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AM Brew - Dec 13, 2021
Here's What's Brewing Today
Monday, December 13, 2021
General Membership Townhall
Join us on Tuesday, December 14 at 4:30 PM for a special membership townhall. We will be discussing the following at the townhall:
- Reopening MOA
- Vaccination mandate MOA
- The future of the DC Teacher Evaluation system by Cleveland Teachers Union President, Shari Obrenski.
- And more
Register here: https://bit.ly/MEMBERSHIPTOWNHALL
WTU Virtual Holiday Party
Washington’s Teachers would like to thank you for the work you’ve done throughout the year to support our students and your Union. Please join us to celebrate the Holidays, at the WTU’s 2021 Virtual Holiday Party, on Friday, December 17th from 6 - 7:30pm.
Register here: https://bit.ly/WTUVIRTUALHOLIDAYPARTY
Join us for Networking in Breakout Rooms, Raffles, and to Hear from Invited Guests. We’ll have music and your personal bar is unlimited.
Ward 3 EdNet
DCPS Director of School Finance Allen Francois will be at the Ward 3 Education Network (W3EdNet) this evening, Monday, December 13 at 7pm via Zoom (link below). The new DCPS budgeting model will be discussed. Register in advance for this meeting here.
COVID-19 Mandates
If you have concerns or additional questions regarding the District’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate, please reach out to your WTU Field Representative for the personal or individual guidance and support you may need.
Denial of religious or medical exemption to the vaccine mandate:
If your request for a religious or medical exemption was denied, you may appeal and challenge this determination if you believe it violates your rights under Title VII or the D.C. Human Rights Act. To do so, you must consult an EEO Counselor and/or file a complaint with the Office of Human Rights (OHR).
More information on filing an EEO complaint can be found at https://ohr.dc.gov/complaints/process.
A list of EEO counselors can be found at https://tinyurl.com/2p846mk9.
Testing kits: WTU has requested that DCPS send teachers information regarding when and how to receive the weekly COVID-19 testing kits in the mail.
Simultaneous teaching
If you are asked, at any point, to provide both in-person and remote instruction simultaneously for part of the semester or for the whole semester, please make sure to keep records of it by emailing your administration with the dates you taught simultaneously. It is important for each teacher to keep a record until DCPS prepares and distributes the official forms for simultaneous teaching. We will continue to keep you in the loop.
WTU Survey on Excessive Testing.
Thank you to the 634 teachers who responded to the WTU survey about testing during the 2021-22 school year. The vast majority of those responding, 92 percent, said they are dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with the amount of required testing of students. Nearly the same number of teachers, or 89 percent, said they are dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with the amount of time available for teaching versus testing.
Further details about the WTU teacher evaluation survey can be found at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/stories/SM-VS5M6VSQ/
We have been discussing with Chancellor Ferebee and the D.C. City Council our serious concerns over classroom time taken up by testing. These survey results reinforce our concerns and demand changes. We will send them the results of this survey to augment our efforts to ensure that teaching triumphs over testing.
Teacher Morale and Retention Check-in
The WTU has joined with EmpowerEd to learn more about your hopes as well as the challenges that you are facing this year. I hope you’ll complete our joint “Educator Morale and Retention Survey” to help us understand whether or not you're considering leaving the teaching profession and what is driving your decision-making.
Thank you in advance for taking a few minutes to complete our short survey. Please note that if you sign-up for one of the teacher-led campaigns in the last section of the survey, Empower Ed will contact you. Participation in the campaigns is completely voluntary.
Ward 3 Dems on Covid Saftey
If there is a problem with COVID health and safety provisions, please report it to OSSE and the situation room
- OSSE Online Complaint Form (dc.gov)
- Situation Room: http://bit.ly/WTUSafeOpenings
LAST DAY -- Dental and Vision Open Enrollment
DC government has announced its open enrollment to run from 2022 for Monday, November 8 through Monday December 13, 2021. This is an annual opportunity to review your current benefits elections and make changes. This is also an opportunity for you to make any changes to your dental and vision benefits. Click here for details on your dental and vision coverage or if you have any questions regarding these benefits, contact Valerie Kilby at [email protected].
If you have questions regarding enrollment into the plans, contact DCPS benefits at [email protected].
AM Brew News and Notices will be archived at https://www.wtulocal6.net/AMBrew.
Read morePD Highlights - December 6, 2021
Professional Development
PD highlights are posted weekly to the PD Blog at https://www.wtulocal6.net/pdblog
Join the Flagway MATH League!
We launched the Flagway Math League on Monday, October 25 led by coordinator Raphael Bonhomme. Our next meeting is TODAY December 6 @ 5pm-once you register, you will receive a calendar invitation from our league coordinator.
"The goal of The Flagway™ Game is to create environments where students can practice and celebrate learning math. There are many different ways to create a cultural context in which mathematics emerges naturally from students’ experience. One method used by the YPP and the Algebra Project is to create mathematically rich games and experiences." Find more info about the game here: http://www.typp.org/flagway.
Register HERE to become a Flagway Coach: https://www.wtulocal6.net/fall_2021_flagway_league_section_1
Strategies for Student Success (FREE!)
Instructor: Laurine Kennedy
Last Session in Series; TOMORROW December 7; 4:15-7:15pm
The following modules will be offered in this section: Dimensions to a Better Life; Navigating the Journey Between Stress and SEL, Electrifying Online Learning, The Game Factor. Participants will receive 4 PLU’s for each session. RSVP HERE: https://www.wtulocal6.net/fall_2021_strategies_for_student_success
WTU Tech Tuesdays Are Back!!!
Next session is Tuesday 12/14 @ 5:30-6:30pm, with PD Instructor Tameshia Henry for a session on Zoom. Register HERE.
Read more
AM Brew - December 6, 2021
Here's What's Brewing Today
Monday, December 6, 2021
Renaming Wilson High School
On December 7th the DC Council will decide on a new name for Woodrow Wilson H.S. Please take a moment to contact Mayor Bowser, Chairman Mendelson, your ward council member and the four at-large council members to ask them to support renaming Wilson to Edna Burke Jackson HS. Learn more about Edna Burke Jackson, the first female Black teacher to be hired at Wilson following the ruling of Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, here.
All are welcome to the WTU IMPACT meeting – December 7 at 4:30
We’ll be discussing the pros and cons of the Danielson and Marzano frameworks for teaching and the teacher observation process. Via Zoom. Meeting ID: 873 0146 8847; Passcode: 755793
WTU/Empower Ed Survey on Educator Morale and Retention
The WTU has joined with EmpowerEd to learn more about your hopes as well as the challenges that you are facing this year. I hope you’ll complete our joint “Educator Morale and Retention Survey” to help us understand whether or not you're considering leaving the teaching profession and what is driving your decision-making.
Thank you in advance for taking a few minutes to complete our short survey.
OSSE is offering LETRS training
LETRS, Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling, a new science of reading training. ELA educators invited to participate include: instructional coaches, reading specialists, classroom teachers, special education teachers, English Learner (EL) teachers and instructional leaders. Applications are due December 16th. Please follow the link to this Google Folder to see the relevant information: 11.2021 LETRS Info Session
Report COVID Health & Safety Concerns
If there is a problem with COVID health and safety provisions, please report it to OSSE and the situation room
OSSE Online Complaint Form (dc.gov)
WTU/DCPS Situation Room: http://bit.ly/WTUSafeOpenings
Professional Development Hours on PeopleSoft
All teachers should have 8 hours of HO (Professional Development) listed on PeopleSoft. Contact your Field Representative if you have questions.
Dental and Vision Open Enrollment - CLOSING SOON
DC government has announced its open enrollment to run from 2022 for Monday, November 8 through Monday December 13, 2021. This is an annual opportunity to review your current benefits elections and make changes. This is also an opportunity for you to make any changes to your dental and vision benefits. Click here for details on your dental and vision coverage or if you have any questions regarding these benefits, contact Valerie Kilby at [email protected]. If you have questions regarding enrollment into the plans, contact DCPS benefits at [email protected].
AM Brew News and Notices will be archived at https://www.wtulocal6.net/AMBrew.
Read more
PD Highlights - November 29, 2021
Professional Development Highlights
November 29, 2021
Join the Flagway League!
We launched the Flagway League on Monday, October 25 led by coordinator Raphael Bonhomme. Our next meeting will be December 6 @ 5pm-once you register, you will receive a calendar invitation from our league coordinator .
"The goal of The Flagway™ Game is to create environments where students can practice and celebrate learning math. There are many different ways to create a cultural context in which mathematics emerges naturally from students’ experience. One method used by the YPP and the Algebra Project is to create mathematically rich games and experiences." Find more info about the game here: http://www.typp.org/flagway.
Register HERE to become a Flagway Coach: https://www.wtulocal6.net/fall_2021_flagway_league_section_1
Strategies for Student Success (FREE!)
Instructor: Laurine Kennedy
Tuesdays: November 30; December 7; 4:15-7:15pm
The following modules will be offered in this section: Dimensions to a Better Life; Navigating the Journey Between Stress and SEL, Electrifying Online Learning, The Game Factor. Participants will receive 4 PLU’s for each session. RSVP HERE: https://www.wtulocal6.net/fall_2021_strategies_for_student_success
WTU Tech Tuesdays Are Back!!!
Next session is Tuesday 11/30 @ 4:30-5:30pm, coordinator Sarah Elwell for a session on Electrifying Instruction with Online Tools.
Register HERE.
Read more
AM Brew - November 29, 2021
Here's What's Brewing Today
Monday, November 29, 2021
We hope you had a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
We are monitoring reports about the spread of the new omicron variant of COVID-19. We encourage everyone to get vaccinated. The new MOA, the result of over a month and a half of hard work and late nights from the WTU contract bargaining team, includes time-off for you to receive your boosters as well as getting fully vaccinated. The full MOA is available here. If you have any symptoms, please report them immediately to our school administration and be sure to inform your Field Representative.
All are welcome to the WTU IMPACT meeting – November 30 at 4:30
We’ll be discussing the pros and cons of the Danielson and Marzano frameworks for teaching and the teacher observation process. Via Zoom. Meeting ID: 873 0146 8847; Passcode: 755793.
Indoor Air Quality Report October
OSSE is offering LETRS training.
Dental and Vision Open Enrollment
DC government has announced its open enrollment to run from 2022 for Monday, November 8 through Monday December 13, 2021. This is an annual opportunity to review your current benefits elections and make changes. This is also an opportunity for you to make any changes to your dental and vision benefits. Click here for details on your dental and vision coverage or if you have any questions regarding these benefits, contact Valerie Kilby at [email protected].
If you have questions regarding enrollment into the plans, contact DCPS benefits at [email protected].
AM Brew News and Notices will be archived at https://www.wtulocal6.net/AMBrew.
Read more
PD Highlights - November 22, 2021
Professional Development
Here are the latest professional development opportunities from the WTU and our partners.
Strategies for Student Success (FREE!)
Instructor: Laurine Kennedy
Tuesdays: November 23 and 30; December 7; 4:15-7:15pm
The following modules will be offered in this section: Dimensions to a Better Life; Navigating the Journey Between Stress and SEL, Electrifying Online Learning, The Game Factor. Participants will receive 4 PLU’s for each session. RSVP HERE: https://www.wtulocal6.net/fall_2021_strategies_for_student_success
WTU Tech Tuesdays Are Back!!!
Next session is Tuesday 11/30 @ 4:30-5:30pm, coordinator Sarah Elwell for a session on Electrifying Instruction with Online Tools.
Register HERE.
Black Lives Matter at School: December and January curriculum fairs
- Please register for the D.C. Area Black Lives Matter at School Virtual Curriculum Fair for Saturday, December 11th from 10am - noon.. Apply to present a workshop, here, by this Sunday, November 21st.
- Learn more and register for the national Black Lives Matter at School Virtual Curriculum Fair on Saturday, January 8th from 10am ET - 12:30pm ET. Apply to present a workshop, here.
- The fifth annual Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action is January 31st - February 4th, 2022. Learn more and sign up to participate, here.
- If you’d like to participate in a 1 hour planning meeting around Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action on Saturday, January 22nd from 1pm - 2pm, RSVP here.
Am Brew - November 22, 2021
Here's What's Brewing Today
Monday, November 22, 2021
Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving Holiday!
DCPS has begun distribution of Office Depot cards. We did ask, but DCPS is not able to reimburse teachers for purchases already made. If you haven’t received your Office Depot card, please reach out to your Field Representative.
Members Amber Terry, Anthony Allard and Faith Wang attended the signing of the Infrastructure Bill at the White House with AFT President Randi Weingarten.
OSSE is offering LETRS training.
LETRS, Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling, a new science of reading training. ELA educators invited to participate include: instructional coaches, reading specialists, classroom teachers, special education teachers, English Learner (EL) teachers and instructional leaders.
Please follow the link to this Google Folder to see the relevant information: 11.2021 LETRS Info Session
There will be an information session on Monday, Nov. 22 at 4:15 p.m. Interested participants can register here. We will be accepting up to 70 participants across 2 cohorts. The application for the OSSE LETRS cohorts is due Sunday, Nov. 28 at 11:59 p.m. The application can be found here.
All are welcome to the WTU IMPACT meeting – November 30 at 4:30
We’ll be discussing the pros and cons of the Danielson and Marzano frameworks for teaching and the teacher observation process. Via Zoom. Meeting ID: 873 0146 8847; Passcode: 755793.
Dental and Vision Open Enrollment
DC government has announced its open enrollment to run from 2022 for Monday, November 8 through Monday December 13, 2021. This is an annual opportunity to review your current benefits elections and make changes. This is also an opportunity for you to make any changes to your dental and vision benefits. Click here for details on your dental and vision coverage or if you have any questions regarding these benefits, contact Valerie Kilby at [email protected].
If you have questions regarding enrollment into the plans, contact DCPS benefits at [email protected].
AM Brew News and Notices will be archived at https://www.wtulocal6.net/AMBrew.
Read more
AM Brew - November 15, 2021
Here's What's Brewing Today
Monday, November 15, 2021
ICYMI: The Washington Teachers' Union was hopeful that by now we would have been close to a final agreement with DCPS on language regarding the impact and effects of the Mayor’s vaccine mandate on teachers. Unfortunately, we are still at odds over the final wording on testing. We want to make sure that all teachers, including those already vaccinated, have access to COVID-19 testing. Although the overall number of COVID-19 cases is decreasing, there may be a surge with the approach of the holiday and winter season. Including all teachers in testing ensures that we are doing everything possible to keep students, teachers and staff safe. Please make sure to go to Peoplesoft and declare your vaccination status.
DCPS will have the Office Depot cards prepared and ready for distribution to all teachers this week. We did ask, but DCPS is not able to reimburse teachers for purchases already made.
A DCPS Teacher Who Helped Create RCTs Speaks Outs
IMPACT
WTU Testing Survey
The WTU has received numerous complaints from teachers regarding the number of tests that they have been required to administer since the start of the school year. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey on excessive testing to give us an idea of how many tests you are required to administer, the duration, and your thoughts about the impact on student learning.
Click here to take the survey.
Pay for coverage
If you are required to substitute for an absent teacher, you may be entitled to additional compensation in the form of administrative premium:
If you lose your planning period due to providing coverage for another teacher, you must be compensated
If you lose your planning period because a special subject teacher is absent, you must be compensated
For elementary teachers: if you are required to accept additional students in your class because of another teacher's absence, and those additional students place your class size over the contractual class size limit, you must be compensated for each day of coverage
Any additional compensation owed to you must be paid on a biweekly basis. Contact your business manager or your WTU Field Services Specialist if you need the DCPS Administrative Premium Pay Authorization Form.
Advocate for Community Schools!
Please take the following actions this week to advocate for community schools:
- Complete this AFT action alert and share with your networks to encourage others to complete it.
- Sign on to our letter to the Hill: Review letter attached and sign on here.
Dental and Vision Open Enrollment
DC government has announced its open enrollment to run from 2022 for Monday, November 8 through Monday December 13, 2021. This is an annual opportunity to review your current benefits elections and make changes. This is also an opportunity for you to make any changes to your dental and vision benefits. Click here for details on your dental and vision coverage or if you have any questions regarding these benefits, contact Valerie Kilby at [email protected].
If you have questions regarding enrollment into the plans, contact DCPS benefits at [email protected].
AM Brew News and Notices will be archived at https://www.wtulocal6.net/AMBrew.
Read more
PD Highlights - November 15, 2021
Professional Development
Here are the latest professional development opportunities from the WTU and our partners.
Strategies for Student Success (FREE!)
Instructor: Laurine Kennedy
Tuesdays: November 16, 23 and 30; December 7; 4:15-7:15pm
The following modules will be offered in this section: Dimensions to a Better Life; Navigating the Journey Between Stress and SEL, Electrifying Online Learning, The Game Factor. Participants will receive 4 PLU’s for each session. RSVP HERE: https://www.wtulocal6.net/fall_2021_strategies_for_student_success
WTU Tech Tuesdays Are Back!!!
Next session is Tuesday 11/16 @ 5:30-6:30pm, coordinator Sarah Elwell for a session on Integrating Discovery Education Resources.
Register HERE.
Read more
AM Brew - November 8, 2021
Here's What's Brewing Today
Monday, November 8, 2021
Representative Assembly Meeting
Join us on Tuesday, November 9, 2021, at 04:30 PM Eastern Time (Via Zoom) for our monthly Representative Assembly. The meeting is open to all members of the Washington Teachers’ Union. Please click here to register.
Proposed Agenda:
- President’s Report, Jacqueline Pogue Lyons
- Professional Development, Sarah Elwell
- Committee Reports, Committee Chairs
- WTU Financials and Vote on WTU Budget for FY2022, Nadia Torney
DCPS Librarians are featured in the November edition of School Library Journal
Dental and Vision Open Enrollment
DC government has announced its open enrollment to run from 2022 for Monday, November 8 through Monday December 13, 2021. This is an annual opportunity to review your current benefits elections and make changes. This is also an opportunity for you to make any changes to your dental and vision benefits. Click here for details on your dental and vision coverage or if you have any questions regarding these benefits, contact Valerie Kilby at [email protected].
If you have questions regarding enrollment into the plans, contact DCPS benefits at [email protected].
AM Brew News and Notices will be archived at https://www.wtulocal6.net/AMBrew.
Read more
PD Highlights - November 8, 2021
Professional Development
Additional Professional Development opportunities are available on the PD Blog at https://www.wtulocal6.net/pdblog
FREE WTU PD Workshops in November:
Strategies for Student Success.
Instructor: Laurine Kennedy
Tuesdays: November 16, 23 and 30; December 7; 4:15-7:15pm
The following modules will be offered in this section: Dimensions to a Better Life; Navigating the Journey Between Stress and SEL, Electrifying Online Learning, The Game Factor. Participants will receive 4 PLU’s for each session. RSVP HERE: https://www.wtulocal6.net/fall_2021_strategies_for_student_success
Transforming Teacher Identity: Who Am I as an Educator?
Instructors: Tiffany L. Brown and Donald Thompson
November 13; 9am-12noon
Using a variety of interactive strategies, educators will explore how various aspects of their personal and social identities uniquely form who they are as professionals and affect their teaching and learning. Participants will receive 4 PLU’s. RSVP HERE: https://www.wtulocal6.net/fall_2021_transforming_teacher_identity
AM Brew - November 1, 2021
Here's What's Brewing Today
Monday, November 1, 2021
CONGRATULATIONS to Takeisha Wilson, a fourth-grade English language arts and social studies teacher at Shepherd Elementary School, and Rickita Perry Taylor, who teaches students with disabilities and medical difficulties at Turner Elementary School. Both teachers were named finalists for DC’s 2022 Teacher of the Year Award and received $1,500.
Vaccine Mandate
The mayor’s vaccination mandate goes into effect today. We are still in negotiations with DCPS over the impact and effects of the mandate especially for those with legitimate medical or religious exemptions. We urge everyone to go to Peoplesoft if you have not declared your vaccination status. If you have a medical or a religious exemption please email [email protected] to request an accommodation.
FMLA
If you haven’t heard back regarding your FMLA application, please contact your field rep and let them know when you submitted your application.
Steps for Filing for FMLA - Family and Medical Leave Act
The FMLA entitles eligible employees to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons with continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms and conditions as if the employee had not taken leave.
To qualify for FMLA you must:
1. Have worked at DCPS for 1 year without a break in service
To apply:
1. You MUST have your medical certification completed by the attending physician
2. Complete Leave of Absence Form (LOA) in QuickBase
Sick Leave
When you go out on FLMA, you will use all your sick leave.
When you exhaust all your sick leave, you will be out on unpaid leave.
Sick Leave Bank
Completing qualifying documents for FMLA approval does not guarantee that you will also have use of the Sick Leave Bank.
The Sick Leave Bank is available for use by DCPS teachers, and can be accessed only if you, yourself are sick. The Sick Leave Bank cannot be accessed or used by DCPS teachers to take care of a family member.
Contact Charmaine Wilks at [email protected] with questions about the Sick Leave Bank
Representative Assembly Meetings
School election results and current rosters need to be on file with the WTU to confirm membership, building representatives and delegates. Your field rep will reach out to building reps if we need this information from your school.
IMPACT
Thank you to everyone who completed the IMPACT survey. The WTU is working with the AFT to create a teacher development and evaluation system that is fair to teachers and good for students. We are looking for members who would like to be part of a team that is writing the strands for Teacher Observation, Student Performance and Professional Growth. If you would like to help with this effort, please email Regina Bell at [email protected]
Dental and Vision Open Enrollment
DC government has announced its open enrollment to run from 2022 for Monday, November 8 through Monday December 13, 2021. This is an annual opportunity to review your current benefits elections and make changes. This is also an opportunity for you to make any changes to your dental and vision benefits. Click here for details on your dental and vision coverage or if you have any questions regarding these benefits, contact Valerie Kilby at [email protected].
If you have questions regarding enrollment into the plans, contact DCPS benefits at [email protected].
AM Brew News and Notices will be archived at https://www.wtulocal6.net/AMBrew.
Read more