Dear Members,
Staying informed is critical to staying safe, activating our rights, connecting with community and enriching ourselves, our families, our students and their families. Each week, BTU staff seeks to provide you with information that can promote these goals. If you have questions about any of these opportunities, please reach out to the contact information provided in each promotion, or email info@baltu.org.
In Solidarity,
President Brown
BTU Members! Know Your Rights
If you are involved in an incident at school and you think you might be disciplined, speak with your BTU Building Rep or Field Representative BEFORE speaking to your supervisor. You have the right to have your BR or Field Rep present with you during your meeting with your supervisor. These rights apply to BOTH BTU Chapters, Teacher and PSRP, and was added to the BTU Teacher Contract in 2021:
13.9 Right to Representation
When a teacher is notified to appear for a meeting or an investigatory interview which may lead to discipline, including, but not limited to, reprimand, suspension, or dismissal, the teacher shall be advised of their right to representation prior to the beginning of any such meeting or interview and shall be given a reasonable time to arrange for representation.
REMEMBER TO USE YOUR RIGHTS!
SHOT OUT AN AMAZING BTU MEMBER !

Please click on the link below to send a shout out to a fellow BTU member! Shout outs are free and will be featured in the upcoming issue of the Baltimore Educator (BTU’S newsletter/magazine). The deadline for shout outs and all other submissions is Friday, February 11th.
CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A SHOTOUT!
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First Book is proud to support the National Education Association’s Read Across America program by highlighting a wide range of diverse and engaging titles for all ages. | ![]() |
Shop our special Read Across America section to find the perfect books to share with kids and teens during celebrations on March 2nd and year-round
CLICK HERE TO SHOP READ ACROSS AMERICA
Use your phone or computer to make your Valentine tribute. Upload here. Don’t know where to start? Answer one or both of the prompt questions:
- What do you appreciate most about Maryland’s Community Schools?
- How has your life been impacted by Maryland’s Community Schools?
Don’t be the last to submit! Share with someone you know that loves Community Schools.
CLICK HERE TO SHOW YOUR APPRECIATION
LAST WEEK’S FLYERS
TESTIFY AT THE 2/8/22 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
The next school board meeting is February 8, 2022 at 5:00 PM.
Join the conference call at +14439611488 Conference ID: # 992 361 076. Or you can watch it on YouTube: City Schools TV. Click here for more information on School Board meetings. Click here for the meeting agenda.
To sign up for public comment…
- Members of the public interested in submitting comments can e-mail Leatrice Jones at LLJones02@bcps.k12.md.us between 4:15 – 5:15 PM on the day of the meeting.
- Please indicate whether you will be commenting live, submitting a video or submitting an e-mail to be read. Up to 10 members of the public may register to speak.
- Members of the public can send an e-mail of no longer than 400 words that will be read aloud by the Board Executive, a three-minute video that will be broadcast during the meeting or sign up to deliver their comments live during the meeting.
SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
WATCH THE FEB 10 BTU EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING @ 6:00PM
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CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
BCPSS MID-YEAR PERFORMANCE REVIEW DEADLINE EXTENDED TO 2/11/22
Discussions about employee performance and team goals midway through the year are important opportunities for each team member across City Schools to reflect upon their impact thus far in the year.
The district wants to ensure there is sufficient time for supervisors and their team members to pause and engage in meaningful performance-based conferences, and understand the return from the winter holiday has required each of us to navigate a great deal of uncertainty and to be responsive to the evolving needs of our students and school communities.
With that in mind, the deadline for Mid Year Performance Review for BTU Teacher and PSRP members has been extended by two weeks. The deadline for mid year performance reviews (originally communicated as January 31, 2022) has been updated and adjusted to Friday, February 11, 2022.
BTU NEEDS TO KNOW!
Substituting and safety violations are widespread, but BTU Staff doesn’t know about it, unless we hear from you.
Please complete the forms below if you are substituting (or “covering”) or are concerned by health and safety gaps in your schools or worksites.
FILL OUT THE SUBSTITUTE SURVEY
Whenever you serve as a substitute, whether for just a short period of time or a whole day, BTU leadership requests that you fill out this form to help us collect data and better advocate for policies that support fully staffed, well-functioning schools.
This form does NOT take the place of contacting a BTU Field Rep if you believe a contract violation has occurred, or in the case of PSRPs, you are owed additional pay for subbing. Always contact your Field Representative when you believe the contract is being violated.
CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE THE BTU SUBSTITUTING SURVEY
USE THIS BTU FORM TO REPORT HEALTH AND SAFETY VIOLATIONS
The BTU has created an online reporting form in order to document positive and suspected COVID cases. This online reporting form can also be used to report:
- violations of the Teacher and PSRP Contracts
- violations of the MOU we recently negotiated to protect members, and
- violations of the District’s Safety and Health Guidelines.
This form is NOT meant to replace reported violations sent to supervisors, it is a supplement that will allow union membership a single, consistent, and safe place to report to BTU so that we are able to most efficiently and effectively support staff.
Please email info@baltu.org or your field rep if you have questions about how to fill out this form.