Greetings!  

We hope you had a restful Thanksgiving.

Good luck this weekend to the football teams from Brighton High and East Boston High Schools as they compete in Super Bowls this weekend. Undefeated Brighton plays`West Bridgewater at 11AM Saturday at Stonehill College. Undefeated East Boston plays Greater Lawrence this Saturday at 9:30 at Gillette Stadium. Go Boston teams!!! and good luck to their players and coaches. What an honor to have two undefeated teams!

Earlier this school year we sent out a facilities survey seeking information as to the physical conditions of our school buildings. About two dozen schools have responded; they are listed on the right (below). We would like to obtain surveys from the rest of our schools and ask that your school send its survey in, if you haven't done so already. Why? Last summer the Boston School Department submitted a request to the state seeking newly-authorized state funds to repair seven schools. The state's $500 Million School Repair program was the first state repair initiative in many years.

The Boston school department could have submitted an application for more of our schools. In fact, other communities filed proportionately more applications. Springfield filed applications for all of its 36 schools; Worcester, 12; Newton, 16; Braintree, 9. Why didn't Boston file for all of its schools? Could it be that our schools  don't need repair? Hmmm. Let's take a look at a sampling of some of the facility issues cited in schools the department chose NOT to cite:

• Chittick--some rooms: no heat
• Clap--One room: exposed wires in student coat closet
• JF Kennedy--rodent issue
• PA Shaw--no screens on any windows; bathroom doors loose or missing
• Madison Park--insufficient outlets and lighting, safety concerns, inadequate ventilation in some shops
• O'Bryant--poor air quality, missing ceiling tiles, windows that do not open
• South Boston Excel--smells musty
• South Boston Odyssey--missing floor tiles a safety hazard
• West Roxbury Media--Escalators often broken, mice on third floor
• Your School :

Once we have sufficient surveys, we will compile a wish list and submit to the appropriate authorities. The issue isn't so much that Boston didn't take the time or effort under the previous regime to file applications for all schools that need facility remediation. The issue is more global: Our buildings need help, and there is insufficient money at the local level, at the state level, and at the federal level to provide adequate resources for the children we teach. In this society, there is no excuse for any child to go to school in an inferior classroom or in a decrepit, unsafe, or unhealthy building. The state's plan to spend $500 Million might sound ambitious, but after years of neglect, it is a pittance. Much more attention needs be paid to this problem. School systems throughout the state are crying out for money for school repairs to being our schools into the 20th Century, let alone the 21st.

Copies of blank surveys can be obtained from the BTU.

Celtics Raffle

We are sold out of Celtics tickets, but we have three pairs of tickets left to raffle off. Send in your building repair survey and we will enter your name in our Celtics contest. Three lucky schools will each win two Celtics tickets for the game on March 14.

We also are raffling off two pairs of Celtics tickets to two lucky people who submit five email new addresses for our list serve, now with 6980 names of members and friends who receive this weekly e-Bulletin. Submit five new email addresses in to Adrienne and enter our contest. If you have 10 names to enter, by the way, you'll get entered twice.

Homework Helper Program Up and Running

The Boston Teachers Union in cooperation with Mayor Menino,  the superintendent, and the Tremont Credit Union jointly fund the Homework Helper Program, which places a Boston teacher (or nurse or paraprofessional) in all Boston Public Library branches (including the main library) from 4-6 each evening the library is open. The program runs each school week through May. All students, Boston Public or not, are welcome to visit any of the below libraries on the listed evenings from 4-6 to receive homework help from an experienced homework helper. We are pleased to be part of this initiative, and we thank each of our partners (and homework helpers!) for their cooperation.

BPS Announces $1500 Incentive for Intent to Retire

The BPS is once again offering a $1500 incentive to those teachers who notify them early of their intent to retire. The deadline is December 14th. Details and an application can be found in the circular linked below:
http://boston.k12.ma.us/dept/NEWdocs/HRS-PP08.pdf
 

Upcoming Holiday Parties and Events

Seminar at the BTU on Thursday, December 6, 2007 from 4:00 - 6:00 PM

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

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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.

Superintendent's School OT Payment

At the membership meeting last month, a teacher asked when and how a BTU member at a superintendent's school could  verify that he/she had been paid for the 20 hours of local Professional Development OT. Here is the answer from the school department's payroll office.

"The mandatory Superintendent School's PD is paid under the earn code STAR- (stipend with retirement).  A spreadsheet is sent to the Principal/Headmaster for them to  record the hours worked and then it is sent to (payroll).  The Marshall, Winthrop and Lewenberg have been processed  so far in SY07-08 and each was paid in the paycheck issued on 10/05/07."

BPS Clerical Staff, 2 Years W/O Contract, Picket Court Street. 

SEIU, Local 888 representing the clerical workers at Court St. and in our schools picketed (an informational line) at Court St. on Wednesday, 11/28, at 5 PM in protest of their having to endure the last two years without a contract. We wish them well, and have offered to help in any way we can. Memo to the BPS: These hard-working folks are among the lowest paid employees in the BPS. Do the right thing and settle the contract.

AFTMA $1500 Scholarships for BTU Member Dependents

The AFT Massachusetts, our parent state organization, has established 8 $1500 scholarship awards in honor of Albert Shanker and Sandra Feldman, former presidents of the AFT and former AFT MA staff member, Jay Porter.  Call the BTU for ran application. High School seniors who are dependents of AFTMA members are eligible. Students must fill out an application form  and return it to AFTMA by 12/27.

Dependent students also must take a labor history test on 2/6/08 and must arrange the testing logistics with their high school guidance counselor.  Any questions, call Jennifer at the AFT MA 617-423-3342 or 800-279-2523.Printable study guides are accessible on the Mass AFL-CIO website at www.massaflcio.org .

$1500 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.

BTU Hosts Seminar on Race, Language, and Culture

Race, Language, and Culture: Effective Teaching of Immigrant Students

Teacher Panel

• Yolette Ibokette, 1st/2nd Grade Teacher, Graham and Parks School, Cambridge, MA
• Ambrizeth Lima, Language Acquisition Coach, Boston Public Schools
• Ada Sepulveda, K-2nd ELL Teacher, Hennigan School, Boston, MA

Moderator: Miren Uriarte, Professor and Director of The Mauricio Gaston Institute at the University of Massachusetts/Boston

• For more information visit, website Achievementseminars.com
• Reception following the seminar
• Refreshments will be served

Boston Science Teachers' November Social

Announcing: Boston Science Teachers' November Science Social!!

Come join us this Friday, 11/30, as we relax, network, and enjoy the company of our dynamic BPS science colleagues.  Last month nearly 40 teachers joined us!  School colleagues, graduate students, and student teachers are invited as well.  Appetizers will once again be generously provided by the UMass Boston COSMIC (Center for Math and Science in Context) office.

We look forward to seeing you Friday!

Location: The Playwright
658 East Broadway, South Boston
617-269-2537
Host School: South Boston Educational Complex
Time: Anytime from 3-7
         Johanna Mendillo ( jmendillo@boston.k12.ma.us )     
         Jennifer Felicetti ( jfelicetti@boston.k12.ma.us )                                
         Erin Hashimoto Martell ( ehashimoto@boston.k12.ma.us

Supt. Sends Toll, Bridge Discount Requests to Authorities

As per our new collective bargaining agreement, Superintendent Johnson has sent requests to the appropriate authorities seeking discounted Toll rates as follows:

1) On 11/7 the supt. sent a letter to the Mass Turnpike Authority seeking a discounted toll rate for both the Sunmner and Ted Williams tunnels.
2) On 11/7, the supt. sent a similar request to MASSPORT seeking a discounted Toll rate for the Tobin Bridge.

We will keep you posted.

Hiring Fair

Reception / Hiring Fair for Experienced and Licensed Teacher Candidates: December 8th 10am to 2pm, Madison Park High School

             On December 8th, the Office of Human Resources will be hosting a reception and an opportunity for experienced and licensed teachers who are currently teaching outside of BPS to interview for teaching positions for academic year 2008-2009.  The dept. is  focusing on experienced teachers (3+ years) who have a valid teaching license, and teachers in one of critical need areas (Special Education, Science, Math, SEI, or English as Second Language).

         If you know of any strong candidates who are interested in teaching in BPS, please have them register by December 3rd at http://www.boston.k12.ma.us/jobs/recruit.asp to secure a spot. In addition, we need volunteers (Teachers/Principals/Headmasters) to help us host the reception and/or conduct interviews! To volunteer or for more information, please contact Jocelyn Wright at 635-9606 or  jwright@boston.k12.ma.us .

Professional Development: Making Data Work

Professional Development Opportunity "Making Data Work for You"
Presented by:  Al Bird, Denise Henderson and Kristen W. Pinto

Two Saturdays:  January 5 & 19, at the BTU, 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Participants must attend both sessions in order to receive one in-service credit

Course Objectives:  

• Participants will surface their assumptions about data.
• Participants will understand two different types of assessment data and their uses and limitations.
• Participants will learn how to analyze data to make informed decisions about school improvement and instruction.

If interested, please email kpinto@boston.k12.ma.us

Obituary

The Boston Teachers Union regrets to announce the death of Mr. Joseph A. Thompson Jr., a retired teacher who most recently served at Madison Park High School . He was the beloved father of Kurt Thompson and his wife, Robin, of Fitchburg. Grandfather of Shaquille Monroe of Fitchburg. Dear son of Mary Branch of Boston. Brother of Phyllis L. Bell of Atlanta, GA and Richard L. Thompson of Augusta, GA. He leaves a host of other relatives and friends, and former colleagues. He will be sorely missed.  Donations in his memory may be made to the United Negro College Fund, 8260 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive, P.O. Box 10444, Fairfax, VA 22031-8044. Visit DavisFuneralHomeBoston.com to send a sympathy message to the family.