Click on the image above to send an email to Mayor Fuller, and, if you haven't yet, write your own postcard!
Email Campaign to Mayor Fuller
We've sent out 600 emails so far. That's still not enough! Let's get that number over 1,000 before tomorrow's December 4th school committee meeting!
Please click here NOW to send an email to Mayor Fuller.Tellher to fund the schools using the enormous surplus of funds she has at her disposal. All you need to do is enter your name and contact information. The "Action Network" will do the rest for you. It only takes a minute!
Mediation Update
We were scheduled for mediation on Monday, November 27, immediately after Thanksgiving break. The school committee cancelled the session because they had not appropriately posted the meeting on the City Clerk electronic posting board 48 hours in advance of the meeting.
We have a mediation session scheduled for tomorrow, 4:15 to 6:15.
You can sign up here to be a silent observer at this mediation session, or the next mediation session on December 18.
Following our mediation session, there is is a school committee meeting scheduled at 6:30.
Join us in lining the halls for this meeting. We do not currently have a sign up form for lining the halls during school committee meetings. Just show up!
School Committee Changes Leadership
At an open session Leadership Caucus on November 20, the Newton School Committee voted to elect Chris Brezski Chair and Emily Prenner Vice Chair beginning January 1st. Tamika Olszewski will step down from the position of chair on December 31; Kathy Shields will finish her term on the school committee on December 31.
We do not yet know who the school committee Negotiations Team will be for the new year.
Community Outreach
Canvassing Nine members joined us for our last canvassing action on the November 18. Our next, and last, canvass is December 9 from 2:00 until 5:00. Join us in the Newton North High School parking lot. Sign up here! Wear your blue t-shirts! PEC Community Forum 96 people, mostly parents, joined the November 30 PEC Community Forum. You can see a video of the forum here, on the PEC website.
Negotiations Reminder: What are We Fighting For?
Mass Child Grants
The Massachusetts Child is a charitable corporation founded by MTA members in 1996 to help students struggling with financial need. Mass Child is a reimbursement program available to all MTA preK-12 local associations. Members use funds from their local associations to purchase qualifying items for students, and Mass Child reimburses the local associations.
Please note that Mass Child does not reimburse individual members; all grant applications must have the approval of the local president, and reimbursement is made to the local association. Therefore, please do not fill out the online application on the Mass Child website. Our local process for use of Mass Child Grant funds:
Contact Cindy Colantonio at NTA office (colantonioc@newton.k12.ma.us) before purchasing items to be certain that NTA still has Mass Grant Funds available and that the items you will be purchasing will qualify for reimbursement.
Once you have approval, purchase the items and submit your receipts to Cindy (you can do this electronically via email or by sending them through the Pony).
NTA will reimburse you directly right away. We will handle the submission to Mass Child for local reimbursement.
***** If you haven't yet, please send Mayor Fuller an email by clicking here. In solidarity, Mike Zilles, President Newton Teachers Association