E Bulletin #23 2011-12

#23

2011-12

12/20/2011

First and foremost: Have a good Holiday season, a Merry Christmas and a Happy Hanukah

Aside from the everyday troubles, this is a time of year to reflect on good things and some acts of kindness.

Below are just some of the things our members and students have been doing this holiday season:

Friday a retired BPS librarian walked into our offices and donated $500 to our scholarship program. By the way, each spring the BTU gives out more than $70,000 to BPS graduating seniors and some of our own dependent children and grandchildren. We've been providing these scholarships for at least 35 years. We'll add an additional scholarship this year in honor of this very generous BPS librarian, and we thank her enormously for her kindness.

Last week at the membership meeting Jeremiah E Burke students attended and spoke of their upcoming trip to Cape Verde to do volunteer work. They sold refreshments and passed the hat. All told they raised over $500. The best part of the event: One student leader spoke to the membership and explained why funds were needed and how the funds would be used. She was poised, articulate, and engaging--just what we hope for and expect from our students. We wish the students well and thank Burke teacher Rickie Thompson for organizing this event.

On Friday, we held our annual holiday party, and collected many, many toys for the Home for Little Wanderers. Thank you to the members who donated toys and money and, we hope, had a good time at the party. Thanks, too, the to BTU social committee, which sponsored and led the event

Connecting Health Disparities and Academic Achevement

The BPS last week sponsored a lecture on the connection between health disparities and academic achievement. The department brought in renowned speaker, Dr. Charles Basch from Columbia University Teachers College. He and others who spoke did an outstanding job of linking health-related issues--asthma, vision issues, teen pregnancy--to disparate academic achievement found across the country. The event was a terrific starting-off point to begin this discussion. We have invited Dr. Basch to the BTU sometime in late winter and he has accepted. More details TBA.

First Citywide Math Competition

A planning committee of BTU math teachers met last week and decided to hold our first ever city wide math competition on April 5, from 10-1. The competition will invite youngsters from around the city to compete in 4 competitions: grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-10 and 11-12. Schools will be asked to send to the BTU a team of outstanding students for each selected grade band in their school. The event will be created and developed by our math teachers with the support of the BPS and the superintendent. We are all very happy to collaborate on this exciting event. Circle the date on your calendars. More details will be forthcoming.

BTU Holiday Hours

Over the holiday week the BTU office will be closed on Friday, 12/23; Monday, 12/26; Friday, 12/30; and Monday, 1/2. Wednesday, 12/28, from 12-2 is the kids' Holiday party (see below). and there is a school site council training session scheduled on 12/20 from 4-6 at the BTU.

Have a Happy Holiday and rest up. We have a long January and February ahead of us as we try to bring this contract settlement to a fair conclusion that is good for students, affordable to the city, and fair to our members.

Education in the News: Poverty Matters

From the NY Times: Class Matters. Why Won't We Admit it?

"No one seriously disputes the fact that students from disadvantaged households perform less well in school, on average, than their peers from more advantaged backgrounds. But rather than confront this fact of life head-on, our policy makers mistakenly continue to reason that, since they cannot change the backgrounds of students, they should focus on things they can control..."

Income Inequality in Boston Area on Rise

A new report from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council cites the growing income gap in the Boston Area.

"Occupy Boston may be gone from Dewey Square. But the protesters' point was well founded, a new report has found.

"The gap between the haves and have-nots in the Boston area has widened over the past three decades, deepening social disparities and cementing high levels of segregation.

"In 2006, the richest 20 percent of the population earned, on average, more than 10 times the income of the poorest fifth, according to a far-reaching report from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, a regional planning agency. In 1979, by comparison, the top earners made about seven times as much as the lowest fifth..."

Terrific Piece in Globe Detailing Day-to-Day Struggles of Two Boston School Students

"It's 6:30 in the morning. The bus will be there in 15 minutes, and as usual George Huynh is still sleeping. He'll sleep as late as he can. Teenage late. Ten minutes is all he says he needs, and he can pull it off. He showers at night, and eats breakfast at school because he likes that food better and, unlike at home, he knows there will be food there.

"His older brother, Johnny, is already up and ready. He was awake until 2 doing his homework, but is always up in time to make sure George doesn't push it too late. He watches for George's light to come on; he'll knock if it's getting close..."

RTC Corner

See updated information for retirees' new pension bill here. Caution: the explanation is provided by the state retirement system, which is not the same as the Boston system. But the overview will be helpful.

Medicare seminar on 1/12 and 1/24 at BTU, 1/10 at Florian Hall, and 1/19 in Plymouth. See here for more information. At the seminars representatives from Social Security and Medicare as well as BTU consultant John Brouder will be present.

Thinking About Quitting Smoking?

FREE Stop Smoking Group available for BPS Employees. This 6-week group session will include free nicotine patches (for those who smoking

medically qualify) and counseling. See here.

Where: BTU Hall, 180 Mt. Vernon Street, Boston, MA
When: 6 Tuesdays, starting January 10th, 4 - 5pm
Please contact Jaime Lederer, 617-635-6644 x41253

What Could Boston Public Schools Buy For $100,000?

Patch's "Deck The House" contest is giving away serious dough to the winner's public school district, and Boston teachers already have ways they could spend the money.

E Bulletin #23 2011-12

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