NTA General Membership Meeting
The School Committee will vote on our tentative agreement at its March 22nd meeting. They introduced the agreement last Monday in a thirty minute special session. The SC Negotiations Team members (Kathy Shields, Ruth Goldman, and Bridget Ray-Canada) all spoke forcefully in favor of ratifying the agreement. Indeed, every member of the School Committee spoke in favor of the MOA (though Margaret Albright was lukewarm). Mayor Fuller advocated that the School Committee reject, once again, their agreement with us. You can see the presentation and debate by clicking here. We are scheduling a General Membership Meeting for Wednesday, March 31st, beginning at 5:15 p.m., to vote on ratification of the agreement.
Vaccination Update
Kudos to NTA member Maura Tynes, who, with the full support of Assistant Superintendent Beth Fitzmaurice, reached out to the Holtzman Medical Group and made the arrangements for this group to offer educator only vaccines in Newton. The Holtzman Group made a number of slots available for yesterday--and fortunately Newton educators were able to jump on this opportunity. The Holtzman Group says more slots will become available for future Saturday appointments, and that another email update will be coming. Keep an eye on this by checking their educator only appointment site here. They may also have additional appointments available through their regular clinic, which you can access by clicking here. Kudos as well to the many educators who, across the district, are teaming with colleagues to make sure that everyone who wants to is able to get an appointment for a vaccine. And kudos to the supportive parent community, who, through their PTO's, are helping educators find and schedule slots in buildings across the district. It has been truly remarkable to see the community come together to support Newton educators in our efforts to get a vaccine.
Vaccination Status
Please click here and give us one minute of your time to tell us your vaccination status by filling out a brief, four question survey. (The survey is anonymous.)
MCAS Letter to School Committee
Please sign this letter asking the Newton School Committee to join a resolution to cancel MCAS for this school year. The statewide Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents and the statewide Massachusetts Association of School Committees have both called for the cancellation of MCAS for this school year. Both MTA and AFT support cancellation. This is an unusual consensus. Many other local School Committees have already joined the resolution to cancel MCAS. Newton should too. Click here to sign. (Note: Signing this letter does not send emails into School Committee Members inboxes. It is one letter with our collective signatures that we can present to the School Committee showing strong member support for cancellation.)
MTA and NEA Annual Meeting Delegate Slots Available
The NTA still has many unfilled slots to attend the MTA and NEA Annual Meetings. If you are interested in being a delegate to either meeting, please email Cindy Colantonio (colantonioc@newton.k12.ma.us). Delegates slots will be filled on a first come, first served basis. The 2021 MTA Annual Meeting this year will be virtual. It will be held on April 30th and May 1st. For more information, click here. The 2021 NEA ANNUAL MEETING (Representative Assembly) will be virtual as well. It will be held from June 30th to July 3rd. For more information, click here.
MTA New Member Workshops
Professional Teacher Status and pre-PTS rights: This training will show you the ins and outs of how to get professional teacher status and what your rights are before you get it. Trainer: Ashley Adams Register by clicking below on the date and time you choose. 3/24: 6:30-7:30 3/30:4:30-5:30 Loan Forgiveness and Credit Counseling: Learn about managing your debt and qualifying for complete forgiveness of your college loans. Trainer: Todd Friedhaber Register by clicking below on the session you choose. 3/22: 4-5:30 3/24: 6-7:30 3/29: 6-7:30
MTA Licensure Workshops
You are invited to the 2021 MTA Licensure Workshops! Register today! Want to learn more about the licensure process? Join MTA Education Policy Specialist Beth Tripathi for presentations on licensure for a variety of career stages. Please read the descriptions carefully to determine which presentation is right for your licensure needs. Sessions: 4/6/21, 6:00PM - 7:30PM Educator Licensure: Professional & Renewal 4/21/21, 4:00PM - 5:30PM, Vocational Technical Educator Licensure 5/3/21, 6:00PM - 7:30PM Educator Licensure: Basics for Provisional and Initial Licensure Early Career Educators, to register for a March 2nd workshop just for you, click here.
MTA's Education Support Professionals March Workshop Series
Available for all Unit C and Unit D members:
What ESPs Need to Know about Your Retirement – March 18, 3:30 - 5:00
Unions, Families, and Work: A Balancing Act – March 23, 3:30 - 5:00
Licensure Basics for ESPs – March 25, 4:00 - 5:30
MTA Open Enrollment for Disability Insurance Begins March 29
NTA strongly encourages members to participate in the MTA group UNUM long-term disability plan. We do not advise that you purchase short term disability insurance, as our contract provides the protections you will need if you are disabled for the period short term disability insurance would cover.
Click on the image above to learn more.
"Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose." Please take care and stay well. Mike
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