Greetings!

We hope you are in the midst of an enjoyable week. We cannot say week 'off' as many of you are working this week in the Sontag Program and other school activities. Either way, we hope your week is productive.

Next week we have many events scheduled.

On Monday, 4/26, all staff at the 12 Level IV schools are invited to attend a meeting at the BTU with staff and the BTU attorney. At this meeting we will discuss the recent events surrounding Turnaround Schools.

N.B. The teacher transfer process has been extended to May 5. The para transfer process, new this year, will be announced shortly, and eligible paras will have 10 days to apply for appropriate vacancies.

Teacher excess pools will be on June 1 and 2. Para pools have been rescheduled to a date TBA.

If you have any question on the above, please speak with or email either Michael, Caren, or Jenna.

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On Tuesday, 4/27, all those who are thinking of retiring this year after 6/30/10, as well as any others, are invited to attend a meeting discussing the new city ordinance in Medicare, with BTU consultant, John Brouder. John Brouder is a BTU-hired consultant who does work for many unions throughout the Commonwealth. He is one of the more knowledgeable and respected health care consultants in Mass. He will explain the new ordinance, specifically, that all city employees who retire on July 1, 2010, or thereafter and who are eligible for Medicare must enroll in Medicare. As a supplement to the Medicare Plan, the city sells a series of supplemental plans, which, when merged with Medicare Parts A and B, are actuarially equivalent to the current plans enjoyed by active employees.

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Last week, Governor Charlie Crist (R. Florida) vetoed a bill that would have abolished tenure for new hires and tied part of teacher pay to student performance. Fascinating development!

The Miami Herald covered the veto extensively: "Calling it 'significantly flawed,' Crist decried the bill -- which would link teacher pay to student test scores and eliminate tenure for all new hires -- as both overreaching and too vague." As did the New York Times
Meanwhile The AFTMA , of which Boston is a local, has withdrawn support from chasing funds in RTTT II. The AFTMA had supported RTTT I. The vote at the AFTMA Executive Board was 24-1 in favor of withdrawing support. The AFTMA gave three reasons last week for the change.  

1. The mass firings in Central Falls, Rhode Island, have shown how harmful designating a school a Turnaround School can be. This is one of the intervention models permitted under Race to the Top Regulations.
2. The Education Bill allows for the creation of more charter schools in the districts which most need money for public schools. Consequently, this loss will outweigh any money gained from Race to the Top because the latter cannot be used for general operating expenditures
3. The very recent national test scores rank Massachusetts public school students as number one in the USA. Unfortunately, Race to the Top does not recognize this exceptional achievement.

• $25/ ticket
• Saturday, May 1, 2010 at the BTU Hall
  
• 8:00 pm to midnight
• Featuring Frank Santorelli, Dave Russo, Orlando Baxter and more. Cash bar and hors d'oeuvres
• Call 617-288-2000 for tickets

• Retirement Party for Beverly Harris, former teacher at the Allighieri
  Phillips Old Colony House, Dorchester, MA 02122 May 21, 2010 @ 6pm
  Cost is $65.00. Price includes dinner and gift. Dancing to follow. Make checks payable to Colette Ferriabough. RSVP to Colette Ferriabough @ 617-642-5971 or Pamela Spinney @ 617- 759-0395

• Retirement Dinner for Danette Ingram
  Sat., June 12, 2010, 6-11
  Lombardo's
  RSVP
  45$ to Diane Thornton, 200 Matthew Circle  201, Braintree, Mass. 02184