The Gloucester Teachers Association hosted a roundtable discussion, open to the public on Saturday to address the needs within the city’s school systems. 

During the event, GTA Vice President Matthew Lewis discussed how the union will be entering its next round of contract negotiations in January, 2024. Lewis also shared the goals for bargaining, which include a focus on Gloucester’s students, professionalism, time for teaching and learning, compensation benefits, as well as health, safety facilities and physical space. 

“It’s critical to have the support from the community in public education,”Lewis said. “As an association, we will always advocate for those who deserve more voice.” 

Community members in attendance were also asked to discuss a vision they had for Gloucester Public Schools in the future. 

“My vision for the Gloucester schools is to be a community based system that focuses on the needs of the community around it,” Alycia Hogan-Lopez said. 

“I want the students and community members to feel like valued members of the system and for teachers to be treated with the respect that they deserve,” Hogan-Lopez said.

The GTA encourages members of the community to speak up and show up for Gloucester’s teachers in numerous ways including showing up to rallies, emailing school committee members and speaking up at meetings if possible.

“The turnout was a little disappointing,” Rich Francis, a member of the negotiating team, said. “But I think that dialogues had among the persons there was positive especially among the students I sat with.”

Those who have questions or comments about the upcoming negotiations can reach out to Matthew Lewis at [email protected]