Question of the Week Last week's question: Do you agree with the following statement: I am looking forward to summer break. This week's question: What was the highest temperature in your classroom this week? 1. Below 70°F 2. 70-74°F 3. 75-79°F 4. 80-84°F 5. 85-89°F 6. Above 90°F High Temperatures in Many Buildings Ryan Normandin As the weather’s gotten warmer, we’ve received concerning reports of rooms that are dangerously hot. In order for us to advocate for rooms that a

Click on the image above to sign up for the General Membership Meeting. Dear members, On Tuesday, June 16th, at 7:00 pm., the NTA will host a virtual General Membership Meeting; Ryan Normandin sent out an email with instructions with registering for that meeting earlier today. Here, once again, is the link to sign up for the meeting. One agenda item will be the presentation of a Memorandum of Agreement regarding proposed changes to next year's elementary schedule. The MOA can

Question of the Week Last week's question: Many of you have attended open houses with members of the Newton School Committee and expressed your concern about the blistering pace, lack of educator voice, and poor rollout of initiatives. Do you agree with the following statement: Students in Newton would be better served by more stability in educational policy and practice? This week's question: Do you agree with the following statement: I am looking forward to summer break. 1.

Question of the Week Last week's question was quite involved: we shared extensive pro versus con information with you. Yet we had a good response rate, with 317 people responding to the question. Another marker of member engagement with the eBulletin: two weeks, 146 people clicked on the link to the elementary schedule presentation; this week, 109 did, with Please keep the engagement high as we close out the year over the next few weeks! Last week's question: Do you belie

Dear Colleagues, Thank you to all of you who answered the question of the week last week. Participation more than doubled from 160 votes cast on April 12 to 412 votes cast on May 3! A couple other markers of member engagement with the eBulletin: last week, 146 people clicked on the link to the elementary schedule presentation. Please keep the engagement high as we close out the year over the next few weeks! Question of the Week Last week's question: Have you participated i

Dear Colleagues, It has been a while. The last time I sent out an eBulletin was April 12th. As we enter into the home stretch of the year, I ask that you please answer the question of the day! The MailChimp platform has a number of ways for us to track how many people open the emails and click on links, but how many people answer the question of the day is our best barometer of how many people are engaging with the newsletter. And, to be honest, the low number of people who

Question of the Week (new) Last week's question: Do you plan on going to a Red Sox game at Fenway Park this year? This week's question: Have you participated in a negotiations focus group yet? YES NO Know Your Contract: Workers' Compensation Insurance (new) As you are probably aware, the City of Newton and the Newton Public Schools do not provide workers' compensation insurance for members of Units A - E. However, the NTA has won contract language that protects members in t

Question of the Week (new) Last week's question: Should the NTA endorse a statewide campaign by Massachusetts Families for Vaccines to support House bill 2554, which would remove the non-medical (religious) school vaccine exemption? This week's question: Should the NTA Negotiations Team prioritize raising the cap on sick days buy back, increasing longevity payments, or both? Context Sick days buy-back Most NTA members have hundreds of sick days remaining when they retire. T

Question of the Week (new) Last week's question: When do you think the snow will be melted, so that our lawns, sidewalks and streets will be clear? (Not the huge piles in parking lots.) This week's question: Should the NTA endorse a statewide campaign by Massachusetts Families for Vaccines to support House bill 2554, which would remove the non-medical (religious) school vaccine exemption? Background The Director of Massachusetts Families for Vaccines reached out to the NTA t

Question of the Week (new) Question from February 15: Do you think that the NTA should collaborate with the City of Newton and the Newton Public Schools to prepare for increased ICE activity in our schools? This week's question: The Trump administration's decision to attack Iran along with Israel was a smart strategic move. Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree NTA Office Relocation (new) The Newton Teachers Association Office has moved. We are now located

Question of the Week (new) I will report the results of the last question of the week next week, and add another question then. Anna Nolin's February 22 "Inside Voice" Email: A Reponse (new) The Pace and Efficacy of Change This document is a response to Anna Nolin’s February 22 “Inside Voice” email to staff. I have divided my response to Nolin’s email to staff into two parts: Part one is her response to concerns you voiced in our NTA member survey. I appreciate that she

Question of the Week (new) Answers to last week's question: Do you think we, as members of the NTA, should be preparing for increased ICE activity in our city? I found these results perplexing. I had thought that the membership of the NTA would be largely unified around the need to prepare for increased ICE activity. However, 25% of respondents saying 'no' must be taken very seriously. There are two things I noted in the wording of the question that may have elicited a no v

Question of the Week (new) Answers to last week's question: A lot of skepticism that we can negotiate a new contract before the current one expires. This week's (light) question: (click on your answer below the question to register your vote.) How many more snow days do you think we will have this school year? zero one two three more than three NTA Quality of Life and Working Conditions Survey (new) Last week I said I would share the survey with you in segments. I am shi

Dear Colleagues, In the light of the horrendous invasion of Minneapolis and St. Paul by ICE, and the murders of two innocent civilians there, it feels surreal to turn to the mundane business of being a local union. So you aware, we are already weighing how we can demonstrate our solidarity with the residents of Minneapolis. St. Paul, and other cities across the nation and protest the violence instigated by Trump and his allies in the White House. Question of the Week (new)

Question of the Week (new) The NTA is preparing for bargaining with the Newton School Committee. We will offer multiple opportunities for member input into our bargaining platform. As a first visit into gathering this information, the question of the week is: "What is the most important issue that you believe the negotiations team should focus on"? Cost of living increases Rising cost of health insurance Slowing the pace of new initiatives Living wage for Unit C Improved le

Dear Colleagues, First of all, I apologize for getting last week's eBulletin into your inboxed so late. Second, this is the last eBulletin that will be going out until the new year on January 11th. Finally, I hope you all enjoy a restful break. You deserve it! This has been a particularly exhausting year! Anti-Union Mailer (new) I've seen anti-union mailers (or emails) before, but this is one of the more insidious that has come across my desk. What makes this mailer so bad?

MTA Officer Candidate Forum: Hold the Date What: Candidate Forum for MTA Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates When: Wednesday, February 4, at 4:15 PM Where: TBD This year at MTA annual meeting, Delegates will vote for a new President and Vice President of the MTA to two year terms. This will be a very consequential vote. Educators for a Democratic Union, endorsed candidates currently hold the presidency and vice presidency and a majority of Board and Executive Commi

School Committee Endorsements Please vote on NTA endorsements for Newton School Committee candidates! Voting is open, and will remain...

Click on the image above to go the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation Hello All, Welcome back to a new school year. We've...

Please RSVP: Chris Walsh's Retirement THIS Tuesday, June 17, the NTA is the date of Chris Walsh's retirement party. Come and give Chris...