A Message from WTU President

Good Morning WTU!

I hope you enjoyed the beautiful sunny weather this past weekend! I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to the WTU members who showed up to canvass and meet/greet our endorsed DC City Council candidates this past week and weekend. Last Tuesday’s candidate reception allowed members to hear directly from our endorsed candidates Trayon White, Robert White At Large, Eboni-Rose Thompson on the importance of public education. Although Janeese Lewis George could not attend due to an important appointment (she’s expecting), we appreciated the fact that she sent Shannon Talbert on her behalf! Our bargaining team met with DCPS on Thursday. To learn more about the bargaining session, please watch the WTU’s Contract Negotiations Team’s Weekly Update here.

Voting is the word for the week! Tomorrow, Tuesday, June 4^th,  is Election Day and WTU stands to win amazing supporters on the DC City Council if our endorsed candidates win. Please encourage everyone you know to show up at the polls! If you are interested in volunteering at any of the polling stations, please reach out to Mike Roland, [email protected].

Registration is now open for WTU’s Summer Institute! Please register before June 14^th to take advantage of our unbeatable early bird special – only $125 per graduate course.

As you know, June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month! The WTU invites all members to join us in decorating WTU’s parade truck, riding/marching in the parade and handing out free books to children as part of our book giveaway. And we are pleased and excited to announce that Randi Weingarten, the President of the American Federation of Teachers, will be joining us to march in the parade! Every member who volunteers will receive a WTU pride t-shirt. If you would like to join us, please contact WTU’s organizer, Mike Roland at [email protected]. We hope to see you there!

In solidarity,

Jacqueline Pogue Lyons, President

Washington Teachers’ Union

WTU’s Informational Meeting for International Teachers

If you are an international teacher in need of getting important questions answered regarding your visa status, please attend this meeting with an immigration attorney and consultant on Wednesday, June 5^th at 4:30 PM. Click here to join.

Important Special Education Survey

If you are a Special Education teacher or related service provider, please take this important survey regarding PowerSchools here.

Join Sick Maternity/Paternity Leave Banks

To join the sick maternity/paternity leave banks, please sign up here.

Sick Leave Buy-Back Program

Applications for Sick Leave Buy-Back are now available. The deadline for submission of the application is June 7, 2024. Click here for more information and application.

Encourage Your Students to Enter the National Writers Guild Contest

Please take a moment to encourage your seventh graders to submit writings about Juneteenth.  The National Writers Union is co-sponsoring its first annual contest with Street Sense Media, which will publish several winning submissions.  An additional co-sponsor, Second Story Cards, will provide gift cards to the top winners.

The National Writers Union (NWU) is a union of freelance writers in every medium and genre.  The DC area chapter, which is affiliated with the Metro Washington Council, AFL-CIO, has members in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and West Virginia, in addition to D.C.  Members of the Chapter will be judging the submissions.

The Juneteenth writing contest seeks submissions in any form, in accordance with these instructions:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfbImjurxP3uxIVsnVZZbQrGOJ83eQbwVaysJ9PbFRxP7liQQ/viewform

The deadline for submissions has been extended to Monday, June 3, 2024.

Vote for a Jackson-Reed Student’s Google Doodle!

A Jackson-Reed HS senior representing the District of Columbia is among the finalists in the Google contest in the Grades 10-12 age group. Go to https://doodles.google.com/d4g/vote/ and click on "10-12" photo of art (see photo).

Upcoming Events, Activities & Meetings

• June 3 @7PM, C,O.P.E. meeting,INFORMATION
• June 5 @4:30 PM, Informational Meeting for International Teachers via Zoom
• June 7 @4-7 PM, Decorate WTU’s Pride Truck, 15th Street NW - Staging
• June 8 @12-2 PM, Staging/Lineup, 15^th Street NW
• June 8 @3-7 PM, Ride with the WTU in the Parade, 15th Street NW
• June 9 @12-7 PM, Help the WTU give away free books to children at Capital Pride Festival
• June 11 @4:30 PM, WTU Membership Meeting, Registration Required, INFORMATION

In the News

• 05/27/2024 – WUSA Channel 9 – ‘Trace Levels’ of Gas Detected at DC Elementary School
• 05/28/2024 – The Washington Post – DC area parents worried about learning loss and teacher shortages, poll finds
• 05/28/2024 – The Washington Post – D.C. Council Chairs Budget Proposal further hikes taxes, starves off cuts
• 05/21/2024 – WJLA - Teen dead after shooting in Northwest DC; police investigating
• 05/25/2024 – NPR – A California School is addressing chronic absenteeism at its root
• 05/25/2024 –Eliot Hine Network's interview w/ Ward 7 Rep. to the State Board of Education Eboni-Rose Thompson

LEA Look Forward – Weekly Updates

Monday, June 24–Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Arthur and Rochelle Belfer National Conference for Educators - United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (ushmm.org)

2024 Belfer National Conference for Educators. This free virtual conference is hosted by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

LEA Look Forward for May 31, 2024: Berries & Salads Greens Day, Discipline Data Collection Deadline and More!

Membership Update
Make sure you are eligible to vote & receive WTU Communications!

The AM Brew is distributed as a benefit to members of the WTU. In the coming weeks, we’ll be updating our database removing non-members from the distribution for the AM Brew. To ensure that you’re not inadvertently removed from the distribution list, please confirm your personal email address by emailing [email protected].

Your ability to vote in WTU elections and receive WTU Communications depends on our ability to reach you. We must have your personal email address for all communications.

AM Brew News and Notices are archived at https://www.wtulocal6.net/AMBrew.

Be sure to follow the WTU on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to keep up with the latest from your Union.