JET Program News
Welcome New JET Scholars!
The 2022-2023 JET Cohort of Scholars was launched in an Orientation on August 24. The new cohort is made up of 25 paraeducators from across 10 partner urban school districts. JET staff were thrilled to officially welcome them.
JET Receives Increased State Funding for FY23
JET is thrilled to announce its new funding in the FY23 Massachusetts State Budget for $350,000.
Honoring and Celebrating Angie Irving
We would like to honor Angie Irving for her contributions to making JET a successful program. Angie joined JET in 2016, when JET became a program of the Massachusetts Foundation for Teaching and Learning. JET would not be where it is today if it weren’t for Angie’s commitment, passion, systems thinking, and strength. She will be leaving her position as Operations Coordinator, and moving on to the next stage in her life.
Spotify Podcast with JET Alumna
Kathy Pimental, JET alumna, tells about her journey from Paraprofessional to Teacher to JET Mentor in an interview with Carol Pelletier Radford, Founder of Mentoring in Action.
Honoring Pamela Gwynn Herrup for Women’s History Month
This Women’s History Month, the Journey into Education and Teaching Program is proud to honor a woman who has done so much and championed a cause that will only benefit our multiple communities. We honor Pam Herrup, the co-founder of the Journey into Education and Teaching (JET) Program, as a woman of vision, strength and leadership.
JET is Selected to Participate in the 2022 Nonprofit Learning Institute
We are excited to announce that JET has been selected to participate in the 2022 Nonprofit Learning Institute (NPLI), sponsored by Bank of America and Philanthropy Massachusetts. NPLI is comprised of a series of technical assistance and capacity-building sessions with the goal of fostering and empowering leaders in the Massachusetts nonprofit sector. Twenty nonprofit organizations from a broad cross-section of the nonprofit sector were selected to participate. JET’s executive director, Eliza Fabillar, will be joining other nonprofit leaders in four sessions for learning and networking.
Letter to the Washington Post Editor re “Opinion: My Fellow educators are quitting in droves. Here’s why.”
We applaud Dr. Cassellius for declaring the urgency of this problem and offering some ways to solve it. She includes teaching aides for the supportive role they play in the classroom. Important as this role is, it misses a far greater benefit of teaching aides – their potential to become teachers. They are a key solution to teacher shortages and teacher diversity, especially in high need school districts where turnover is high and student-teacher racial, ethnic and linguistic disparities are the greatest.
JET Mid-Year Meeting 2021-2022
Reflect, Refresh, Reach Forward was the theme of JET’s midyear meeting which included JET staff, participants from all districts, JET mentors, and district liaisons. Given the continued uncertainty in so many aspects of life as we’re approaching two years of living with the COVID-19 pandemic, we wanted to use our time together to reflect on successes and challenges, refresh heading into the new year, and reach forward toward achieving future goals.
Announcing New Executive Director
As we begin 2022 with renewed commitment to our work and hope for better times ahead, I am pleased to welcome Eliza Perez Fabillar as the new Executive Director of JET. Eliza has been working part-time with JET since October, getting to know our program and constituents, and this month assumed her new full-time role.
So You Want to Become a Teacher in Massachusetts?
How does that work? So many adults outside the teaching workforce ask this question when they are trying to change their career to become a classroom k-12 teacher. They soon realize that this is a daunting question. Where do I start? Who can I talk to about it? Where do I go? And there is so much to consider, including the different licenses, degree requirements, and financial resources. Well, this short blog may provide some guidance and insights for adults who are seeking their first license and not sure how to start. This blog will not answer all your questions, but it may provide a starting point.
JET Hails Educator Diversity ARPA Funding in MA Spending Bill
On December 13 Governor Baker signed into legislation a $4 billion spending bill, which includes $10 million of ARPA (the America Rescue Plan Act) funds to support Educator Diversity recruitment and retention programs. Leading the successful effort for this ARPA funding is the Educator Diversity Act (EDA) Coalition, where JET is a member.
JET Testifies on Beacon Hill in Support of the Educator Diversity Act
Thank you, Chairs Peisch and Lewis for the opportunity to testify today in support of the Educator Diversity Act (H.682/S.366). My name is Pamela Herrup and I am the Co-founder and Director of JET, Journey into Education and Teaching.
JET is a solution to diversifying the educator workforce. We have diverse future educators working in our schools already.
JET End of Year Meetings 2021
JET held its End of Year meetings on Zoom over 3 days on June 22, 23, 24. This year the theme was Celebrate! What a year our participants, mentors and staff have had riding the unpredictable waves of the pandemic and finally reaching calmer waters by the end of the school and academic year.
What if we were all a little more like Ms. Allen?
It isn’t uncommon that paraprofessionals get asked to do more than their job description entails – in fact, this is common in most education spaces. In the American schooling system, we have normalized how educators are expected to have an “all hands on deck” or “it takes a village” mindset in order to fully commit to every child regardless of our role in a school. April Allen, current JET participant, is a perfect example of this. April is currently teaching 5th graders with disabilities in Brighton, MA.
JET Wins Cummings Grant
receive grants of $100,000 to $500,000 each through Cummings Foundation’s $25 Million Grant Program. The Concord-based organization was chosen from a total of 590 applicants during a competitive review process. It will receive $100,000 over four years.
Highlighting Women in the Education Field
In the last year, women have moved back a generation in terms of work and pay, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, women in education are continuing to empower, uplift, and push forward, despite the challenges of 2020 and beyond. Now more than ever we see the impacts that trailblazers in education have.
Shane's Journey to Teaching Shared with Alex Flatley, JET Intern
“I am one of them,” Niles expressed in response to the first interview question about why he works with kids. Shane Niles was born and raised in Boston, MA. He attended Boston Public Schools (BPS) from kindergarten through twelfth grade. A proud Black man, Niles shared that the work of teaching is deeply personal for him because of his work journey, identity, and education in Boston. After graduating from UMASS Amherst in 2014, he got his first job as a one-on-one paraprofessional at Brooke Charter School in Mattapan. When asked why he wanted to be a teacher, he responded that “I have always loved working with kids,” “I just fell into it.”
Celebrating American History: A Month at a Time
The purpose of highlighting different “groups” of people in our educational system is often thought of as a celebration. We celebrate Black History in February, Women’s History in March, Latinx Heritage Month in October, and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage in May. Although it is a way to celebrate, it also reminds me of how our American History does not always acknowledge so many that have contributed so much to our great country.
2020-2021 Mid-Year Meetings
"Stay on track!"
"Get good grades!"
"Strive for the best!"
"Hurry up and finish!"
"Can’t wait to get back to the classroom to be with my students!"
We were so heartened to hear these words from the JET participants in our mid-year Zoom meetings in January, half-way through the school and academic year. Determination galore!
Liberating Minds
It seems like everyone and their mother knows that Black History Month is a huge deal this year. It seems to be everywhere as Feb. 1 was the official kick off. Glad that we finally get it, or do we? Racism, systemic inequities, and consistent oppression of minorities run rampant in our nation.