Accomplishments and ExperienceArticleStudent PerspectiveMembers SupportContact Me

Accomplishments

BTUnity is a powerful call to action and philosophy I began as a Building Rep. and was proud to put forth to our membership as BTU Secondary Field Representative. As Secondary Field Representative I’m a strong, tireless, and effective advocate providing proactive representation through listening to members concerns and demonstrating the leadership necessary to address them. On a day-to-day basis I work for and with you providing vigilant enforcement of the contract while moving together toward our common goals.

Recent budget cuts, the closing and reconfiguration of schools, and the like have enabled me to quickly gain a wealth of first hand, in-depth experience. I’ve participated in contract negotiations, initiated and will expand SSC training, provide representation at hearings, prosecute grievances, advocate for meaningful professional development, resolve conflicts, activate new members, and fight to receive and maintain the respect we deserve. Let’s stand up together - BTUnity!

Times ahead are tough and too many of us feel isolated, unheard, and disrespected. It is important for all of us to feel connected. As Secondary Field Representative, I will be an effective advocate in collaborative efforts to foster, build, and maintain linkages in a variety of ways through the BTU that provides a mechanism for connectedness throughout the system and the community. United we are strong.

Experience: Entering teaching on the heels of Proposition 2 _, determined to teach in the face of massive layoffs was challenging. Teaching for a few years in private, low wage, nonunion schools provided me with the relevancy of belonging to a union. Teaching in the BPS for nearly 20 years has demonstrated to me the necessity of an activist, strong union base. Too many of us remain passive, overwhelmed, fed up. It is time to band together, to support each other, and to regain our solidarity from which flows our strength.

Dedicated: As a long time building representative, I’ve worked tirelessly to uphold the contract and am responsive to the needs of the staff: grieving class size, evaluations, schedules, due process rights violations, workplace safety issues, and disciplinary procedures, as well as providing mediation and representation at hearings. Working with principals, sometimes collaboration is appropriate, other times my knowledge of, and ability to utilize the contract to the BTU members’ advantage has frustrated many an administrator.

Effective: Since I've been elected, I've made more motions that have passed the membership than any other Executive Board Member. As an Executive Board Member, I pledged to represent ALL members by consistently taking their concerns to E-Board meetings and making sure they were heard. I have kept my pledge in not being a rubber stamp by making motions which passed the membership related to professional development, safety issues, improved communication, increased solidarity of members through an annual beginning of the year party, as well as the motion to oppose MCAS as a graduation requirement.

Well Rounded: Tough times require multi-tasking and having the right skills to get the job done. When our school was threatened with potential closing and/or major cut-backs, I assisted in effectively rallying the school community to mount campaigns thwarting those efforts. My background in political organizing is a skill directly relatable to that of Secondary Field

Representative. To be an effective Secondary Field Representative, one should be able to organize and provide support for new members, as well as form action plans to effectively lobby the appropriate powers that be on an individual or group basis in order to maximize the organizations’ effectiveness.

Having a strong background in curriculum development and presentation, teaching all academic subjects, having taught in two-way bilingual programs, and working closely with teachers in the Fine Arts, Vocational, and Specialist areas has given me valuable added perspective and knowledge going forward into various settings and scenarios. Providing “Extrahelp” on cable TV’s live homework help program as a teacher/host, has also honed my presentation skills as well as my ability to quickly ‘think on my feet’. I’ve written for various publications, presented or facilitated at professional conferences, testified about education/union issues at the State House, for the Boston City Council and School Committee, as well as the DOE.

Committed: I am a person who enjoys working towards a goal and marshalling available resources to reach it. I thrive on grappling with complex problems and seeing possible solutions, making tough and logical decisions, being productive and organized in my work, and looking beyond what is already known to bring about change and improvement while maintaining a good sense of humor. I believe I am the right person for the position of Secondary Field Representative of the Boston Teachers Union. I have the experience in the union, at the school site, and in the community to get the job done. I would appreciate your consideration, your support and your vote.

 

Experience

  • BTU Secondary Field Representative 2003 - present.
  • Member of BTU/BPS Joint Steering Committee 2003 - present.
  • Member of BTU & AFT Black Caucus.
  • Completed 4 categories of BPS ELL training 2005 - 2006.
  • BTU Executive Board Member, 1999-2003.
  • BTU Collective Bargaining Committees Member.
  • BTU Grievance Committee Member.
  • BTU COPE Committee Member.
  • Received BTU Building Representative of the Year Award.
  • BTU Delegate to AFT, MFT, AFL-CIO, GBLC.
  • Center for Leadership Development Advisory Board Member.
  • Member of BTU Educational Policy Committee, former Chairperson of BTU Professional Development Committee, former member of Middle School Math as well as BPS Middle Level Professional Development Committees.
  • BPS Intervention Team Member.
  • Member of school-based Instructional Leadership Team, SBM/SSC team, Faculty Senate Co-Chair.
  • Included in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers 2002.
  • Cable TV Teacher/Host, 1996-present: ‘Extrahelp – The Homework Helpline’;
  • Boston & Brookline. Live call-in hour-long show helping students with homework. Awarded best educational series in cable industry nationally with
  • Beacon Award & received New England Cable Television Association Public Service in Education Award, 1998-99.
  • Two-time IMPACT II Teacher Demonstrator and Vecinos/Neighbors grants.
  • Lead Teacher assignments included: school-based standards facilitator, coordinated and facilitated BPS System-wide Middle School Math Textbook
  • Committee selection process and BPS Math Standards Product development, CLD Program Associate, school based Mentor Teacher, developed and presented CLD ‘Best Practices’ professional development workshops, CLD teacher-initiated professional development grant recipient.
  • School-based Hartcourt General Cinema Grant In-service Committee, King-Trotter Multicultural Program liaison, Carnegie School grant Committee.
  • Received ‘Ambassador to the King School’ Award, EM-MAT grants, selected as a Horace Mann Teacher, finalist for Christian Herter Teacher Companion Award for promoting global & multicultural education.
  • Founder and Coordinator of Harvard Business School- M.L.King Mentor Program with over 250 mentors in 5 years.
  • Presented at Professional conferences including; NERC, MABE, NAEYC, Bostonian Society, Children’s Museum, Wheelock College.
  • Served as member of Education Advisory Committees for Boston City Councilors as well as Mass. State Senators.
  • Served on Advisory Boards for Mass. Audubon Blue Hills Trailside, & Executive Board member for Wellesley ‘A Better Chance’ (ABC).
  • Part-time political consultant 1985-89 for various referendum & political campaigns. Supervisor at political/market research firm; part-time 1979-83.
  • Program Director, summers, Franklin, MA; Exceptional Children’s Day Camp, 1978-85.
  • Teacher at R. F. K. Action Corps, Diagnostic Center in Lancaster, MA; Community Center School in Newton, MA; M. Curley Middle & M. L. King, Jr. Middle Schools, BPS.
  • Product of public schools grades 1 – 12.
  • Extensive post-graduate work including several NEH Institutes.
  • Certified to teach in Massachusetts grades K – 12.
  • M. Ed. Emmanuel College; B.S. ED. Wheelock College.