The sun was streaming in through large windows and students were working in a variety of learning centers in each classroom at the Baldwin Early Learning Center, a small school in Brighton with an ethnically diverse population of students in K0 through grade 1. Read more about the Baldwin, featured in this month's "We're Learning Here."
On the morning of April 5, over 800 students from more than 50 Boston public schools crammed the three BTU halls to compete in the first-ever citywide math competition. Students from around the city in grades 3 through 12, accompanied by over 75 teachers, came to show off their math skills in this exciting competition.
Creativity and collaboration are alive and well at Hyde Park's Roosevelt K-8 school, where over 400 students and a committed staff are thriving and learning each day. Students make connections across grade levels, and all classes are fully inclusive. Read more about the Roosevelt, featured in this month's "We're Learning Here."
A sprawling elementary school with almost 500 students, Jamaica Plain's Hennigan Elementary School is thriving. Student choice seems to have been a casualty of our testing mania in upper elementary grades, but it is alive and well in the Hennigan’s K-2 classes, featured in this month's "We're Learning Here."
Teachers may be working without a contract for over a year, but through it all they and their students are focused on doing their job: teaching and learning and creating caring communities. Featured this month in "We're Learning Here," is Excel High School.
In December 2010, a city task force released a report that called on certain non-profits to pay their fair share of property taxes. Nonprofits are exempted from the obligation to pay property taxes under a law that was passed in 1830. (That's not a typo!) This latest city report called for certain non-profits to gradually increase their payments over a five year period, after allowing for a 'community benefits reduction' and a few other offsets.
On Friday, November 18, thousands of BTU members around the city came to school that morning with an added purpose: to tell the school district that it's time to settle contract negotiations. View a video of thousands of BTU members as they picketed at their schools and community sites demanding that the school district 'Talk to Teachers.'
Through all the drama, challenges and volatility in public education these days, BTU staff and BPS students are keeping focused on doing their job: teaching and learning and creating caring communities.
AFT President Randi Weingarten held a press conference with the BTU to criticize Supt. Johnson and the Boston school department for its uncompromising negotiating position against offering BTU members any compensation for working an extended day.
Through all the drama, challenges and volatility in public education these days, BTU staff and BPS students are keeping focused on doing their job: teaching and learning and creating caring communities.
The Stand for Children Initiative petition threatens the progress our schools have made by disrupting positive developments that are in place. A number of organizations and individuals have begin to speak against the petition.
The Massachusetts DESE has released a report on its view of what has made for success of lack thereof in the state's Turnaround School process. One of the big takeaways: strong, competent leadership as well as mutual respect are more important that the wholesale excessing of 50% or more of staff.
On the night of March 27, the Boston Teachers Union filed for mediation (PDF) with the state after reaching the conclusion that we need a third party mediator to help us work out our differences with an intransigent school district. On April 3, after a marathon session, we unsuccessfully completed contract negotiations.
Please plan to attend the May 17 National Board Recognition event. This event is to promote Take One! as a strong Professional Development option for individual teachers and schools, honor the contribution of National Board Certified Teachers, and première the movie Mitchell 20.
Boston Gay Lesbian Bisexual, Transgender and Ally Educators, Administrators and Central Office Staff: In collaboration with the Boston Teacher Residency, the Office of Equity and GLSEN (Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network), the newly forming GLBT Educators Network of Boston (GEN-BPS) is hosting a free social and networking event. Join us!
Registration is now open for the Second Annual Boston-area Educators for Social Justice Conference. The conference is produced by Teacher Activist Group Boston.
As you know, May 22 is the date of the Spring Luncheon, so we realize some of you who planned to attend the Retirement Board meeting have signed up to attend the RTC luncheon.
In what should be the biggest story of the week, the city of Philadelphia's school system announced Tuesday that it expects to close 40 public schools next year and 64 by 2017. The school district expects to lose 40% of current enrollment to charter schools, the streets or wherever, and put thousands of experienced, well qualified teachers, often grounded in the communities where they teach, on the street.
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