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Here's What's Brewing Today
Monday, September 18, 2023
Good Morning, WTU Members!
This past Friday marked the start of a nationwide month-long celebration of Hispanic and Latino culture, history and great accomplishments. Let's celebrate this month (and all months) by challenging each other to learn something new about the Latino culture as we work towards building a truly inclusive community!
As you know, WTU’s Contract Negotiating Team has been working for months to prepare and deliver ground rules, several MOAs, and proposals to DCPS. Each week, the team alerts all WTU members of our progress via weekly video updates available here. Unfortunately, as of today, we have not received actionable feedback from DCPS to begin the bargaining process. The WTU believes DCPS is dragging their feet in the negotiation’s process and posted this on social media. WUSA Channel 9 covered our contract negotiating concerns with DCPS. Please review Channel 9’s coverage here.
I want to encourage all to consider attending what has historically been an enlightening professional development opportunity – the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Legislative Caucus Event. This year it will be held on September 20th and take place in both the Walter E. Johnson Convention Center and the US Department of Education. The conference titled “The Courage to Teach: Real Solutions for a Shared Fight” will discuss the current challenges facing education professionals and provide you with the tools/resources needed to feel safe amidst new extremist policies. If you are interested in attending, please remember to request leave from your principal as soon as possible. (To download a flyer about the event, click here. To download additional information, including the program, click here).
Thank you, as always, for continuing to drive change in your community as our deadline for receiving a new contract is less than 15 days away! With your help at the H-Street Festival this past Saturday, we gave-away a free book of choice to every child and gathered hundreds of community signatures for our Safe Schools Petition. We need to keep showing our collective demand for a new contract by wearing red on Fridays and our new campaign button, posting pictures on social media, and rallying everyone we know to sign our petition for school safety. We also need your wonderful photos! So, please don’t forget to keep emailing them to [email protected]. Finally, one last request, please consider volunteering at the WTU table at the DCPS Block Party. (See info below)
- DCPS Block Party, Saturday, September 23rd, 11-2PM, McKinley Tech HS
To learn more about the Contract Action Team, please visit our Contract Action Webpage and follow us on WTU’s official FaceBook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram sites. Have a wonderful and safe week!
In solidarity,
Jacqueline Pogue Lyons, President
Washington Teachers’ Union
Opportunities to GET INVOLVED!
The start of a new school year offers all members a chance to join one of five WTU Committees established by the WTU Executive Board to lead our work:
-
Committee on Political Education (COPE) Meeting
Chair: Michael Donaldson ([email protected])
Meets the 1st Monday of each month Virtual @ 7-8pm
Join via zoom. -
Communications Committee
Chair: WTU President Jacqueline Pogue Lyons ([email protected]) Meets the 4th Tuesday of each month @ 4:30pm -
Legislative Committee – Tuesday, Sept. 19th @ 4:30PM via Zoom
Chair: Regina Bell, Vice President WTU ([email protected])
Join via zoom. -
Organizing Committee
The Organizing Committee helps to recruit and organize WTU members. Contact: Mike Roland ([email protected]) Meets the 3rd Thursday of each month @ 5:00pm -
IMPACT Committee
The IMPACT Committee continues to gather feedback from different stakeholder groups, and academic research data regarding the validity and fairness of IMPACT's rating system compared to other evaluation systems.
Contact: Regina Bell ([email protected])
To join one or more of these committees, click here.
Boundary & Student Assignment Study
Join the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education for a series of virtual town hall meetings to learn more about the Boundary & Student Assignment Study. This initiative will provide strategic, data-informed recommendations to ensure more students have equitable access to great schools.
Click here to sign-up for a town hall session: dme.dc.gov/page/townhalls-2023
Both sessions below will cover the same information.
- Tuesday, September 26 at 12 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, September 27 at 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Art All Night with Roosevelt STAY
Friday, September 29, 7-10
For information about Art All Night, click here.
Support DC School Nurses
Sign a petition to support student health and nurse professionalism in DC schools!
We demand DC immediately reconsider this harmful cluster model. They must collaborate with DCNA representatives to build a solution-oriented approach that has dedicated nurser per school. This is what our students deserve. We ask you to join the fight to protect student heath and nurses' working conditions. Let's uplift their voices and stand against this damaging cluster model that profit over people.
WTU's Contract Negotiating Team's Weekly Video Update
Click picture below or url: https://youtu.be/9-CScsBoMDM
Watch previous video updates here.
In the News
- WUSA Channel 9 – DC Teachers Union Threaten a Strike: A deadline is looming for the Washington Teachers' Union and DC Public Schools to reach a contract in the next 15 days
- The Washington Post – From HVAC to pests, D.C. schools are still waiting on crucial repairs
- The Washington Post – A month after turning 17, he was killed on his way to work (Dunbar student Antonio Cunningham)
AM Brew News and Notices are archived at https://www.wtulocal6.net/AMBrew.
Upcoming events
Become a Teacher Leader
Applications Due to AFT no later than Wednesday, September 20t! Apply Now!
Contact Nadia Torney [email protected] with any questions
Join the Fall 2023 Contract Action Campaign! Volunteer @ WTU table
-
DCPS Block Party, Saturday, September 23rd, 11-2PM,
McKinley Technology High School
Contact WTU’s Organizer, Mike Roland [email protected] to sign up.
Register for Union Leadership Institute (ULI)
The WTU offers regular Union Leadership Institutes (ULIs) that give all members the opportunity to learn and develop leadership skills and to acquire the detailed knowledge needed to be an effective teacher representative to help ensure the voice of teachers are heard. The next opportunity to register for ULI is Saturday, September 30th. Please register here.
Update your Contact Information
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, as well as other important Member–Only emails.
To ensure that you’re not inadvertently removed from the distribution list, please update your member information by clicking here.
If you are removed, please contact Carlton Nettles at [email protected] to update your information and be re-added to the WTU mailing lists
TECH TIP FOR WTU’s WEBSITE – www.wtulocal6.net
Ever wondered where to find member photos taken throughout the year?
Visit www.wtulocal6.net > Join
Photos can also be found on WTU’s FaceBook, Instagram, or Twitter pages. Videos are also available on WTU’s YouTube site.
Professional Development Opportunities
Office of the State Superintendent of Education