As we celebrate the Holiday Season let’s reflect on our many successes. We’ve struggled to get where we are today in education and in our union. We’ve made sacrifices especially one year ago during our last strike. As a result, we’ve received a salary increase with another on the way in January. We are still below the national average and the starting salary is not attractive enough to lure an overwhelming number of applicants for key positions.

        There are several questions being asked about lesson plans, content standards, writing strategies and other areas being presented by the department. I have stated and further reiterated my position at the November 26^th & 27^th workshops held for Elementary, Junior High, Middle School, and Senior High Schools. While Professional Development is one of my goals and I support programs to enhance our growth, we ought to be mindful of our presentation, and the duration of time for adequate preparation (training) prior to actual implementation. A clear and precise format for lesson plans ie. objectives, content standard #, character development #, procedures, materials, assessment, homework to include all the "Quality Teaching And Learning" strategies or initiatives as outlined in a memorandum from Superintendent Rosalia Payne to Principals/Activity Center Heads (September 17, 2001) needs to be presented for all involved to have the same interpretation.

        It was my understanding from its inception that all twelve are not expected in every lesson, every week, but you are encouraged to utilize them to offer our students a variety. The plan book issued to you is the only plan book and format you need to write your plans in accordance with Article. IV Section. C #10 of our Collective Bargaining Agreement.

        If the Department would like programs and initiatives to be successful, we would need to be prepared to deal with change and enjoy less stress. In the book "Who Moved My Cheese? Spencer Johnson, M.D. profound truths about change are revealed in four imaginary characters. "Sometimes we may act like SNIFF who sniffs out change early or SCURRY who scurries into action, or HEM who denies and resists change as he fears it will lead to something worse, or HAW who learns to adjust in time when he sees changing leads to something better!" Regardless of which character best describes you, we all share the common goal of educating our children to prepare them to succeed in these changing times.

     "Good teaching is one-fourth preparation and three-fourths theatre." 
                                            -Gail Godwin

    "Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence." 
                                            -Robert Frost

    There is much to be proud of! Our Brand, new school is designed for middle level students, with two or three teams in a cluster. A team consists of Math, Science, English, and Social Studies classrooms. The auditorium is a State of the Arts facility, with a built in P.A. system, excellent acoustics, and has a seating capacity of one-thousand and four (1004).

    It has to be mentioned that the faculty and staff played an important role in the design of the facility. A team of BCB teachers, support staff and administrators traveled to St. Croix to observe several of the Junior High Schools. We took the best from those schools coupled with information that we knew from conceptual plans and programs especially designed for Middle Schools.

    Inherent in any school implementation program is that of their faculty and staff members. We at BCB are proud of our faculty and staff members! They are professional, intelligent, and caring educators, who go the extra mile to make sure things run smoothly. We have a high attendance rate, and began this school year with reactivating our Caring Club, who organizes social activities for members. Our opening reception in the new school library included a spread of goodies well appreciated by all administrators, faculty and staff members who attended!

    At the very beginning of the school year, we requested faculty members to serve as our training consultants for the Project Intercept training and implementation on our campus. They continue to assist teachers in the successful implementation on the BCB campus.

    With middle level students, an ongoing concern from faculty and staff members is that of student behavior and discipline. As a result, we are pleased to have our first Dean of Students, who assists administrators and faculty members with this area of concern. In an effort to stem the flow of out-of-school suspensions, BCB has implemented an alternative-to-school suspension to cut down on the failures, and minimize behavioral problems.

    Our landscaping is so beautiful on the new campus! We have been here since August, and the students continue to keep the campus clean and beautiful. The first day in November when they saw the plants and palms they all said "Wow!" We invite all to come and witness the wonder and beauty of the new Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School, a tribute to all that can happen for Virgin Islands students, when faculty and staff members, administrators, parents, students and community members are given a chance to contribute!!!

    Career Day 2001 was held on November 28, 2001. Over thirty (30) community members came to share with middle level students their specific career work plans. Positive comments received included: "Students were well-behaved, clean, well-dressed, with shirts tucked in and skirts of a good length." "Students were polite, interested, enthusiastic and had intelligent questions and comments."

    We have much to be thankful for thus far, and the BCB Thanksgiving Meal, which was served on Tuesday, November 20, 2001 was a meal beyond meals. With a spread, including turkey, cranberry sauce, coleslaw, stuffing, peas and rice, ice cream/sherbert and a mint. We say thank you for all the blessings into school year 2001-2002!

    The concert choir performed for the annual back to school gospel fest on October 20, 2001. The Woodwind Quintet also performed for the annual Red Ribbon Week program at the Emancipation Garden on October 25, 2001. Halos to all the teachers in the Music Department.

    Each local shall appoint a chairperson who shall be the liaison with the state and national AFT offices.

• provide technical assistance in establishing local and state committees and conferences;
• exchange information through periodicals, special publications;
• identify and recommend the development of resource materials;
• build coalitions with national civil and women’s rights organizations

    Suggested Activities and Goals
    Human Rights
    Activities

• secure equal employment opportunities for women, minorities and all people, regardless of disability, religion, and national origin and sexual orientation;
• heighten member awareness of textbook and history course content so as to reflect the contribution of all Americans;
• survey pension, health and insurance policies for discriminatory sections;
• review textbooks and other materials, such as films, slides, pamphlets, for pictures or reading matter discriminatory or derogatory of women/minorities.

• Family Medical Leave Act;
• sexual harassment;
• domestic violence;
• gender fair instruction;
• contract items;

    Community Relations (Goals)

• Develop communications with parents and community groups;
• inform interested groups, affiliates and coalitions of AFT’s position on topics such as academic standards and rigorous discipline codes;build coalitions

Our Local will have a committee in place by the end of January.

    Emanuel Benjamin Oliver School continues to highlight students through the Character Development Program. Students are recommended by teachers with input from students regarding such character traits as honesty, compassion and respect. Pictures are taken of winners and are placed in the lunchroom on display for the whole school to see. One goal of the program is to promote positive attitudes at school, home, and in the community.

    Faculty and staff at Joseph Gomez School, out of concern for the condition of their physical plant wrote to the Superintendent seeking resolution. Problems with maintenance were varied and have been neglected for months and in some cases years. Bulbs and ballast, and window cranks need replacing. Electrical work and plumbing need attention, fencing needs repair, and lights in classrooms are needed as well as carpenter services. In response to the faculty and staff letter, the Superintendent called an emergency meeting on 11/30/01 and pledged to meet with AFT reps to set a time frame for repairs to the concerns. That meeting was held 12/4/01 with the Superintendent setting a realistic time frame for completing repairs.

Second Place Essay Contest
11^th & 12^th grade Jendai Richards & Khadija de Lagarde, C.A.H.S.
9^th & 10^th grade Benjamin Stanislaus, I.E.K.H.S.
Poetry Contest
Jezreel Gillon, C.A.H.S.

Honorable Mention
Shaneca Charles, Ladene Lewis, Melanie Turnbull, Danielle Cole, Khris Matthews, Shatel Francis

-Congratulations also to Monique Toussaint, CAHS Senior one of the winners of the 2001 National Council of Teachers of English Achievement Award
-Halos to Students & Teachers of IEKHS Art Department
Go Students Go!!