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Boston Teachers Union

Boston Teachers Union
e-Bulletin

#39
(2009-10), 04/26/10

Greetings!

We hope you had an enjoyable week.

On Monday, 4/26, at 4:00 PM, 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. On 5/3, the BTU and the school department will sit down as part of the state-mandated process to review and negotiate the school departments proposed implementation of new, proposed working conditions in so-called underperforming schools. We will keep you up-to-date on this process.

N.B. The teacher transfer process has been extended to May 5 . The para transfer process, new this year, will be announced shortly.

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, at 4:00 at the BTU , 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. A representative from the Social Security Office will also be present to answer your questions on Medicare.

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New, proposed rules on becoming permanent... The school department recently sent out a letter to provisionals announcing a change in working conditions that would mandate that provisional teachers "must complete the Category Training for Teachers of English Language Learners before they can receive Permanent Appointment." The school department letter went on to say that "training in ESL/ELL or these four categories is critical as we expand our services to the growing numbers of English Language Learners in Boston." The BTU has filed a grievance on this matter. Why?

The school department's proposed change came without negotiations, and as a mandated change in working conditions, it requires negotiations before implementation. We will keep you posted on this issue. Now here's the interesting part. The BTU, as has been reported in this spot previously, has reminded the school department of the urgency to get people trained for six years. We have formally proposed that our schools set aside some of the 30 hours of yearly, required PD in order to get everyone trained. The school department has had enough time, since we first noticed them, to have fully trained all of our 5300 teaching staff two times over. But the school department has procrastinated, procrastinated, and procrastinated. This new proposal the department has made is just one more half-baked idea--too little and too late. Memo to the school department: Next year's PD schedule is almost upon us. Why not set aside some of the mandated PD time to get people trained? Or does that proposal make too much sense?

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Lastly, things are tough and about to get tougher. We need some laughs. Come to the 2nd Annual BTU Comedy Night on May 1, at 8:00, to benefit the Boston Teachers Union School

$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

Will You Hold a House Party for an Elected Official

The BTU is asking our members to hold house parties for our elected

officials. What better way to get to know our elected officials and for them to get know us! If you can supply the location, we can supply the elected official, the guests, and the refreshments. We'll do most of the work. This is a great opportunity to help our members establish a better relationship with those who make the laws in the Commonwealth. If you are interested, please send us a short email .

NBPTS Date Change

National Board Certified Teacher New Candidate Outreach will be held on June 3, Thursday, 4-6 PM, at the BTU. Check web site for qualifications. This is a change in date.
Questions?

RTC Golf Tournament

Announcing the THIRD ANNUAL RTC/BTU GOLF OUTING scheduled for June 17th. This yea,r the Charity we will be supporting will be Dana Farber Foundation & Jimmy Fund.More information will be forthcoming very shortly.

Summer Volunteer Project in the Dominican Republic

Volunteer as a Literacy Teacher in the Dominican Republic.
4-week summer intervention program to benefit at-risk adolescent girls July 7 - August 12, 2010.

Jennifer Dines, a 6th grade Special Education teacher at the Harbor School, has volunteered as a literacy teacher in the Dominican Republic for the past few summers. She is pleased to extend this unique opportunity to Boston teachers. Traveling to and working in the Dominican Republic provides a cultural bridge for educators working with Dominican and Haitian students. Currently, there are six Boston teachers committed to the summer, and we are looking for a few more to join us!

Summer Camp Highlights:

Create meaningful friendships with Dominican and Haitian girls ages 13-18.
Plunge into Dominican culture and the Spanish language, while working with Dominican and Haitian teachers and mothers, modeling positive teaching strategies that they can implement in their own homes and classrooms.
Accommodations within the local community (home stay or apartment.)
Haitian Creole lessons in the afternoons and evenings.
4 week summer school and camp intervention program to benefit at-risk adolescent girls.
Educational excursions outside of camp to the Mirabal Sisters Museum, Finca Alta Gracia (the coffee farm owned by author Julia Alvarez), and Jarabacoa National Park.

For more information, please contant Jennifer Dines .

Credit Union to Elect New Directors

Please note that the Tremont Credit Union, where many of us bank, is electing new directors . One of our members and a building representative, Sterling Scott, is running for a seat on the board. Please consider a vote for Sterling. Tremont Credit Union's annual meeting will take place on Thursday, April 29, 2010, at 6:00 p.m. This year's meeting is being held at Florian Hall 55 Hallet Street, in Dorchester, MA. New Business will include:

Election of Directors
Approval of the Officers' Reports

Photo Identification required. Credit Union members must be in good standing to participate. Refreshments and beverages will be served. Marjorie Powell, also of the school department, is running. Please consider voting for Marjorie as well as Sterling.

Retirement Dinners

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
Lombardo's
Saturday, June 12, 2010, 6-11
RSVP
45$ to Diane Thornton, 200 Matthew Circle 201, Braintree, Mass. 02184

Obituary

The BTU is saddened to announce the passing of Edward McManus, former librarian at English High School and South Boston High School. Ed leaves his wife, Florence, who, too, was a retired librarian in the BPS. See the full announcement .The BTU Sends its most sincere condolences to Flo, their children, family, friends, and former colleagues.

Sincerely,

Richard Stutman
BTU President

richardstutman@comcast.net (home)
rstutman@btu.org (work)
617-288-2000

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In This Issue

Political Organizing

NBPTS Date Change.

BTU Golf Tournament

Summer Volunteer Project in the Dominican Republic

Credit Union to Elect New Directors

Retirement

Obituary

Q ks

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2009 -10 School Year
#01	08/31/09
#02	09/08/09
#03	09/14/09
#04	09/21/09
#05	09/28/09
#06	10/05/09
#07	10/13/09
#08	10/18/09
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#15	11/30/09
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#19	01/04/10
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#21	01/18/10
#22	01/23/10
#23	01/25/10
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#28	03/04/10
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#33	03/29/10
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#37	04/15/10
#38	04/20/10