News and Notes
THIS SATURDAY!
Delegate and School Leaders Training
This Saturday, November 18, 9AM-5PM
This is the year we turn power into progress. Shape this year’s contract campaign, as we leverage our members’ knowledge and the power we have achieved together to transform our district. Share your ideas to win a new contract and learn the skills we need to enforce both the transformative language we have already won and that of the contract to come. This event is open to all CTU members. Register now at ctulocal1.org/training.
Nov. 15: Celebrate our PSRPs
Tomorrow is PSRP Appreciation Day across the state, a day we set aside to celebrate our beloved PSRPs, who are the backbone of our school communities. So let’s show our PSRPs — the folks who make our schools run — some special love this week. Flowers, treats and other gifts and tokens of appreciation are just a small reminder of the respect and admiration we share for our PSRPs all year long.
Nov. 15: Rally with CTU members at Instituto del Progreso Latino
CTU members at Intituto del Progreso Latino are fed up and will hold a rally this Wednesday to ramp up pressure on charter management. Instituto wants union members to accept deep concessions, including union busting concessions that seek to limit members’ rights to file grievances or fight discrimination on the job. Instituto also wants concessions back to the very minimum required by law around multiple issues. Join your charter school siblings this Wed., Nov. 15, 3 to 4:30 p.m., at Instituto, 2520 S. Western Ave. to demand a fair contract. CTU members will do whatever it takes to protect their students and educators at Instituto.
Nov. 15: Teach truth, not Skyline
On Nov. 15, members interested in showing CPS that we have the ingenuity, wherewithal, and need to teach outside the confines of the Skyline curriculum will teach teacher-created content instead. On that day, we’ll teach indigenous history, elevate homelessness awareness month, and engage newcomer students. Get resources for teaching truth and suggestions for sharing your teaching at ctulocal1.org/skipskyline.
Nov. 17: Substitute Educators Day
Guest Teachers deserve our respect every day. The Friday before Thanksgiving has been designated National Substitute Educators Day and it’s a great opportunity to show extra thanks to the teachers, clinicians and paraprofessionals who make sure our students enjoy quality education on the days that their union siblings need some time for our own needs. Guest teaching is a tremendously difficult and, too often, a thankless task. Let’s change that, starting this Friday, by demonstrating your appreciation in a special way.
Clarifications for Nov. 20, 2023
November 20, 2023 will be converted to a teacher-directed school improvement day for all non 52-week CTU staff members except teachers who flexed June 10. We know members have questions about this change, so we’ve prepared some guidance for you. Read more.
Check your sports stipend information!
Coaches, Athletic Directors and Sports Liaisons will split up millions of dollars in contractual stipends. Make sure you get your share! The final amount of each member’s stipend will be determined when we validate the list of coaches from last school year. So, go to ctulocal1.org/sports to make sure all your coaching, AD and liaison work is credited in our list. The deadline is December 8 to let us know if we are missing your work, so check your listing now!
Sports and Extracurricular committee needs you
The Sports and Extracurricular Committee is specifically recruiting high school and elementary school extracurricular sponsors and drivers ed teachers to join the committee. We need them to help suggest and review contract proposals, including proposals for increases to stipends. Particular areas of extracurricular activities we wish to target are debate, Model UN, drama, scholastic bowl, Academic Decathlon, math league, speech, poms, student counsel, chess, spelling bee, and science fair. The next committee meeting is Nov. 27. Reach out to Kevin Hough for more info.
Historic win for public education as state voucher scheme is defeated
Last week, Illinois lawmakers made history by being the first state in the nation to eliminate a school voucher program, a “reform” effort started in 1956 by white parents in North Carolina seeking to stop public school integration. The dedicated efforts of organizers and advocates made this triumph for public education possible. Read more.
Disappointing news on the elected school board bill
At the 11th hour of the legislative veto session last week, Senate President Don Harmon introduced a proposal that scuttled approval of the elected school board maps, which the General Assembly had postponed from the spring. Read our statment on the issue.
Contract Survey
The Union wants your input as we kick off our contract for next fall’s new agreement. Got to ctulocal1.org/survey to complete our Contract Survey and make sure your priorities are represented.
Important survey: ISBE study on REACH
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has commissioned researchers to study REACH and other teacher evaluation systems around the state. The American Institutes for Research (AIR) will conduct a statewide study of the systems created by the Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA). This is the first state-wide study of teacher evaluation in 10 years and an opportunity for CTU members to tell the state what you think about REACH. You can expect to receive a survey from isbe-pera-study@air.org via the email address associated with your ELIS account as early as this week. CTU encourages all teachers to participate.
The next meeting of the three-part Sanctuary Series will be November 30, with the program “Sanctuary for Whom? Protecting Black, Latinx, LGBTQ+ students and their families.” Get more information about the series at bit.ly/sanctuaryseries2023 and get more resources at ctulocal1.org/sanctuary.
Thursday: Final CPS Budget Community Roundtable
Thursday, CPS will host the final public meeting to inform the community and gather feedback on the district’s Five-year Strategic Plan. Thursday’s meeting will be held virtually. Find more details and RSVP.
Nov. 29: National Board Certification Information session
Recruitment is underway for the 2024-2026 Nurturing Teacher Leadership National Board Certification cohort. CTUF will host a virtual information meeting on Nov. 29, 5 to 8:30 p.m. There is now an annual state stipend for NBCTs who remain in hard-to-staff schools for at least two years (in addition to our CPS annual, pensionable stipend, opportunity to move to Lane 5 on the Salary Scale, optional master’s degree, and paid leadership opportunities.) For more information, contact LynnCherkasky-Davis@ctuf.org or register for the NTL information session here.
Save the date: Dec. 5 healthcare webinar
Questions about your healthcare benefits? Need help navigating the different plans? Plan to attend our healthcare webinar on Dec. 5, at 4:30 p.m., to get those questions answered. Register for the webinar today.
Resources to help you support and meet the needs of newcomers to our city and CPS
We know CTU members have been on the frontlines supporting our new neighbors being shipped here by right wing zealots. But you can’t do it alone — more is needed. We’ve assembled a page of resources to help you support your new students and their families. Visit CTUlocal1.org/sanctuary for more information and resources.
Members Corner
Delegates not present
These are the lists of delegates not present at the House of Delegates meetings for August 30, September 27 and November 1, 2023.
Help a member with research
Hey Union Fam, I could really use your help with a graduate school class report on CPS Renaissance 2010. I’m seeking interviews with educators who experienced this period firsthand, so if you’re willing to share your insights, it would be incredibly valuable. You can email me at lizrinella@gmail.com. Thank you for your continued support and solidarity! —Liz Rinella
Celebrate your siblings
Do you know a CTU member who’s achieved a special milestone or accomplishment that you want to acknowledge? Have they made something cool you want to share with the union? Send your blurb (1 to 4 sentences) to communications@ctulocal1.org for consideration in an upcoming Members Corner.
Events
- Nov. 15 | Say NO to Skyline’s canned curriculum
- Nov. 15 | Instituto del Progreso Latino rally for a fair contract, 3 p.m., 2520 S. Western Ave.
- Nov. 18 | Delegates and School Leaders Training
- Nov. 29 | NBCT Information Session
- Dec. 5 | CTU healthcare webinar
In the News
- Families lament, public school advocates celebrate end of controversial scholarship tax credit | Tribune
- What to know about the ‘school choice’ scholarship program now up for renewal in Springfield | WBEZ
- Illinois lawmakers decline to extend private school scholarship tax credit program | ABC-7
- Illinois legislators leave Springfield with no accord on next year’s Chicago school board elections | Tribune
- Chicago Would Move to Fully Elected School Board 2 Years Sooner Under New Proposal | WTTW
CTUF Quest Center
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For more CTU news and updates, please visit our website at www.ctulocal1.org, and follow us on Facebook (including our members only Facebook group), Instagram and Twitter.
