A Message from WTU’s President
Good Morning WTU Members!
This week has been another unprecedented week in national politics. Despite all the uncertainty, we hope everyone is finding time to enjoy their summer! This week our WTU delegates are attending the AFT Convention in Houston, Texas. Please wish our 17 delegates and our WTU leadership team safe travels. We are happy to announce that the WTU received the Pride of the Union award for celebrating a significant increase in our membership last year.
We also continued to work on plans for New Educator Orientation (NEO) which will take place for the first time in four years in-person on August 14th at the Columbia Heights Education Campus. Please look out for more information on how you can volunteer to help welcome our new teachers to the District of Columbia Public Schools!
If you would like to file a grievance over your final IMPACT score, please review the rules over what constitutes a violation for IMPACT available here. To file an IMPACT grievance with the support of the WTU, please reach out to your WTU Field Representative by Tuesday, September 3, 2024.
Today, two Summer Institute courses - S.E.L. for Instructors and Reclaiming Assessments - begin! If you would like to earn PLUs, please register before 9AM here!
Thank you, as always, for your support!
In solidarity,
Jacqueline Pogue Lyons, President
Washington Teachers’ Union
Enroll in Sick Leave/Maternity/Paternity Banks
Open Enrollment for the Sick Leave and Maternity/Paternity Leave Banks is in progress Thursday, June 13, 2024, through Saturday, August 31, 2024! Please use this link to access the change/enroll/cancelation application.
Did DCPS Bring Back Teachers Excessed with DC Council Funding?
All schools had a challenging budget season and had to excess several positions. The WTU is collecting data to see if the excessing process was followed. Now that the Council has restored some funding, we want to make sure those funds are used to rehire teachers who were excessed. Please complete the school budget survey here: https://forms.gle/pcB35vWGn1qsXPRZ8
Have you experienced chronic or recurring problems with HVAC, plumbing, electric, windows, roof, security (door locks), rodents, etc.? We want to know!
The WTU is partnering with the Washington Lawyers' Committee and the law firm of Steptoe and Johnson to produce a report on the State of School Facilities. Although this report is NOT collecting data on laptops or smartboards, we want to collect accurate data on chronic and recurring problems with maintenance and repairs. Please complete the state of your school facility survey here: https://forms.gle/h7CxG7tMFWnuVaLM7
Upcoming Events, Activities & Meetings
- July 30th - WTU’s Bargaining Team Meeting
- July 22th – WTU’s Summer Institute: SEL for Adult Instructors Begins!
- July 22th – WTU’s Summer Institute: Reclaiming Assessments Begins!
- August 14th – New Teachers’ Orientation IN-PERSON
- September 3rd – Deadline to file IMPACT grievance with WTU’s support
In the News
- 07/16/2024 – Channel 4 News – DC Mayor Returns Budget Unsigned: Bowser’s Move is One Step Short of a Veto!
- 07/16/2024 – Channel 4 News - Trump threatened to ‘take over' DC if reelected. Here's what city leaders say: Multiple sources tell News4 that Mayor Muriel Bowser's team is bracing for a second Donald Trump term that makes good on the former president's threats to "take over" D.C.
LEA Look Forward – Weekly Updates
AFT Summer 2024 Webinars
Membership Update
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