Published On: November 29, 2022
We hope you all had a relaxing holiday weekend and were able to spend time with loved ones. As we head into December, we’re gearing up for the cold weather and looking forward to celebrating with you all! Due to a number of considerations, we are postponing our annual holiday party until the New Year. However, we will still have our Annual Childrens’ Holiday Party on Wednesday, December 28 and this year, we are also hosting a Kwanzaa celebration on Monday, December 19 at the BTU. Please note that as usual, registration in advance is required for the Children’s Party!

Last week, a city and district commissioned special education report by the Council of Great City Schools was presented at the Boston School Committee.  It highlights many of the concerns that we have been sharing and advocating to change.  For example, on the use of multiple licensures, the report states: 

No districts we are familiar with use dually certified general/special educators to meet the needs of all of their students, even with paraeducator support. These districts rely on general educators to provide core instruction and special educators who provide specially designed instruction using an in-class or pull-out model.”
Read the full report and view the presentation at School Committee.  

In case you missed it, we want to congratulate two finalists, Channing Elementary School and Taylor Elementary School, as well as this year’s winner, the Gardner Pilot School, respectively. Thanks to the hard work of the educators and staff at each of these schools, each of these school communities have had successes to share. The Gardner is one of the district’s original Hub Community Schools and we are proud to work with the school and community partners to expand that model throughout the district. Learn more about all three schools

Congratulations also to the English High School and Grew Elementary School for their progress and growth. They have officially exited Turnaround status from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education! This is often an elusive achievement and underscores the hard work that those school communities have been engaging in for years. 

We are also happy to congratulate the seven educators who were selected as this year’s BPS Educators of the Year! Over 300 people were nominated for this honor, which recognizes exceptional educators who go above and beyond to impact the lives of BPS students and community members. The seven educators who were awarded this honor are:

  • Celines Rodriguez, Joseph Tynan Elementary School, Special Education, ABA strand
  • Mary Simmons, Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Teacher of the Deaf
  • Andrea Livesy, Joseph Lee K-8 School, Special Education
  • Stephen Mook, Joyce Kilmer K-8 School, Math Teacher
  • Jenny Wu, Harvard Kent Elementary School, Paraprofessional
  • Suzie Renz, Excel High School, Nurse
  • Giannina Sanchez, Lila G. Frederick Pilot Middle School, Social Worker
We celebrate the educators who exemplify the thousands of hard-working educators across the city, who should all be celebrated each day!  

As we’ve mentioned in the last few RTC bulletins, we are supporting efforts to get HB5124 implemented in Boston to increase the COLA this year. The passage of Chapter 269 of the Acts of 2022 permits local retiree systems, including retirees who worked as school support workers and municipal library employees, to offer an additional 2% cost of living allowance (COLA) in fiscal year 2023. This additional COLA must be approved by the local retirement board. Please contact Marilyn Marion if you are a member of the RTC and have not signed the petition yet.

Lastly, we wanted to take a moment acknowledge last week’s atrocity in Colorado and extend our sympathies to those who lost loved ones in the multiple incidences of gun violence last week. On the evening of what we recognize as Transgender Day of Remembrance – a day meant to memorialize those who have been murdered as a result of transphobia – an LGBTQ+ nightclub in Colorado became the target for a horrific hate crime, as five people lost their lives to a gunman who opened fire.

It goes without saying, but our union embraces and celebrates people of all identities, and we are absolutely gutted for the people of Colorado Springs and the loved ones of all whose lives were taken much too soon. There is no place for hate and no place for the gun violence that plagues our streets and communities. If you are interested in joining our LGBTQ+ advocacy efforts or learning more about our efforts to combat gun violence, please contact our organizers, Erica and Katina.

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