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Here's What's Brewing Today
Monday, September 26, 2022
Teachers Deserve a Fair Contract
Join us on October 1 at the East End Market in Ward 7 to get out and explain that Teachers do not have a contract to the public. Click here for details and to sign-up.
A big shout-out to those who attended last Saturday’s H-Street Festival and agreed to be interviewed. Below please find a podcast representing the voices of many Union members. For the hearing impaired, we’ve a transcript available here. Thanks, again, for your participation last week and we hope to see you next Saturday, October 1!
WTU Podcast – Contract Campaign Outreach
Stay tuned for other campaign events. Contact your Building Rep or Field Representative for more information. PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT ANY ACTIVITY YOU PARTICIPATE IN TAKES PLACE OUTSIDE YOUR TOUR OF DUTY. DCPS is watching!
WTU - In the News
DC Public School teachers report issues getting paid (fox5dc.com)
Student Debt Clinic
The WTU will host only 1 in person debt clinic on October 20 at Ballou Stay High School. Click here to download a flyer with additional details.
Virtual Student Debt Clinic
AFT will continue to host a student debt clinic webinar Thursday evenings. Register at https://cvent.me/17XZka Webinar will include information about how to enroll in the free AFT Summer student loan member benefit. Additional information can be found at www.forgivemystudentdebt.org – this website contains all of the information on how to access PSLF in an easily digestible and understandable format.
STUDENT DEBT CLINIC RESOURCE GUIDE
After attending a Student Debt Clinic, we want to make sure you’ve got all the tools and information you need to take the next steps to start reducing how much you pay every month and get on a path towards a debt-free future! See attached for more information.
Member Survey -- Check your spam folder if you did not receive a survey
The WTU is conducting a survey to gather member input on their concerns and contract priorities. The survey will only be sent to personal email addresses. The survey will NOT be sent to a DCPS email. Each member will receive a unique link. We encourage everyone to participate. Please compete this form to make sure we have your personal email.
Paid Family Leave
The DC Government Paid Leave Enhancement Amendment Act (B24-615) was approved unanimously on its first Council vote at the Legislative Meeting earlier this week. The second vote will be Oct. 4, then it will go to the Mayor for signature, and then Congress before becoming law.
This will eventually bring paid leave for DC Government employees up to 12 weeks for parental, caregiving, or medical leave. Right now there is 8 weeks of parental and family care leave. The Committee was able to fund 2 weeks of personal medical leave starting in FY23 (more leave will require additional funding in future). The 2 weeks of medical leave will be available starting in January 2023, but if employees must take qualifying medical leave starting Oct. 1, 2022, and they have to use other leave (like sick time or annual leave), they can have that leave restored; or they can get retroactive leave if their time was unpaid. DCHR will be implementing this and will have more information available as January approaches.
#RedforEd
Please wear red each Friday and post photos to social media. Please tag us @WTUTeacher
Updating Member Emails
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.
AM Brew News and Notices will be archived at https://www.wtulocal6.net/AMBrew.
Professional Development
Register Now -- Fall 2022 Professional Learning from the WTU
TO VIEW AND REGISTER FOR FALL COURSES, PLEASE DOWNLOAD WTU'S 2022 FALL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT BROCHURE.
Accessible Literacy Framework
This course covers how to provide reading instruction to students with developmental or intellectual disabilities. The essential components of reading instruction—phonological awareness, sound blending, initial phoneme segmentation, letter-sound correspondence, decoding and shared reading—are framed to address students with complex communication needs.
Upcoming events
DC Council Committee of the Whole hearing on Teacher Turnover and Data Warehouse - October 25th
The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, October 25, 2022 at 1:00pm.
For more details: https://chairmanmendelson.com/testify/
Reminders:
WTU Endorsements
City Council
- At-Large: Elissa Silverman
- At-Large: Karim Marshall
- Ward 1: Brianne Nadeau
- Ward 3: Matthew Frumin
- Ward 5: Zachary Parker
- Ward 6: Charles Allen
DC State Board of Education
- Ward 1: Ben Williams
- Ward 3: Michael Sriqui
- Ward 5: Robert Henderson
- Ward 6: Joshua Wiley
Read more here. And watch for opportunities to get out and support our candidates!
Facility Concerns SY 22-23
Over the past two years, the WTU has met regularly to discuss facility issues with DCPS. Yet, many schools continue to have health and safety concerns. We ask that you let the WTU know of any health or safety concerns in your building by completing this brief form.
We’re continuing to update our database.
Please help us ensure we have your current personal contact information on file. Please click here to update your member information. Email [email protected] with any questions or to be added to member mailings.
Be sure to follow the WTU on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to keep up on the latest from your Union.