbullying & social media in addition to bias-based bullying. We will demonstrate how to report & investigate bullying in the BPS School District. Restorative Justice (RJ) will explore different topics to deepen understanding, learn ways to implement RJ while teaching remotely and connect with others. If either of these sounds like opportunities you are interested in, please click here.
- To make the MTEL more accessible during COVID-19 and beyond, DESE has worked with Evaluation Systems to offer select MTELs to be taken online rather than in person. Individuals with English as a second language may request an extension of testing time on their MTELs, up to one-and-a-half times the standard test session length.
- BPS has shared a variety of tutorial videos regarding the start of the school year. Please see the welcome video “Together, We Rise”, as well as the following tutorials:
- Unafraid Educators and the Boston Education Justice Alliance (BEJA) co-founded a Relief Fund for BPS students and families experiencing financial need during this ongoing pandemic — regardless of immigration status. Please donate to and share the Relief Fund with your networks. All BPS students and families are eligible to apply.