As Newton entered Day 9 of the Newton Public Schools’ (NPS) teachers’ strike, 15 after-school programs that parents have already paid for remain shuttered. Each elementary school hosts a nonprofit after-school program “for the enrichment and enjoyment of children between 5-12 years of age,” according to NPS. After the strike…
Posts published in “Government”
Fig City News recently spoke with David Helfman, a Newton resident with significant experience in labor strike negotiations, advising unions on collective bargaining packages, as well as serving as a trustee on pension funds. The notes from this discussion are condensed for this article. FCN: You have a background serving on…
My partner and I are recent transplants to Auburndale. We love it here, and we’re glad her son was at Williams Elementary and is now at Brown Middle School. The teachers and support staff at both schools have been fantastic, and he’s thrived in all the ways a parent can…
I write as a decade-plus veteran of teaching both in the profession and in the city of Newton. I’ve spent my entire career at North North HS, following training through the Newton Teacher Residency and stints as a substitute at Bigelow and Newton South HS. Along with my fellow educators,…
At the end of January 29, both the Newton Teachers Association (NTA) and School Committee held press conferences in which they each said some progress toward agreement had been made on some items, but gaps remain. The strike continues, and schools will be closed on Tuesday, January 30. Throughout the…
The schools in Newton have always been the shining gem of our community. Education was highly valued, and, therefore, funded. And now, they are running on fumes. School personnel are what make education in Newton phenomenal. Despite the crumbling buildings, the out of date texts, and lack of technology, our schools…
On January 29, Lital Asher-Dotan, a Newton parent of three Newton Public Schools students, filed with the Middlesex Superior Court an Emergency Motion to Intervene in the case of the Commonwealth Employment Relations Board v. Newton Teachers Association (NTA) and Michael J. Zilles. It asks the court to compel the…
The Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO) will hold an in-district meeting with local state legislators on January 29 at 7PM at Union Church (14 Collins Road, Waban). Speakers include Senator Cynthia Creem, Rep. Ruth Balser, Rep. Kay Khan, and Rep. Alice Peisch. Topics on the agenda include public housing, real-estate…
Newton’s Congressional Representative, Jake Auchincloss, issued this statement about the Newton Teachers Strike on January 29: Students should be in school. Missing seven school days – and counting – is disruptive and unfair to our children, and their parents. The messages I’m receiving from families facing another uncertain week are…
On January 26 at 10AM, supporters of the Newton Teachers Association (NTA) gathered at City Hall on the sixth day of the Teachers Strike for the Newton Students Speak Out rally, an event organized by students to openly support the NTA. Although it was promoted as a student rally, about…
Except for an ongoing series — the Negotiating Committee meeting with the Newton Teachers Association in Executive Session regarding contract negotiations — there are no meetings scheduled for the School Committee this week.
No City Council meetings are scheduled for this week.