Good Morning WTU Family!

I hope everyone had an exciting and amazing Super Bowl weekend! Thank you to all of our WTU school leaders and WTU members who came out to the virtual Union Leadership Institute on Saturday. The turnout was amazing! Our WTUBuilding Representatives, Executive Board Members, and staff presented dynamic and engaging presentations and workshops on the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). 

We hope everyone will have the opportunity to attend the virtual WTURepresentative Assembly Meeting tomorrow, Tuesday, at 4:30 pm. Our WTUattorneys from James and Hoffman P.C. will be present at the meeting to answer any questions or concerns you have regarding the recent guidance from the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) for the District of Columbia on Immigration Enforcement for District Schools. Below, please find the OAG guidance and the FAQ from our WTU Attorneys regarding protecting teachers while assisting Immigrant Students and Communities. Please also take time to review the AFT's resources on immigration.

We've heard your questions and concerns regarding the implementation of our new CBA. Once again below, we are highlighting articles in our new contract that pertain to planning, morning blocks, and class coverage. I would particularly like to point out an email (see below) from the DCPS' Office of the General Council for Labor Management & Employee Relations. This email supports that LEAP or programmatic meetings should not be held during a teacher's planning period unless the teacher agrees to attend, or the teachers are otherwise getting the minimum amount of planning required in the CBA. Please reach out to your school's WTU Field Representative if you have any questions or concerns regarding the improper use of teacher planning in your school.

Thank you for all that you do to support your colleagues, students, and family. I hope you have a peaceful and productive week.

We have received many questions regarding whether School Leaders can use planning periods for LEAP sessions. Per an email from DCPS' Office of the General Council for the Labor Management & Employee Relations:

"Article 23.6.1.1. stipulates what planning time can be used for:

The Parties agree that planning periods shall be used for instructional purposes: planning lessons, reviewing student work, maintaining student records, holding conferences, and other similar activities.

While LEAP/PD could arguably be "other similar activities", I don't recommend planning periods be used for LEAP or programmatic meetings unless the teachers agree to attend or the teachers are otherwise getting the minimum amount of planning required in the CBA, so those LEAP meetings do not result in a loss of planning time. This should also be discussed with the SCAC first."

Elementary Planning Periods

"23.6.2. Elementary Planning Periods

23.6.2.1. General Rules

23.6.2.1.1. All Teachers serving in elementary schools shall receive two hundred twenty-five (225) minutes per week for planning periods.

23.6.2.1.2. The planning periods shall be scheduled during the normal workday, as defined in this Agreement.

23.6.2.1.3. The Supervisor, in consultation with the SCAC, shall implement the following options, in the order provided below, to achieve the two hundred twenty-five (225) minutes for planning periods. The Supervisor shall proceed to the next option only if the previous option cannot be achieved."

*The four weekly Teacher-initiated morning blocks (120 minutes weekly), your planning time (225 minutes weekly), and your lunch (225 minutes weekly) are three separate rights you are entitled to under the contract. Teachers should not be told by their administrator that they will be receiving less planning time or lunch because they are receiving four morning blocks. *

Secondary Planning Period

"23.6.5. Secondary Planning Periods

23.6.5.1. All secondary school teachers shall be given at least five (5) daily planning periods per week that are equal in length to a class period, except as may be mutually agreed between the Supervisor and the Teacher.

23.6.5.2. The planning periods shall be scheduled during the normal workday, as
defined in this Agreement."

*The four weekly Teacher-initiated morning blocks (120 minutes weekly), your planning time (at least five (5) daily planning periods per week that are equal in length to a class period), and your lunch (equal in length to a full teaching period. However, in no case shall a Teacher’s lunch period be less than 45 minutes or exceed 60 minutes) are three separate rights you are entitled to under the contract. Teachers should not be told by their administrator that they will be receiving less planning time or lunch because they are receiving four morning blocks. *

Four of the Morning Blocks each week are reserved for Teacher-initiated planning. Please refer to the Monday Morning Brew from January 13, 2025, which goes into detail about Article 23.8. Thirty-Minute Morning Block. If you would like to view the Monday Morning Brew from January 13th, 2025, you may do so by clicking here. Remember, the password to log in to WTU’s Members-Only website is WTU4u and you will need to log in to view this.

Please refer to the Monday Morning Brew from January 21, 2025, which goes into detail about the new changes in Article 23.17. Class Coverage. If you would like to view the Monday Morning Brew from January 21, 2025, you may do so byclicking here.

We are happy to announce that the new five-year Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between WTU and DCPS is now available electronically on our website. If you would like an electronic copy of the CBA, you may do so by clicking here. Printed copies of the CBA will be available as soon as possible.

DCPS has verbally informed the WTU that the recent guidance from the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia on Immigration Enforcement for District Schools will supersede the DCPS Immigration Guidance from 2016. If you would like to access the OAG Guidance on Immigration Enforcement for DC Schools, you may do so by clicking here. The guidance is available in English, Spanish, French, Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese. 

Additionally, click here to read the Urgent FAQ from WTU Attorneys Regarding Protecting Teachers While Assisting Immigrant Students and Communities. Our WTU attorneys will be present at the upcoming WTU Representative Assembly Meeting tomorrow, Tuesday, February 11th, at 4:30 pm to answer any questions or concerns you have regarding the OAG immigration guidance. WTU members can join the upcoming WTU Representative Assembly Meeting tomorrow Tuesday by clicking here. If you are a WTU delegate for your school, you should have received an individualized link to your personal email address and you should use that link to join the WTU Representative Assembly Meeting tomorrow. 

Thank you to all the members who attended the virtual AFT Urgent Town Hall on Immigration on Thursday, January 30th. If you were unable to attend the virtual town hall but would like to watch it, you may do so by clicking here. Additionally, AFT has a compilation of resources for educators related to immigration. If you would like to access these resources, you may do so by clicking here. 

It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of Ms. Marsha Yolanda Harris who passed away on January 19, 2025. Ms. Harris was very proud of the work of her students and the work completed under her tenure for over 33 years of service. Not only did she teach students but teachers as well. She was an invaluable member of the Early Childhood Education Team and the LEAP Team. She ensured all children within her reach received school uniforms including buying them with her own money. She would always host Thanksgiving dinners for the students and parents and all students received her gigantic Christmas bags for the holidays. She was instrumental in ensuring her students received exponential learning opportunities.

She was a lifelong learner with global educational experiences having visited Italy on two occasions as a participant of the Reggio Emilio Teacher Exchange Program with her Miner colleagues. 

At 3:30 pm this Wednesday, February 12th, there will be an important virtual WTUmeeting for Related Service Providers on the District of Columbia Public Schools new Medicaid requirements. Related Service Providers will be able to join the meeting on Wednesday by clicking here.

This winter, the Washington Teachers' Union (WTU) is offering innovative and engaging professional development courses designed to enhance your teaching strategies and fulfill recertification requirements. 

New winter classes include: 

• Experiential Learning Techniques (hands-on strategies to bring learning to life)
• Understanding IMPACT (deepen your knowledge of performance frameworks), and
• Civics 101: What is Truth? (explore critical thinking and civic engagement). 

WTU members enjoy discounted rates starting at $125, with the opportunity to earn 45 Professional Learning Units (PLUs) or three graduate credits from Trinity University, which can also advance you on the salary scale. Take advantage of the early bird deadline by February 14th and invest in your growth as an educator today. Click here to enroll today!

The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) has launched an exciting Teacher Leader Alumni Program, and we’re proud to share that one of WTU’s own, Mr. Chandler Dennard, has been selected! He’s continuing his impactful Teacher Leader project on Teacher Mental Health, and your input is invaluable. Please take a moment to complete his survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MMRCRJX! Your support makes a difference! Thank you in advance

Please take a moment to fill out this survey on Student Cell Phone Use in Schools. Your responses will help us to understand how cell phone use impacts the learning environment. 

If you are a current DCPS teacher looking to transfer schools, please complete the SY 2025-26 teacher application. When applying, please register with your k12.dc.gov email and complete the pre-employment questions on the teacher application. Read more here about the internal teacher transfer process.

• February 11th, @ 4:30 pm, WTU February Representative Assembly Meeting. Online via Zoom. If you are a WTU delegate for your school, you should have received an individualized link to your personal email address and you should use that link to join the WTU Representative Assembly Meeting tomorrow. 
• February 12th @ 3:30 pm, WTU Related Service Providers Meeting on the New Medicaid Requirements. Online via Zoom.
• February 18th @ 4:30 pm, WTU VP of High School Committee Meeting. Online via Zoom. 
• February 18th @ 4:30 pm, WTU Legislative Committee Meeting. Online via Zoom.
• February 18th, from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm, Ward 5 Education Equity Committee Meeting. Register here.
• February 21st, @ 9:30 am, DC Council Committee on Facilities Performance Oversight Hearing on DGS (Public Witness). Register by clicking here
• February 27th @ 10:00 am, DC Council Committee of the Whole Performance Oversight Hearing on DCPS (Public Witness). Register by clicking here

• Feb. 4, 2025, The Washington Informer, "Students, Parents and Elected Officials Tackle In-School Cellphone Use"
• Feb. 5, 2025, The Washington Informer, "Collins Council Report: Second Legislative Meeting of Council Period 26"
• Feb. 7, 2025, 7 News, "BOWSER Act: New bill aims to repeal DC Home Rule Act, return congressional control"

• LEA Look Forward for Feb. 7, 2025: Youth Mental Health Ambassador, Secondary Transition Compliance Webinar and More
• 2025 Belfer National Conference for Holocaust Education - United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
• https://constitutioncenter.org/education/professional-learning-opportunities/educator-institutes
• https://inquirygroup.org/free-pd-2025

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