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A Message from WTU President
Good Morning WTU!
As teachers, we spend much of our workdays caring for others. That is why I hope you took the time to prioritize your self-care during last Friday’s Wellness Day. Last Monday, WTU’s Contract Bargaining Team met with DCPS for our 4th Contract Bargaining Team session. Although we were satisfied to meet at the newly negotiated time of 1PM, DCPS won’t stop threatening to remove our current teacher rights from the contract. It is alarming! To learn more, please watch WTU’s Contract Negotiating Team’s Weekly Update here.
While the contract negotiating team fights for your rights at the bargaining table, we need your help in schools. And we don’t expect all schools to protest the same way. Just as everyone is unique, so is each school. Some schools may prefer to launch a contract rally as Deal MS teachers did two weeks ago. Others may feel comfortable protesting differently. To learn more about the contract actions you might want to take, please plan to attend a Special Organizing Committee Meeting on Thursday, March 21st from 4:30-5:30PM via Zoom or in-person at the WTU’s office. (see Zoom link below) This meeting also will include discussing actions we can take regarding cuts to our school budget. Also, please look for contract actions coming from Ward 8 in the next week and lend your support!
Each spring, WTU hosts the Shared Vision Conference where we bring together educators, policymakers, and the community to discuss the state of DC schools and what can be done to re-center our vision on students’ needs. This year, in keeping with WTU’s focus on literacy, we will welcome award-winning author Sharon Flake for both an in-person session with teachers/students on April 26th and a virtual session on April 27th. Although all teachers are invited to attend the in-person session on Friday, we want to extend a special invitation to MS and HS librarians and English teachers. All who participate in the in-person event will have an opportunity to receive a free copy of “The Skin I’m In.” This book will be the focus of our author discussion. WTU will provide lunch for all participants. Students will also have an opportunity to receive additional books by the writer, Sharon Flake. On Saturday, April 27th , the virtual component of our Shared Vision Conference will focus on building literary for our young adults as well as our legislative session with DC City Council and State Board members. Author, Sharon Flake will be our keynote speaker and we will have professional development sessions on building literacy. If you are interested in attending the in-person sessions with your students on Friday, April 26th from 10AM-1:30PM, please contact Mike Roland [email protected].
Thank you, as always, for your support!
In solidarity,
Jacqueline Pogue Lyons, President
Washington Teachers’ Union
Weekly Update - WTU’s Contract Action Team (CAT)
If you have ideas on what contract actions your school should take, please contact your Building Representative and WTU’s organizer, Mike Roland ([email protected]), 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.
Watch WTU’s Contract Negotiating Team’s weekly update here!
We still need your photos wearing red on Fridays and signatures on our petition. Please encourage all to sign!
Get Involved in Ed Politics - Come to the Candidate’s Forum!
Learn more about the elected officials running for office! Hear their stance on all issues facing educators today on Saturday, March 23rd!
WTU Candidate Forum. Mar 23, 2024 at 9:45 AM
Join Zoom Meeting. Meeting ID: 921 7798 0378; Passcode: 630798
Let the Council Hear Your Teacher Voice!
April 3 at 9 AM Budget Oversight Hearing for DCPS DC Council Hearings Management System
Upcoming Events, Activities & Meetings
- March 18 @7PM COPE Meeting - INFORMATION
- March 19 @7PM Ward 5 Education Equity Committee, Discussion: School Budgets w/CM Zachary Parker/Ericka Roberson - INFORMATION
- March 19 @7PM W6PSPO Meeting, INFORMATION
- March 21 @4:30PM, WTU Organizing Committee Meeting, INFORMATION
- March 23 @9:45AM, Candidate’s Forum, INFORMATION
- April 3 @9:00AM Budget Oversight Hearing at DCPS, DC Council Hearing Management Systems, INFORMATION.
- April 20 @ 9-3PM, Praxis BootCamp All Content (Rescheduled), INFORMATION
Read the Candidate Questionnaires: http://bit.ly/WTUQuestionnaires2024Primary
Join the Zoom Meeting: https://bit.ly/WTUCOPEForumMarch232024?r=qr
In the News
- 03/11/2024 – The Washington Post – Christina Grant, a top education leader in D.C., to step down this year
- 03/11/2024 – Center for Educator Policy Research: Harvard U – CEPR names Dr. Christina Grant as new Executive Director
- 03/15/2024 – WAMU – Remembering my ‘why’”: The motivation pushing D.C. native Rajah Caruth to break barriers and win NASCAR races
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
LEA Look Forward – Weekly Update
LEA Look Forward for March 15, 2024: HIT School Leader Survey, Guardian Truancy Mailings 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.