Greetings!

Good day,

Summer is winding down, and so many of our members have been working in BPS summer programs and elsewhere. We hope you have a little time to get a some rest and relaxation. A couple of announcements:

In late July the BTU Executive Board endorsed Sen. Barack Obama for president. The recommendation now goes to the BTU Membership on September 10 for a vote. All members are invited, as always, to attend the BTU membership meetings, which meet the 2nd Wednesday of each month, at 4:00 PM.

The governor vetoed a bill that would have given our teacher retirees a modest pension increase of $120 per year. Currently, all retirees receive an increase of 3% on the first $12,000 of pension income. This bill would have kept the 3% at the same rate, but raised the base from $12,000 to $16,000. We are disappointed and angry that the governor has vetoed this bill, which had 'unanimous bipartisan support of the House and Senate,' according to a State House News Service report on 8/11.

Though we supported the governor against Republican gubernatorial nominee Kerry Healey, we will not hesitate to criticize him when he is wrong. And he was wrong to veto this bill. The bill was imperfect, i.e., it did not, for example, offer any pension increase to paraprofessionals. But it did represent a very small step forward. We hope the governor reconsiders next time around, as we will be back again with an improved version of this bill, and we will be looking for the governor's support. It is unreasonable for our retirees, teacher and para alike, to have to live in retirement with a pension that does not keep up the pace with inflation.

The Globe on July 23rd published an op-ed that took issue with the BTU's alleged approach to pilot schools . A number of our members have written Letters to the Editor in opposition to the point of view expressed. The Globe has not printed any of them. One from the union president can be found here . 

The Welcome Back party takes place at the BTU on Thursday, September 11 at 3:30 .  We were hoping to schedule the party on a September Friday, but Circ De Sole will be setting up shop in our backyard, and multiple shows are taking place on the Fridays we were looking at. So Thursday it is, and we're looking forward to a great time.

The superintendent has made a few new principal and headmaster appointments. See here for a complete listing. You will have to log in.

An election to fill the two elected seats on the Boston Retirement Board will be held this year. The election will be conducted by mail ballot from late August to September 24, 2008. The BTU has endorsed one of its own, Michael McLaughlin (Elem. Field Rep), for this position. Michael has also been endorsed by Edward Welch, Secretary-Treasurer of the BTU and Trustee of the BRB from 1997-2008. Ed is retiring after more than 40 years of service. Please look for the ballots in your mail.

This is a most important election, and the BTU has held one of the two labor seats on the Boston Retirement Board for a good while. We need to continue to hold onto these seats as the board makes many decisions that impact our retirement. Michael has been endorsed by the BTU membership.

The Boston Public Schools is part of the Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA) for the 2008-09 school year. TUDA is a special component of NAEP that measures student achievement in various content areas since 1969. NAEP allows for comparisons among states; TUDA allows for benchmarking student performance among large urban districts. Short-term job opportunities are available from January 26, 2009 to March 6, 2009.

For more information about this job opportunity, please send your resume by e-mail, including your name, address, and phone number to NAEPRecruit@Westat.com or mail to: WESTAT-NAEP GA-L34 (Attn: Pat Heiser,  9274 Gaither Rd., opportunities, MD 20877.)

The catalogue of upcoming preparation workshops for the fall MTELs is now available on MyBPS (Central AdminàHRàLicensure->Catalogue of Preparation Workshops for MTEL, Fall 2008). The MTEL Handbook is also posted and provides helpful information about the MTELs including online resources for self preparation.

All staff are welcome to participate in the MTEL support and workshops organized by the Human Resources. Workshops often fill quickly so please apply as soon as possible. Applications for workshops need to be made using the online link included in the catalogue.

For more information concerning MTEL, please contact Nick Balasalle (nbalasalle@boston.k12.ma.us or 635-9036).

Legislation (S.24450) is pending that would help our school nurses by providing equitable benefits to our nurses. The Mass State Nurses Organization is supporting legislation that would help, and the organization is suggesting that a letter be written to Senate Chairman Panagiotakos to urge a favorable release of S. 2455, "Relative to providing equitable benefits for members of the teachers' retirement system".  Their suggested letter follows:

SAMPLE LETTER; PLEASE PERSONALIZE YOURSELF, PRINT AND MAIL

August, 2008

The Honorable Steven C. Panagiotakos
Chair, Senate Committee on Ways & Means
State House, Room 212
Boston, Massachusetts 02133

Dear Mr. Chairman:

I am writing to urge a favorable release of S. 2455, "Relative to providing equitable benefits for members of the teachers' retirement system".  School nurses became eligible members of the Massachusetts Teachers' Retirement System (MTRS) after education reform in 1993.  As a result, a handful of school nurses who have served our children for many years and are close to retirement have been unable to include their years of employment prior to 1993, for purposes of eligibility in Retirement Plus.

As a member of the Massachusetts School Nurse Organization, I am respectfully requesting your support of this bill because it would eliminate this harmful and unintended outcome of education reform for some of our members.

Sincerely,

NAME & CREDENTIALS
ADDRESS
PHONE

The major fund raiser for the TGH@S program (which pays trainers 75 hours at the union hourly contractual rate, pays each school a $300.00 stipend to support the program, pays teachers in the summer to revise & develop curriculum) is the Hub on Wheels (HOW) bike ride & festival sponsored by the Mayor & the Boston Digital Bridge Foundation and this year is Sunday, Sept. 21. Check out the website   at hubonwheels.org .  They are trying to make a stronger connection between the Ride and the BPS teachers and families.

  Any questions, please email Jackie Collins.

From the State House News Service...

Massachusetts ranks in the middle of the pack in a new calculation of state-local tax burdens, placing 23rd.  Massachusetts residents pay $5,377 in state local taxes on per capita income of $56,661, according to the Tax Foundation study. New Jersey taxpayers paid the highest state-local tax burden in fiscal 2008, while Alaskans bear the lightest load. Overall, state-local tax burdens fell, down 0.2 percent from 2007 to 9.7 percent, as incomes outpaced tax collections. Bay State taxpayers shoulder a 9.5 percent load, down 0.3 percent from 2007, while the Commonwealth held onto its 23rd spot.  The state's per capita income rose more than $2,000.   In 1977, the Bay State chalked up an 11.4 percent state-local tax burden, which ranked sixth in the Tax Foundation report. The report's authors pair Massachusetts with Oregon as politically liberal states where the state-local tax burden has dropped sharply:  "Oregon has done so by never enacting a sales tax, dropping 16 ranks from 10th highest to 26th.  Massachusetts has dropped 17 places by imposing a property tax limitation and keeping a lid on its personal income tax rate, living down its 'Taxachusetts' nickname."

A memorial celebrating the life of Mr.Thomas I. Atkins, civil rights trailblazer, is being held 2pm Saturday, August 16th, at the Copley Library (700 Boylston Street) in the Rabb Lecture hall.  Mr. Atkins died on the 2nd anniversary of his daughters' death. His daughter, Ms. Trena Atkins, was a former BPS teacher. we extend our condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Thomas I. Atkins.

We regret to announce the death of  State Trooper Gregory Porter who died in a car crash recently. He was the son of  Sally Kelly, recently retired teacher from the Grew School. We extend our deepest condolences to Trooper Porter's family, friends, and colleagues.