UTL495 Straight Talk Podcast

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Each week we publish a podcast interview on a topic we think will be of interest to our members. That topic may be informative - but it also will be a place to celebrate the accomplishments of our members.

United Teachers of Lowell


    • Jul 26, 2020 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 19m AVG DURATION
    • 69 EPISODES


    Search for episodes from UTL495 Straight Talk Podcast with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from UTL495 Straight Talk Podcast

    Season 3, Episode 01: Nancy Chakarian, Exemplary Teacher, Mentor, and UTL Building Representative

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2020 30:00


    The Podcast Twins chatted with exemplary educator and UTL Building Rep, Nancy Chakarian who reflects on her 50-year career in education.

    Season 2, Episode 23: United Way's Response to COVID-19 With Tom Raiche

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2020 16:15


    We spoke, remotely of course, with Tom Raiche about how the United Way is responding to needs of families in the Merrimack Valley during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Season 2 Episode 22: Chatting with Citizens for Public Schools' ED, Lisa Guisbond

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2020 24:00


    We had the opportunity to chat with CPS ED Lisa Guisbond about the Student Opportunity Act AND to chat about an exciting event CPS is sponsoring with Diane Ravitch, Barbara Madeloni, and Maurice Cunningham.

    Season 2 Episode 21: Latifah Phillips-A School Site Council FAQ

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2020 17:30


    The Podcast Twins are speaking with Chief Equity and Engagement Officer, Latifah Phillips, about Lowell Public School's Site Councils.

    Season 2, Episode 20: Spotlight on LHS's Indoor Track Team

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2020 14:00


    We're speaking today with four terrific student athletes who are members of Lowell High's Indoor track team.

    Season 2 Episode 19: Paul Georges on our Member Survey

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2020 13:10


    In this Episode, we're asking Paul about the current Member Priority Survey.

    Season 2 Episode 18: MVFB Operation Nourish with Amy Pessia

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2019 21:00


    The Podcast Twins go on the road to the MVFB to learn how this outstanding organization addresses food insecurity throughout the Merrimack Valley, but especially in our schools.

    Season 2-Episode 17: Spotlight on LHS AP Teacher Patrick Smulligan

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2019 14:00


    In this episode, the Podcast Twins chat with LHS AP Teacher Pat Smulligan about his collaboration with Mass Insight Education and Research and the AP program at LHS.

    Season 2-Episode 16 Member Benefits with Brant Duncan

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2019 16:30


    We are speaking with AFTMA Secretary/Treasurer Brant Duncan about an upcoming Member Benefits Workshop -- and MORE!

    Season 2 Episode 15: Health Mitigation Fund

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2019 28:00


    The Podcast Twins chat with UTL President Paul Georges to learn how advocacy by the City Unions resulted in a fund to help lessen the impact of a switch to GIC.

    Season 2-Episode 14: Email FAQs

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2019 10:00


    In this episode we give a brief explanation about the UTL's email blasts and how to resolve commonly occurring issues.

    Season2-Episode 13: Voices of our Retirees

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2019 9:20


    The Podcast Twins asked our UTL Retirees a question: What advice would you offer to our new and active members?

    Season 2 Episode 12: Meet Tom Raiche

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2019 17:30


    The Podcast Twins chat with United Way Liaison Tom Raiche about the upcoming events and most importantly about the Thanksgiving Project.

    Season 2-Episode 11: Funding Our Future - Updates to Student Opportunity Act with AFTMA President Beth Kontos

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2019 19:15


    The Podcast Twins spoke with AFTMA President Beth Kontos about the newly passed Student Opportunity Act and what's next for this important legislation.

    Season 2-Episode 10: We're Spotlighting Wang T-R-T Kathy Clark and the TIHC

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2019 20:00


    The Podcast Twins learn about the LNHP's first Teacher Ranger Teacher, Wang Teacher Kathy Clark and catch up with Kristin Gallas from Tsongas Industrial History Center.

    Season 2 Episode 9: Talk to Us!

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2019 17:00


    In this episode the Podcast Twins talk about some of the ways we reach out to members to keep them informed.

    Season 2-Episode 8: FAQ on Pay Lanes & Steps with Mickie Dumont

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2019 27:45


    We're here with Marianne "Mickie" Dumont, UTL's Chief of Operations who explains Steps and Lanes or Columns and how those impact salary.

    Season 2-Episode 7: Your Weingarten Rights Reminder

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2019 17:30


    Each year, we remind our Members about Weingarten Rights. This podcast offers a FAQ about those rights and how to access them should a member need to do so.

    Season 2-Episode 6: The Podcast Twins Go To The Statehouse

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2019 13:25


    The Podcast Twins recently attended and offered testimony regarding 4 recess bills at a hearing held by the MA Joint Committee on Education.

    Season 2-Episode 5: Spotlighting Lincoln School's Rachel Margaglione & Andrea Regina

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2019 20:30


    The Podcast Twins had a chance to talk with Rachel Margaglione and Andrea Regina, both of the Lincoln School, about their experiences as a 21st Century School and about Lego Robotics.

    Season 2-Episode 4: Welcome Back UTL495

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2019 28:45


    The Podcast Twins sit down with UTL's President, Paul Georges to chat about some good news and some things we're keeping our eye on this school year.

    Season 2-Episode 3: Status Update on School Funding with AFT-MA's Dan Murphy

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2019 27:30


    The Podcast Twins speak with Director of Education Policy, Dan Murphy to learn about updates to the Fund Our Future legislation.

    Season 2-Episode 2: Dr. Joel Boyd, Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2019 22:45


    In this episode, we continue our conversation with Dr. Joel Boyd, LPS Superintendent of Schools and learn more about the career path that has led Dr. Boyd to Lowell, MA.

    Season 2-Episode 1: Introducing Superintendent Dr. Joel Boyd

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2019 13:00


    In our season opener, the Podcast Twins chat with Lowell's new Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Joel Boyd.

    Episode 45: Our Season Finale - No Cliffhangers Here

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2019 18:45


    Mickie and Amy take a look back over 45 episodes of our first season of podcasting.

    Episode 44: Stronger Together

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2019 24:00


    At the end of 2018-19, we asked Paul Georges, our UTL495 President to reflect on the past year and take a look into the future.

    Episode 43: Spotlighting Sarah Foster & the Laura Lee Therapeutic Day School

    Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2019 17:30


    Mickie and Amy chat with 2018 Finalist for Massachusetts Teacher of the Year - and Laura Lee teacher - Sarah Foster.

    Episode 42: Lowell Goes to Fund Our Future Day of Action

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2019 13:00


    On May 16, 2019, educators, parents, teachers, students and community allies from Lowell were present for a Day of Action and Rally supporting the Promise Act and the Cherish Act.

    Episode 41: Spotlight on the Cast & Crew of Shrek the Musical

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2019 17:40


    The cast, crew and theater advisor of LHS's Shrek the Musical sat down to chat with us about this year's musical performance.

    Episode 40: Let's Rally to Fund Our Future on May 16!

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2019 19:45


    We had an opportunity to sit down with Beth Kontos, AFTMA President, and Mickie Dumont, UTL495's Director of Operations to talk about why it is so important that everyone turns out to the May 16 Statewide Rally.

    Episode 39: Farrell-Grady Scholarship FAQ

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2019 7:30


    We speak with retired educator and Union activist, Margaret "Midge" Farrell about the United Teachers of Lowell's annual Scholarship awards for the children of members graduating from high school.

    Episode 38: FAQ for Members - FMLA and Extended Sick Leaves

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2019 10:20


    In this episode, UTL Office Manager Nancy Giblin reviews the contact information for members who may need to use Family Medical Leave.

    Episode 37: Paraprofessional Appreciation

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2019 22:30


    In Episode 37, the Podcast Twins chat with 3 of Lowell's finest paraprofessionals about their experiences.

    Episode 36: The CHERISH Act: Important Higher Education Funding with Jack Bove

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2019 21:00


    We met Jack Bove, a junior at UML and member of PHENOM at our recent Legislative Forum. Jack explains why underfunded public higher education is hurting students and their families.

    Episode 35: Funding Our Future, Voices from Lowell's Legislative Forum

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2019 15:00


    In this podcast, we explain the importance of Funding our Future to our students and families through commentary from Lowell Legislative Forum attendees

    Episode 34: Amy Pessia Rotary Club of Lowell President & the Celebration of Teaching 2019

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2019 18:00


    In this Episode, we are chatting with Amy Pessia, Rotary Club of Lowell President, about the Rotary's annual Celebration of Teaching and recognizing inspiring educators and paraprofessionals in Lowell.

    Episode 33: #bestfieldtripever: Tsongas Industrial History Center

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2019 31:30


    We had an opportunity to sit down with TIHC's Kristin Gallas & Syeda Nizami to talk about this wonderful resource for history and science education right here in Lowell, MA.

    Episode 32: A Blue Ribbon Chat with Paul Georges

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2019 26:00


    We chat with UTL President Paul Georges about past and present Lowell Public School's search for a new school leader/.

    Episode 31: Fund Our Future Campaign, Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2019 16:00


    Amy & Mickie continue our conversation with Beth Kontos & Jeremy Shenk. We know that the need to fix the funding is urgent. Now what?

    Episode 30: An Urgent Need to Fund Our Future

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2019 18:30


    We spoke with AFT-MA President Beth Kontos and AFT-MA Engagement & Campaign Coordinator Jeremy Shenk about the importance of the Fund Our Future Campaign.

    Episode 29: Meet UTL495's Nancy Giblin

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2019 16:00


    In this Episode, Mickie and Amy introduce members to the heart of United Teachers of Lowell 495: our Office Manage, Nancy Giblin.

    Episode 28: Spotlight on Mariana Athayde

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2019 21:00


    In this Episode, the Podcast Twins learn about Mariana Athayde's work not only as an educator here in Lowell but also as an Educator Ambassador. Mariana is joined remotely by Lowell's Kara Wilkins and WGBH's Carolyn Jacobs.

    Episode 27: GIC Proposal Updates

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2019 17:30


    The Podcast Twins are joined by UTL Executive Board member, Martha Leary to provide an update as to proposed GIC plan changes for 2019=2020.

    Episode 26: A Conversation with AFT-MA Director or Organization, Brian LaPierre

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2019 20:49


    Mickie and Amy talk with AFTMA Director of Organization, Brian LaPierre as we gear up for the 2019 Fund Our Future Campaign

    Episode 25: January 2019 Updates

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2019 22:00


    Mickie and Amy highlight some of what UTL has been working on over the holiday break INCLUDING moving along the issue of HVAC impacts in our facilities.

    Episode 24: Building Partnerships Across the Community. A Conversation with LEJA's Darcie Boyer

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2018 28:15


    Mickie and Amy talk with Lowell parent and LEJA member Darcie Boyer about the power of community members working together to strengthen public education.

    Episode 23: Benign Neglect & Building Conditions

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2018 20:10


    We talk with Paul Georges about the effects that decades of "benign neglect" have had on our school facilities.

    Episode 22: December Member Meet-Up: Meet The Veeps

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2018 18:30


    In this Episode, we speak with our three UTL495 Vice Presidents about their roles.

    Episode 21: Educator Evaluation Cycle, Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2018 22:30


    In this episode, we are joined by LTA Facilitator Pina Maggio to clarify some important and time-sensitive information about teacher evaluation and artifact uploads for Developing status teachers.

    Episode 20: Spotlight on Rachel Crawford & Laura Schofield

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2018 16:00


    In this Episode, we speak with Rachel Crawford & Laura Schofield about their collaboration and making connections between music and mathematics.

    Episode 19: A Conversation With AFT-MA President Beth Kontos

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2018 32:00


    In this episode, the Podcast Twins speak with newly elected AFT-MA President Beth Kontos.

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