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A Message from WTU’s President
Good Morning WTU Family!
I hope you enjoyed the cooler temperatures and sunny weather this weekend! Thank you to the kindergarten teachers who came out to the Literacy Mixer to receive 5 books of choice for their classroom libraries last Thursday! We also appreciated the presence of SBOE reps and Councilmembers for supporting literacy for all our early learners.
The support of WTU’s concerns by our city officials is so crucial and important. As election season approaches, please consider becoming more involved in the political process via WTU’s Committee on Political Endorsements (C.O.P.E.). Help the C.O.P.E. committee to recommend the DC State Board of Education representatives and DC City Councilmembers WTU should endorse! Please download C.O.P.E.’s flyer for details. Please also attend the WTU Membership Meeting on Tuesday, September 10th. During this meeting you will have an opportunity to vote on who WTU will support for the national election!
WTU’s next literacy event takes place this coming Saturday, September 14 from 11-2 PM at DCPS’ Back-to-School Block Party at Jefferson Middle School. Consider volunteering to distribute a free book of choice to every child! You will leave each event with the joy of service! Please contact WTU’s organizer, Mike Roland, at [email protected] for more information.
In solidarity,
Jacqueline Pogue Lyons, President
Washington Teachers’ Union
WTU’s Contract Bargaining Team Updat3
As mentioned in last week’s AM BREW, contract negotiations with DCPS stopped abruptly in August due to the District’s (DCPS and OLRCB’s) insistence on:
- Increasing students' class sizes
- Removing safeguards for working hours
- Refusing to bargain over the length of the school year
- Possibly excessing highly effective and effective teachers
- Failing to sign contracts on time
Please continue to send your photos of members wearing red, and post signs. Signs can be placed in the back window of your car. Click here for the Proud WTU Member sign and here for the Fair Contract Now sign. Please email pictures to our WTU Organizer, Mike Roland, at [email protected] or text him at 202-957-1782. All requests for buttons or tee-shirts can be sent to Mike Roland. For further context, click here to read the Washington Informer’s recent article highlighting our current contract campaign status.
Register for WTU’s Fall Professional Development Courses!
Download WTU’s Fall Catalogue of PD Courses here! To register, click here! Please check this link frequently as we will be opening registration for new courses listed in catalogue in the next two weeks.
AFT’s Teacher Leader Program (TLP) Orientation – 9/26/24
Back by popular demand! Curious about AFT’s nationwide TLP? Learn more about how to take active leadership roles in your schools, Union, and community. Those who finish the TLP program with a completed project will receive a stipend. Join us via Zoom for a NEW Information Session on Thursday, September 26 at 4:30 PM. Slots are limited. ONLINE MEETING LINK!
Union Leadership Institute – 9/28/24
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 voices of teachers are heard.
Educators can become members of a School Chapter Advisory Committee (SCAC), a Local School Advisory Team (LSAT), or join one of many other committees or teams. Members can also become a Building Representative, a Delegate to the WTU Representative Assembly or a member of the Executive Board. Job descriptions for WTU leadership roles can be viewed here. To register for the September 28, virtual one-day workshop held at AFT’s offices, 555 New Jersey Ave., NW, click here.
Reimagining High School Graduation Requirements: Feedback Sessions from OSSE
OSSE is soliciting feedback on the District’s current high school graduation requirements and the development of a DC-wide Graduate Profile as part of the Reimagining High School Graduation Requirements initiative.
To learn more about their development process, visit here. To provide feedback, please complete the following form: OSSE Reimagining High School Graduation Requirements Public Feedback Form.
OSSE will also hold public feedback sessions.
- Public Feedback Listening Session for the Education Community
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- Tuesday, Sept. 10, 5:30-7 p.m. - Register here.
- Public Feedback Listening Session for General Public
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- Thursday, Sept. 12, 5:30-7 p.m. - Register here.
For questions, contact Dr. Chimere Jones at [email protected].
WTU’s Official Facebook Page
Please be aware that the Washington Teachers Union is not affiliated with a Facebook page titled “DCPS Educators Only Network.” The WTU is not responsible for any content posted on the page and is not liable for any consequences arising from a teacher’s participation on the page. Please join the WTU’s Official Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube pages for accurate information about our Union.
TWITTER: https://x.com/WTUTeacher
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/WTULocal6/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/wtu_teacher/
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvrkj6wxtayL6Rs1htHEylA
Upcoming Events, Activities & Meetings
- September 9 - @5PM via Zoom – C.O.P.E. INFORMATION
- September 10 - @4:30PM – Membership Meeting, Registration required, INFORMATION
- September 10 - @7PM - Ward 3 EdNet, Registration required. INFORMATION
- September 11 - @6-8PM – C.O.P.E. Candidate Forum DC SBOE, INFORMATION
- September 14 – @11AM-2PM - DCPS Back to School Block Party, Jefferson Middle School
- September 15 – @1PM - Union Day Washington Commanders Home Openers Game!
- September 16 - @6-8PM – C.O.P.E. Candidate Forum – DC City Council, INFORMATION
- September 20 – Fall PD Early Bird Registration Ends!
- September 20 – @5:30-7PM - Youth Voices for DC Statehood
- September 21 – @9-5PM - H-Street Festival, H-Street NE
- September 26 - @4:30PM - Teacher Leader Program Orientation, INFORMATION
- September 26 - @4:30-7:30PM - Library of Congress “Back-to-School-Night” for educators on Thursday, Whittall Pavilion of The Jefferson Building, Reservation required. INFORMATION
- September 28 - @AFT office, Union Leadership Institute, Registration required, INFORMATION
- October 9 - @4:30PM - In-Person Retirement session, with DCPS, WTU and DC Retirement Board, 1200 1st St., NE, Room 1012A, REGISTRATION
In the News
- 9/06/24 – The Washington Post – Former DC School Employees indicted on bribery, conspiracy charges
PD and other opportunities
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.