A Message from WTU President

Good Morning WTU!

Happy Easter to my favorite people! I hope your holiday was filled with love and hope. Last week marked another busy one for the WTU. On Monday, March 25^th, teachers from Ballou HS, Ballou Stay, and Simon ES walked out of their schools at the end of their tour of duty to rally for a new contract! We also want to thank Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White for attending too. Go Ward 8! On Tuesday, March 26^th, WTU’s Contract Bargaining Team met with DCPS for our 6^th contract negotiations session. In advance of the session, WTU encouraged At-Large DC Councilmember Anita Bonds, Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White and Will Perkins, a representative for Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George to attend and they did! The presence of our Councilmembers is really helping to support and move the bargaining process forward. In addition to attending the contract bargaining session, Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White wrote a public letter of support for a new contract that reflects the hard work and dedication teachers bring to the classroom everyday. To read his letter, click here. To learn more from the DC Councilmembers about the negotiating session, please click here. To learn more about the bargaining session in general, please watch the Contract Bargaining team’s weekly update here.

Last week, the Committee on Political Engagement (C.O.P.E.) hosted a DC Candidate’s Forum for WTU members to learn more about the officials running for office. If you missed the online forum and want to watch it, please click here for part one and here for part two. If you’d like to learn more about C.O.P.E. and the candidate forum, please attend C.O.P.E’s monthly meeting tonight at 7PM via Zoom.

This coming Thursday, the DC Council will hold a Budget Oversight Hearing. Please consider testifying on DCPS’ budget decisions. To sign up to testify, please click here. WTU’s organizer Mike Roland can assist you throughout the process. Please contact [email protected] for help and let him know if you would be interested in giving your testimony in-person at the Wilson Building. Your in-person testimony will have a powerful impact.

WTU’s Contract Action Team encourages all teachers to plan and/or take part in actions at your school. This will greatly support the work we do at the bargaining table. To learn more about how to participate, please reach out to your school’s building representative and WTU’s Organizer Mike Roland.

Thank you, as always, for your hard work and support!

In solidarity,

Jacqueline Pogue Lyons, President

Washington Teachers’ Union

Weekly Update - WTU’s Contract Action Team (CAT)

Please watch WTU’s Contract Negotiating Team update here or by clicking on the picture below.

If you have ideas on what contract actions your school should take, please contact your Building Representative and WTU’s organizer, Mike Roland, for support. Together, we must show DCPS we will not tolerate their proposed reduction of our rights! To learn more, please download WTU’s two-page summary of WTU’s Contract Negotiating Team’s 10 Proposals and 3 Memorandums of Agreement released in October 2023.

Register for WTU’s Shared Visions Conference

Please do not forget to RSVP for the conference. We will welcome award-winning author Sharon E. Flake for both an in-person session with teachers/students on April 26th and a virtual session on April 27th. Teachers can attend either or both sessions. To RSVP, please click here. Please note that only teachers interested in attending the Friday, April 26th in-person session with your students should contact Mike Roland.

Let the Council Hear Your Teacher Voice!

• April 4th @9AM (rescheduled) Budget Oversight Hearing at DCPS, DC Council Hearing Management Systems, INFORMATION

DC Teachers – Share your voice!

Drs. Kristin Sinclair (Georgetown University) and Alisha Butler (Wesleyan University) are researching how people work to influence education policy decisions in their schools and communities in Washington, DC. Please consider signing up for a one-hour interview and sharing your perspectives on how teachers can help shape policy. Participating teachers will receive a $25 gift card as a thank-you for their time. All interviews will be over Zoom and responses will be anonymous and confidential. Sign up for an interview here: https://calendly.com/d/3z3-dkb-6h9/dc-education-policy-interviews  

EmpowerEd and WTU’s 2024 Educator Wellbeing & Retention Survey

This survey is for ALL DC educators! This survey is for both DCPS and DC Public Charter School educators (not just classroom teachers). We define educator as anyone who works in a school and interacts with students. Responses are completely anonymous. To take the survey, please click here.

Upcoming Events, Activities & Meetings

• April 1 @7PM, C.O.P.E. Meeting via Zoom, INFORMATION
• April 4 @9AM, DC Council Budget Oversight Hearing. To read DCPS responses from Oversight Meeting, click here INFORMATION
• April 4 @6:30PM, Ward 7 Ed Council, INFORMATION
• April 9 @5PM, Retirement Workshop with DCPS and DC Retirement Board, INFORMATION
• April 9 @4:30PM, Rep Assembly Meeting, Building Reps and delegates will receive a link to join as a panelist. INFORMATION
• April 10 @7PM, Ward 2 Ed Council Meeting, Paul Kihn, DME, and his team will discuss the mayor's budget for education and workforce programs. Registration is required. INFORMATION
• April 20 @9-3PM, Praxis Boot Camp All Content (Rescheduled), INFORMATION
• April 26 @9:30-12:30PM, In-person Shared Vision Conference, INFORMATION
• April 27 @10-2PM, Virtual Shared Vision Conference, INFORMATION

In the News

• 03/21/2024 – Eliot Hine Network, Eliot Hine Interview with Governor Wes Moore
• 03/19/2024 – DCPS, DME School Funding Study 2023 School Funding Study | dme (dc.gov)
• 3/21/24 – DCPS - DME report on school safety Strengthening School Safety in Washington, DC_1.pdf
• 3/28/24 – DCPS - Bowser Administration Establishes Office of Education Through Employment Pathways | dme (dc.gov)

Professional Development and Other Opportunities

Instructor: Nadia Torney
Class Meeting: April 20th, 2024
Time: 9AM-1PM
Location: Virtual
Cost: FREE

This class is based on the exact ETS Praxis content specifications for the Core Math, Core Reading, and Core Writing exams. Participants will review all the key subject matter knowledge on both tests, work through practice test questions and be provided detailed explanations. Participants will be able to apply new knowledge to the specific question types most likely to be encountered on the exam. No recertification or graduate credits offered.

REGISTER NOW!

LEA Look Forward – Weekly Update

LEA Look Forward – Weekly Update

Membership Update

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