Greetings! 

       Happy Thanksgiving. Rest, have a good and relaxing holiday, and we'll see you next week.

Contract Reminder

A few calls have recently come into the union office regarding the allocation of funds to be provided to individual itinerant service providers. That language is still in the contract: All itinerant service providers receive $200 per year for the purchase of materials . This language is in effect for the duration of the 2006-10 contract .  By the way, this money is not to be used for testing kits and other protocols--those items are to be provided by the School Department.

Help Our Members Purchase Lost Retirement Time; Join Our Lobbying Effort at the State House.

 We need your help...

        We hope you will make a call or two for your fellow members--please call or email your State Rep. and ask that he or she call Speaker DiMasi to urge passage of H2719, a bill that would allow a small handful of our members to purchase retirement time lost in the early 1980's. A previous bill helped a large group of our members, but overlooked a much smaller group, who were actually on layoff for a longer time. This bill has been stalled in the House for almost three years. Please call your state rep. on behalf of perhaps 30 or so BTU members who were most impacted by these terrible layoffs.

        While you are on the phone....A bill to allow our members to buy back service in non-public schools has reached the Senate. We'd like, too, to help out some other members by asking you to call your state senator. This bill is Senate Bill 1631, and has made some headway in the past but will need a push to move it forward this session. We need the bill to be reported favorably out of the Senate's Ways and Means Committee chaired by State Senator Steven Panagiotakos. Please call or email your state senator and ask him or her to speak with Senator Panagiotakos and urge that his committee report the bill favorably--and soon--to the full senate. Thank you to both the AFTMA and the MTA for their lobbying efforts, and for information used in this article.

Upcoming Dates

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          December 21--BTU Adult Holiday Party after school

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          December 27, 12-2 BTU Kids, Grandkids, Foster Kids party. More details, later. Save the date.

New Professional Development Announcements--OIIT, NBPTS

New OIIT Professional Development

OIIT has additional Fall 2007 Professional Development courses now available for registration. Look for multiple Intel Teach to the Future courses, Teaching to Standards with New Technologies (WIDE), Introduction to Support Data Analysis, and a new Computer Teacher Institute for Computer Instructors. Spread the word and keep your eye on the link for more information and the application to all OIIT sponsored courses which are also posted on the MyBPS>Professional Development tab:  < http://boston.k12.ma.us/teach/technology/pd/index.asp >.

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Still room for a few more:
Fall /Winter Forum, Think about  " Take One"
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards option to enter National Board Teacher Certification process
Mondays, November 19, 26 December 3, 10, 17 January 7 (make up for day as needed-TBA)
West Roxbury High 4-6 pm

• CLD/BTU  National Board Support
• 6 week Intro course toward NBCT status
• 1 In-service credit
• Contact: mhoyt@boston.k12.ma.us

Upcoming Events

        
Monday, 11/26, 4:00 PM: Seminar for BTU Building Reps who missed the weekend conference. Others welcome, too.

The Black Caucus will meet at 4:30 PM on the December 13 and January 17th.

Scholarship Opportunity for BPS Students

ROLLINS GRIFFITH MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIPS: For the fifth year of our five-year scholarship program, three Rollins Griffith Memorial Scholarships ($1500 apiece) will be awarded to three Boston Public High School seniors. Rollins Griffith was the first African American District Superintendent in the Boston School System and was by training both a musician and a teacher.

                 BPS High School headmasters, assistant headmasters, guidance counselors, teachers or other school-based personnel may nominate outstanding graduating seniors who plan to study one of the creative arts and/or education at a post-secondary institution.  A senior may also nominate himself/herself or another eligible peer.  The application deadline is March 7. For further information, please contact Ms. Claire Radley, Teacher Associate at 617-635-6385.

Get well Wishes

We send our best wishes for a speedy recovery to Executive Board member Islida Colonette, who is recuperating at home after surgery.

We also send our best to BTU Paraprofessional/Substitute Field Rep., Jenna Fitzgerald, who is recuperating from knee surgery.

Isilda and Jenna are both doing fine. Get well wishes to both should be sent to the union office and will be forwarded to both. We wish both a speedy recovery.

Sincerely,

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