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| Greetings! We hope you are having a good holiday weekend. A few beginning-of-year issues to be mindful of:
Retirees: The BTU membership has voted to spend $5000 to hire an outside consultant to review the retiree dental (non-COBRA) plan. We have contracted with the Segal Company to provide professional advice as to the negotiating of our current Retiree contract with Delta. The Segal Company is a top-of-the-line provider of these services. A proposed premium increase by Delta has prompted the union to hire outside professional advice. Information to all retirees will be forthcoming in writing. The hiring of Segal will serve to keep the proposed Delta premium increase to a minimum and/or seek to expand the current benefit level to retirees. Again, this is unrelated to the COBRA plan. School Closings: For a full list of proposed changes, see here, specifically E-Bulletin #7. Remember, these are proposed only. We realize that overturning a plan that has been set in motion is an uphill fight. Yet we ought to take an optimistic approach. Those affected can begin to make a case to keep their school intact by attending the upcoming Zone meetings and/or this week's school committee' meeting on Wed., 10/15, at 6:00 PM. Zone meetings with the superintendent and her staff are scheduled at Mildred Ave. on Tuesday, 10/14, at 6:00 PM; and at the English High School on Thursday, 10/16, at 6 PM. School meetings with the supt's staff are similarly scheduled. A school committee meeting will be held this Wednesday, 10/15, at 6:00 PM. Interested staffs are urged to sign up for the public comment at the School Committee meeting. To see the superintendent's plan for school consolidations in her press release, see here . Paraprofessional Informational meeting , Thursday, 10/16, at 4. Building Reps., new teachers, new paras, new substitute teachers-- BTU Welcome Dinner on 10/29 . An invitation is in the mail. We are still looking for post card returns on the Vote NO on One Campaign. Also, we have yard signs that still have not been picked up at the BTU. Building Reps: Please bring any cards to the BTU Office and please pick up yard signs for the people in their schools who have requested them. We will alert reps at schools whose members have requested signs. By the way, there's a great video on the Question One webpage . |
| Important Class Size Notice to Teachers |
In the past several school years the school department has been far too lax in addressing promptly complaints of class-size violations. In some cases, it seems the school department believes it can simply purchase a way to exceed the limit but do nothing to actually reduce the size of a given class to bring it into compliance with the clear limits set by our contract. The contract states: In the event the maximum class size is exceeded, the building administrator and the classroom teacher will discuss in good faith appropriate educational solutions. These might include the assignment of a Paraprofessional to assist the teacher, a reduction in the teacher's non-teaching duties, insuring the teacher an overall average class size that is no more than 85% of the maximum, and similar measures. Ultimately, the classroom teacher may insist that the class size maximum be enforced. This means that every teacher has a right, after considering the proposed alternatives in good faith, to insist on adherence to the class size limits. Intimidation, coercion or retaliation against any teacher for insisting on adherence to the contract is unlawful. Therefore, we want to remind everyone whose class size is over the limit in the 2008 - 2009 school year to take the following steps:
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| Professional Leadership Opportunities Grants Avail. |
The Professional Leadership Opportunities Grant process is out. The announcement and the application can both be found here by scrolling down. The BTU and the Boston School Committee have "negotiated a program that allocates funds to support additional professional leadership projects for members of the Boston Teachers Union. The goal of the program is to create avenues of professional growth for educators and school support staff by enabling them to take on additional leadership responsibilities and develop new skills that will advance school improvement efforts." |
| BTU to Take Bus to NH for Obama | |
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The BTU is again going to New Hampshire (11/1 at 9:00 AM) to do canvassing for the Obama campaign. |
| Please email Patricia Armstrong to reserve a seat on the bus. We will be traveling to Nashua. | |
| Discovery School Application Due 10/31 |
The Discovery School Application, along with FAQs is out. See here to see the memorandum co-authored by School Superintendent, Dr. Carol Johnson, and BTU President, Richard Stutman. The explanation, includes an application, background information, and FAQs. Applications are due 10/31, and selected schools will be notified by 12/19. |
| 2009 Flex Spending Acct. Open Enrollment 10/20 to 11/21 |
Save on medical, dependent care and transportation/parking expenses |
The Flexible Spending Account and the Pre-Tax Transportation plan are tremendous opportunities for you to enhance your benefits package. Most employees pay for expenses such as dependent care expenses, out-of-pocket medical/dental expenses, parking fees, and mass transit expenses on an after tax-basis. These programs allow you to set aside a portion of your paycheck tax free to pay for those expenses. The result is a reduction in Federal, State and Social Security taxes, which will give you an increase in your take home pay. Don't miss out on this opportunity to save between 28-34% in taxes. Your retirement is not affected.
Meeting at BTU on October 21, 2008, 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm |
| Certification and Recertification Issues |
On 11/13 and 12/9, at 4, there will be a meeting at the BTU on certification and recertification issues with the AFTMA's Phil Veysey. Please email Caren Carew if you are interested in attending. |
| Obama Fundraiser |
OBAMA FUNDRAISER : Suggested donation $20 or more if you like
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| MassArt Offers Program for BPS Students |
| Saturday Studios at MassArt begins October 18th. Saturday Studio art classes are for students in grades 4 - 12. MassArt Art Education students teach the sessions and are supervised by Art Education Faculty. It is a wonderful opportunity for student s to attend classes at MassArt in the unique environment of a college for visual arts. I am attaching the brochure and the registration and hope that teachers will take advantage of this for their students. Questions, call Liz Rudnick, PMP, voice: 617-879-7174 |
| Inspire Innovation Workshop: Hands on Activities Museum of Science/Science Park on 11/1, 8-12 |
This FREE workshop is organized by ASME's Center for Public Awareness and the Museum of Science and is sponsored by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Register by email by October 15th: |
| Health and Welfare Offers Assertiveness Training |
The Trustees of your Health and Welfare Fund have once again made arrangements to allow Teachers to participate in seminars on Assertiveness Training. The seminar will consist of four sessions of 1½ hours each and is entitled "How to Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say and Not Be Mean When You Say It." All sessions will start at 4:00 P.M. and end at 5:30 P.M. The Seminar dates are as follows: 10/23, 10/30, 11/13, and 11/02. You will get a registration form in the mail. Complete it and send the form back to the fund office. |
| Boston Celtics--Save the Dates | |
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We will have tickets for the Boston Celtics reserved on two dates, Friday March 13th against the Memphis Grizzlies and Friday April 3rd against the Atlanta Hawks. |
| The tickets are $45 and must pre paid by February 5th. We will have an announcement shortly. |
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| Orchard Gardens Fundraiser |
Orchard Gardens K-8 Pilot School is sponsoring its Second Annual Heart and Soul 5K Walk. It will be taking place on Saturday, October 18th from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The walk begins and ends at the school at 906 Albany St. The school encourages everyone to come out for this very important event. All money raised goes directly towards the OGPS community. With your help, this year's walk will be a great success. We can't wait to see you there. Please email Merry Kappes if you would like to contribute and/or participate in the walk. Thank you for your support! |
| Retirement Parties |
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Sincerely,
Richard Stutman
BTU President
rstutman@btu.org (work)
617-288-2000
BTU e-Bulletins
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