RSS

Governor Malloy and Education Reform

26 Jan

With all the upheaval going on here in Bristol, it is easy to become myopic and lose sight of events occurring outside of our district that will still impact us greatly. In addition to being BFT President, I also sit on the AFT CT executive committee, and want BFT members to be aware of events happening at the state level.

The Connecticut Legislature will soon begin its new session, and before spring ends we can expect massive changes proposed and enacted to education. In effect, the next three months will profoundly effect education for the next decade or more. Governor Malloy has made education reform his top legislative priority, and while governors typically submit their education legislation to the SDE for review before bringing it to the legislature, this governor is not revealing his proposals until closer to the opening of the legislative session. Translation: his education proposals will far sweeping.

In response, the AFT CT is launching a comprehensive member education, lobbying, and media campaign, the biggest in a generation. This is the time to get involved and make our voices heard to shape the legislation that comes out of Hartford. We may never get a chance like this again in our careers.

-David Hayes

Participate in the Teletown Hall on February 2 at 7:00 PM. Call 888 398 3373 to ensure your contact info is up to date.

Sign up for legislative updates from the AFT CT. Click here

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on January 26, 2012 in BFT Members

 

Bristol Press Editorial and BFT Response

23 Jan

The Bristol Press ran an editorial on Thursday, January 19 attacking the recently approved BFT contract. You can read it here. 

BFT President David Hayes wrote a response, which was published in the Bristol Press Sunday, January 22.

The recent editorial in the Bristol Press condemning binding arbitration and urging lawmakers to change the laws which govern it was both short on facts as well as history. Arbitrators are charged with following seven criteria when rendering a decision, chief among those is considering the “financial capability of the town or towns in the school district” This was a glaring oversight of a basic fact on the part of the Bristol Press. Binding arbitration is used in Connecticut to resolve contract disputes and avoids the uglier alternative – labor strikes, which are disruptive and damaging to the parties involved.
Regarding the recently approved teacher contract, which was the target of the editor’s venom, the contract in question is the product of a positive and collaborative process conducted by the Board of Education and the Bristol Federation of Teachers. No one gets into teaching to get rich, but they do want a fair wage and rely on organized labor to help achieve that. As your paper has pointed out recently, Bristol is in a fortunate position due to the planning and foresight of city leaders over the last few decades which have left robust pension and rainy days funds. The workload of teachers isn’t dependent upon the vagary of the global marketplace. Sales and production may be down in the private sector, but class sizes are full, and students with social and behavioral problems are rampant. Despite this, we are one of the top urban districts in the state. Bristol teachers deserve the modest gains contained in the contract, and the city can afford it.
David Hayes
President
Bristol Federation of Teachers
 
1 Comment

Posted by on January 23, 2012 in BFT Members, Negotiations

 

More K-8 and Middle School “Encore” Developments

17 Jan

Assistant Principals have been assigned to both K-8′s. Marciann Jones joins Principal Scott Gaudet at Forestville K-8, and Martha Nowobilski joins Principal Mike Audet at West Bristol K-8.

In other news, a voluntary meeting, conducted by the Office of Teaching and Learning, will occur at MBMS on Tuesday, January 24 at 3:15 PM to discuss changes to the Encore portion of the revised middle school program. This will be of particular interest to Wellness and Music teachers.

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on January 17, 2012 in K-8 Schools, Middle School

 

Contract Passes City Council

10 Jan

Tonight the 2012-2015 contract was approved by the city council, with very vocal support from council members David Mills, Kevin Fuller, and Ken Cockayne. All members of the BOE also came out in a show of support. Thank you to everyone who worked hard to help pass this contract.

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on January 10, 2012 in BFT Members, Negotiations

 

Redistricting Timetable

05 Jan

February 8 – Special BOE workshop with redistricting consultants who will present four possible redistricting scenarios, using criteria established by the BOE. These scenarios will posted on school websites.

February 15 – Special BOE workshop with redistricting consultants, open to public questions and comments.

February 29 – Special BOE workshop to discuss the four scenarios and K-5, 6-8, K-8 “feeder school” pathways.

March 14 – Special BOE workshop to present final maps, open to public questions and comments.

April 4 – Regular BOE meeting where final decision is expected.

 

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on January 5, 2012 in BFT Members, K-8 Schools

 

Proposed Change to 2011-2012 Calendar

30 Dec

At the BOE meeting scheduled for Wednesday, January 4, 2012, a proposal will be introduced and (presumably) voted upon changing the current year school calendar.

The proposal is to eliminate April vacation. Additionally, if there are more than 7 snow days before February 3, then school would be held Wednesday February 22 and Thursday February 23.

This proposal is a result of the October storm which caused school to be canceled, using 5 of the 7 snow days prior to the start of winter.

It is the practice of the Bristol Public Schools to use April vacation to make up excessive snow days, and an internal survey done by the BFT found that more than 100 teachers have plans scheduled for February vacation, making the use of that vacation week mostly untenable.

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on December 30, 2011 in BFT Members

 

2012-2015 Contract Ratified: Final Vote Tally 450 to 90

02 Dec
SCHOOL BALLOTS ACCEPT REJECT
Elementary


South Side 39 37 2
Ivy Drive 26 26 0
Edgewood 24 21 3
Stafford 33 31 2
Mt. View 17 16 1
West Woods 2 2 0
O’Connell 29 29 0
Green Hills 28 27 1
Jennings 24 22 2
Hubbell 30 24 6




Middle School


Chippens Hill Middle School 74 66 8
Memorial Boulevard 45 44 1
Northeast 41 35 6




High School


Bristol Eastern 64 47 17
Bristol Central 64 23 41




TOTALS 540 450 90
 
Leave a comment

Posted by on December 2, 2011 in Uncategorized

 

Contract Ratification Vote

21 Nov

This afternoon,the officers and stewards present at the special Executive Council meeting voted unanimously to recommend membership ratification of the tentative agreement reached between the BFT and BOE for the 2012-2015 contract. This agreement was reached during the first session of mediation on November 9. All members will receive a ratification package by Wednesday which details changes to contract language and explains the salary arrangement. A general membership meeting will be held at MBMS on Monday, November 28 at 3:45 PM. The ratification vote will occur that same week.

 
2 Comments

Posted by on November 21, 2011 in Uncategorized

 

Update on the Middle School Proposal

15 Nov

BFT UPDATE  – Middle School Program

  •  Proposed Schedule:
    • Four-day rotating schedule (ABCD days)
      • REACH: 45 minutes
      • ENCORE (U.A.): 80 minutes
      • CORE: four 57 minute periods
      • LUNCH: 25 minutes
      • HOMEROOM: 5 minutes
  • Team meetings and prep time is to take place when students are attending encore classes.
  • Flex is being eliminated.  In its place will be a REACH period for instructional purposes.
    • Instructional period to be used for the following:
      • World Language (7/8th grade student only)
      • Intervention
      • Student pull-outs from Guidance
      • Read About
      •  Team time to:
        • reinforce core curriculum concepts
        • work with students who need additional help/time
        • teach enrichment and/or remediation  activities
          • teams will have the freedom to:
            • separate students amongst the team teachers as needed and work on whatever it is they feel is necessary during this period
            • utilize existing curriculum in their planning
            • offer enrichment and/or remediation activities that will not be grades-based
  • Encore
    • A 45-day program  made up of:
      • PE and Wellness  (classes will be combined)
        • Scope and staffing of this program are still being determined
      •  Engineering & Technology and Computer Education  (classes will be combined)
        • Computer Education teaching positions are being eliminated
      • Study Skills program and teaching positions are being eliminated
      • Art
      • Music: General Music, Band and Chorus
      • READ 180
        • Students to be pulled from encore classes twice per week
  • Positions being worked out, in flux and/or in jeopardy due to funding:
    • Math Intervention: currently to be divided between schools
    • Gifted Coach
      • Will it be a K-8, K-5, or 6-8 position?
    • Library Media:
      • Current proposal calls for one LMS in each new K-8 building
    • Intervention Specialist
    • Special Education
      • Number of teachers per team/school dependent on enrollment
    • CMT Building Coordinator
  • Computers
    • Each class is expected to have five MS Windows machines
      • Teachers will have one of their own, an Elmo, and a Smartboard
    • Other areas where computers will be available:
      • Library
      •  Engineering & Technology
  • On hold until spring (March?):
    • Finalized schedule (starting times, periods, etc.)
    • Positions and anything dependent upon funding
    • Redistricting
    • School enrollments
    • Teacher assignments
      • Be prepared: all areas, grades and disciplines may be affected
    • Bus schedule

 

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on November 15, 2011 in K-8 Schools, Middle School

 

Tentative Agreement Reached for Next Contract

10 Nov

Late last night, the BFT reached a tentative agreement with the BOE for the 2012-2015 contract. Details will be released soon. A meeting of the Executive Council (stewards and officers) is being arranged, followed by a general membership meeting. Dates and locations of these meetings will be available next week, and a ratification vote will follow.

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on November 10, 2011 in Negotiations, Uncategorized

 
← Older posts
 
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 59 other followers