Join a Committee

Constitution/By-Laws 

Description/Work

Organizing & 

Community Engagement

A committee that will guide the scheduling, planning and oversight of community events and union-based campaigns. Participants will actively engage the community in participation of Union focused initiatives. The committee will elevate member

engagement at the school and district level for all actions, campaigns, and events.

specifics TBD

Membership 

& COPE

The Membership committee shall work on the recruitment of teachers to the PTU, eligibility, rights, and privileges of members. As part of the COPE (Committee on Political Action) work the committee will work on active research into legislative measures, maintain current voting lists, evaluate the performance of candidates for public office as it affects teachers and public employees, makes endorsement recommendations to the Executive Board and the Membership for all elections. The President shall be an ex-officio member of the Committee. The President and Committee members shall be responsible for campaigning for passage of legislation that benefits for teachers and public employees and for elections of candidates to public office who support causes of teachers, public schools, students and public employees.

specifics TBD

Racial Justice

The educators of the PTU Racial Justice Committee work to develop an anti-racist climate in and around the Providence Public Schools for our students, families, and colleagues. We commit to recognizing and addressing instances of injustice and systemic racism. We are committed to centering race and the acknowledgment of intersecting identities, holding ourselves accountable internally as a union, while collaborating with students, families, administrators, school staff, and the community at-large, educating ourselves and fellow PTU members, interrupting systems and policies that recreate and perpetuate racial injustice while proposing co-creating just alternatives.

specifics TBD

Welfare

The Welfare Committee shall be concerned with general matters of bereavement, extended illnesses, and appropriate remembrances.

specifics TBD

Communication & 

Community Engagement

The Communication and Community Engagement committee will work with the Executive Board in creating and implementing a communication plan and engage the membership through social media. They will actively engage the community in participation of Union sponsored community events, youth and Union focused initiatives.

specifics TBD

MLL/Dual Language

The educators of the MLL/Dual Language Committee will engage in the work of reviewing curricula, identifying areas of support and concern for all MLL/Dual Language educators, students and families. Meet with district leaders and families to problem-solve around issues that impact educators, students and families in MLL/Dual Language, provide regular communications and updates to educators and families.

specifics TBD

Special Education Working Group

n/a

Gather information about the special education violations that are happening in our district and start to put together a list of demands for resolving these issues.

Curriculum & Testing

n/a

Research ways to take back control over pedagogy, assessment, and grading practices by connecting with other unions, researching contract language, working with school board policy committee

By-Laws & Election Working Group

n/a

Review by-laws and make a proposal with changes; review election processes and contact other unions to do research on different approaches

Newsletter & Communications

n/a

Manage monthly newsletter content; write articles and gather content from members

Related Service Provider Working Group

n/a

Space for related service providers (SLPs, social workers, psychologists) to strategize around their particular needs in preparation for the contract campaign (research on other contracts)

Specialists Working Group

n/a

Space for specialist teachers (music, art, library, PE/health, electives) to strategize around their particular needs in preparation for the contract campaign (research on other contracts)

CTE Working Group

n/a

CTE educators are a specialized group who work in unique classroom and lab/shop environments. Currently underrepresented, it is a space to capture the needs of this group to prepare for a contract campaign, (reference Boston Public Schools).  Revisit/brainstorm alternative evaluation process for newly hired emergency certified people from industry. 

Building Committee

n/a

Starting to look into finding a new building for the PTU office space. We cannot continue to afford to stay in our current space. Help us find a new space for PTU.

Grading Policy Working Group

n/a

Night Jean from the School Board reached out and invited us to form a working group in collaboration with the School Board Policy Committee to rewrite and revamp the Grading Policy

504 Coordinators Working Group

n/a

Working group for 504 coordinators to share best practices and ideas with one another.

Description/Work

Finance Committee

• Review agendas for pertinent topics
• Attend monthly meetings
• Liaise with chair, School Board members, and PTU to share information and coordinate efforts
• Take notes and share with PTU membership
• Collaborate with PTU members and Executive Board to identify action items or strategic planning around School Board  (i.e. if testimony on certain topics, if needed)
• Meeting schedule HERE

Policy 

Committee

Career & Technical Education Committee

Student Safety 

& Behavioral Health Committee

RIDE K-12 Council

• Review agendas for pertinent topics 
• Attend monthly meetings
• Take notes and share with PTU
• Collaborate with PTU members and Executive Board to identify action items or strategic planning around the RIDE K-12 Council (i.e. if testimony on certain topics, if needed)
• Meeting schedule HERE (usually the last Tuesday of the month)

Constitution/By-Laws 

Teacher Evaluation Committee (DTEC)

8-13.1, see pg. 29 of CBA

The TEC shall be comprised of 3 persons appointed by the Supt. of schools and 3 persons appointed by the President of the PTU in addition the parties shall mutually agree upon and appoint one person from outside the Providence school system who shall serve as a voting member of the committee.  The individual mutually appointed by the parties shall be selected on an annual basis and shall sit as chairperson of the committee.

PAR Panel

8.13.7, see pg. 30 of CBA

Peer Assistance & Review

The PAR program reflects the Providence Public School District and the PTU’s joint understanding and commitment to improving the quality of instruction in Providence. The PAR program will provide intensive support to tenured teachers in need of intervention. The program will support tenured teachers who have been identified as in need of support as a result of receiving a final effectiveness rating of “Developing” or “Ineffective.” 

• PAR Panel 
• Designed to monitor PAR program
• 3 appointees by Supt.
• 3 appointees by PTU President
• Panel makes final decisions regarding “positive” or “negative” release of “Participating Teachers”
• “PAR Consulting Teacher” supports “Participating Teachers” and offers recommendations to the PAR panel
• No fewer than 15 classroom visits; at least 3 “informal” observations; no maximum number of visits

Teacher Program Committee

13-1, see pg. 43 of CBA

Upon request, building administrators shall provide an adequate written explanation that clearly demonstrates the rationale resulting in their instructional assignment within five (5) days of the teacher’s request. In the event of an unclear or unsatisfactory response, teachers will have the opportunity to appeal their assignment to the Teacher Program Committee.

The Teacher Program Committee for the Providence School system shall be comprised of three (3) persons appointed by the Superintendent of Schools and three persons appointed by the President of the Providence Teachers Union. In the event the Teacher Program Committee cannot reach consensus on an appeal filed by a teacher or a building administrator, said appeal will be reviewed by the Superintendent whose decision shall be final and binding.

Union PD & Teacher Mentoring Coordinator

8-26, see pg. 35 of CBA

One-fifth of the salary of the Union Professional Development and Teacher Mentoring Program designated by the Union President and to release said Coordinator one-fifth of a teaching program per day or one day per week to administer the Union Professional Development and Teacher Mentoring program.

Joint Committee

8-27, see pg. 37 of CBA

The committee shall be responsible for creating an annual master schedule of all district Professional Time activities including but not limited to the number of hours of professional development offered in each teacher certification area. 

Educational Policy Committee

8-10.1, see pg. 28 of CBA

In cases where difference of opinion arise out of the possibility of changing a student’s mark and if in the opinion of the principal said dated and signed complaint he/she has investigated thoroughly warrants a hearing, the principal shall by letter to the Union’s President request that a special Marks Committee consisting of the Principal, appropriate line administrator above the Principal, Chairman of the Union’s Education Policy Committee, and the teacher involved hear the complaint.

Joint Governance Board

see pg. 36 of CBA

needed in case of applications for autonomous schools **can most likely hold off and appoint as needed