Season 2 Episode 19: Paul Georges on our Member Survey
“The primary function of adults involved in the Lowell Public Schools should be to remove impediments to children learning and teachers teaching. Often Lowell has not lived up to that commitment fully.”
With the passage of the Student Opportunity Act last November, state funding, or Chapter 70 monies, will be increasing for Lowell Public Schools. That is good news, and of course, we are thrilled, but this infusion of restored funding over the next seven years requires all of us to think in a different way. We need to shirt our mindsets away from what is lost when a school district is underfunded, and instead focus on what is possible. As Paul says, we need an abundance mentality.
In the next weeks public school districts like Lowell will begin the process of prioritizing what programs and expenditures should be restored, and begin the process of rebuilding what has been cut from our public school budgets.
In an effort to ensure that our Members’ voices are heard, the UTL created a survey challenging Members to begin “imagineering” or thinking about what our schools, our classrooms, and our students need. We’ve asked our UTL President Paul Georges to talk with us today about the importance of this survey and how your participation in the survey will help the UTL to advocate for you during budget discussions and upcoming contract negotiations.
Thanks to Paul for speaking with us today. We also thank our members who have, to date, responded to our survey. If you have not yet completed the survey, we encourage you to do so before the end of January, and, if you need the Survey Link (Members only), please email us at utl495communications@gmail.com. Be sure to include your full name, school in which you work, and the UTL Unit you belong to along with a valid home email address. Please do not use a school email address.
Thank you for tuning in to this Episode of Straight Talk. We hope that if you enjoy what you hear, you’ll consider subscribing to our podcast using Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. As always, we welcome your general comments and feedback. If you have suggestions for future podcast topics or if you are aware of a UTL495 member who might be willing to share experiences or expertise, send us an email at utlstraighttalk@gmail.com.
