Here's What's Brewing Today

Monday, October 2, 2023

Good Morning WTU Members,

This past Saturday, the WTU hosted a successful in-person Union Leadership Institute (ULI) for our building leaders at AFT Headquarters. Thank you so much to our WTU leaders who came out to receive professional development on organizing, the contract, and how to best support colleagues in their schools. If you missed an opportunity to join us, we will have another Union Leadership Institute in January.

This weekend, the Washington Teachers Union received the Human Values Award at the World Cultural Festival for our work and activism in keeping students, teachers, and staff safe through the pandemic. Again, this award shows WTU’s deep commitment and love for the children of the District of Columbia and the DC community. WTU has so many partners we’d like to thank for this honor. This great award would not have been possible without the support and hard work of all our WTU members, the WTU Contract Bargaining Team, the American Federation of Teachers, the Washington Metro Labor Council and the Black Coalition Against COVID. This year, eight recipients received this award. Award recipients included Yale faculty member, Dr. James Leckman for his research with the Early Childhood Peace Consortium. DC Fire and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly, Sr., also received an award for his work throughout the COVID pandemic. We hope you had the opportunity to attend this three-day festival featuring more than 17,000 global music and dance artists, yoga pavilion, wellness zones, and wisdom series with visionary and spiritual leader, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. More than half a million people from across the world attended this event.

WTU’s Contract Bargaining Agreement with DCPS expired on Saturday, September 30^th. Despite the Contract Negotiating Team’s steadfast efforts to work diligently throughout the summer to deliver our ground rules, several MOAs, and 13 proposals to DCPS beginning in May, we have not received a substantive response on anything submitted so far with one exception. A few days ago, DCPS responded to the ground rules first proposed in May. To say we are disappointed in the lack of urgency shown by DCPS is an understatement. As part of our response, the Contract Action Committee urges all to double-down on their efforts to get everyone in the community and in our union to sign the petition for Safe Schools. Our best defense is a good offense. We need to show DCPS we are extremely committed to getting a fair contract.

In solidarity,

Jacqueline Pogue Lyons, President
Washington Teachers’ Union

Opportunities to GET INVOLVED! 

Join the Contract Action Team (CAT)!

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. Our campaign focuses on 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]. 

Watch WTU's Contract Negotiating Team's Weekly Video Update

Please click here or on picture below.

Watch previous video updates here.

Join a WTU Committee!

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:  

• Contract Action Team (CAT) & Organizing Committee. The CAT Team and the Organizing Committee will be meeting as one team monthly until further notice. Contact: Mike Roland ([email protected])  
• Communications Committee. Chair: WTU President Jacqueline Pogue Lyons ([email protected]) meets the 4th Tuesday of each month @ 4:30pm Join via Zoom.
• Committee on Political Education (COPE) Meeting – Monday, October 2nd @ 7PM. Chair: Michael Donaldson ([email protected]). Meets the 1st Monday of each month Virtual @ 7-8pm Join via Zoom
• Legislative Committee. Chair: Jacqueline Pogue Lyons, President WTU and Vice President Regina Bell ([email protected]) Join via Zoom.
• 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. 
 

Attend a Ward 7 Education Council Meeting

October 5^th 6:30PM Register here.

Register to Testify Before City Council on Bill 25-218 “Work Order Integrity Amendment Act of 2023”

This bill would require DGS to receive affirmative approval from a school-level staff member before marking maintenance or repair requests as complete in the Department’s internal work order system. All public testimony is virtual. Register here.

Attend in-person WTU Retirement Session

DCPS and DC Retirement Board will hold a 90 minute in-person retirement session on October 23, 2023.
Time and place TBD. We also hope to have a virtual option. Registration is required. 

In the News

• The Washington Post - DC Boundary Study Sparks Debate, Worry from Parents
• NBC4 News  - Washington Commanders teach Xs and Os of reading
• NBC4 Washington - Teenager shot to death near high school in Northwest DC
  The Washington Post - Student teen, bystander killed in separate shootings in District
• ABC7 News - SE DC elementary riddled by bullets during school hours Monday, principal says
• Washington Lawyers Committee - Students Deprived of Education During Pandemic Reach Landmark Settlement with District to Receive Special Education & Related Services at DC Jail

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

News Channel 4 reported on the death of a teenage high school student shot by another student outside Dunbar High School today. Watch the full story here.

Here's What's Brewing Today

Monday, September 11, 2023

Good Morning, WTU Members!

For those celebrating Yom Kippur, Chag sameach! 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 through video updates available here. Unfortunately, as of today, we have not received concrete dates from DCPS to begin the bargaining process so we canceled last week’s Contract Negotiating Teams’ meeting. As you know, our contract expires this coming Saturday, September 30^th. Before it does, we ask you to sign WTU’s Safe Schools petition, post it on your social network, and encourage everyone you know to read and sign it.

With your help at the DCPS Block Party this past Saturday, we gave hundreds of free books of choice to every child and gathered hundreds of community signatures for our Safe Schools Petition. Thank you to those who came out to help despite the rain!  

The World Cultural Festival is only held every 5 years. This year, it is an honor for the event to be held in DC. We are also pleased and grateful to announce that the World Cultural Festival will be presenting the Human Values Award to the WTU for our work in keeping students, teachers, and staff safe throughout the pandemic. Please take some time to come out to the festival to celebrate this exciting event.

This coming Saturday, September 30^th, we are pleased that will we have our Union Leadership Institute (ULI) in-person at AFT Headquarters (555 New Jersey Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001)! This will be the first time we will offer the in-person training since COVID-19. This one-day bootcamp is crafted to give all elected school building leaders (i.e. School Chapter Advisory Committee (SCAC), Local School Advisory Team (LSAT), personnel committee, etc.) the necessary knowledge needed to be effective building representatives. We need as many WTU building leaders as possible to attend this training given the contract battle we now face again. Consider ULI as your training to lead us in battle. When we fight together, we win together! I hope to see you there!

In solidarity,

Jacqueline Pogue Lyons, President
Washington Teachers’ Union

Opportunities to GET INVOLVED! 

Register for Union Leadership Institute (ULI)

The WTU offers regular ULIs that give all building leaders the opportunity to learn and develop leadership skills and to acquire the detailed knowledge needed to be effective teacher representatives. To help ensure the voice of teachers are heard. The register for ULI on Saturday, September 30^th. Please register here. 

Join the Contract Action Team (CAT)!

The CAT Team will be joining the Organizing Committee for the initial meeting of the new year on Wednesday, Sept. 27^th & 5PM in person at the WTU’s headquarters (1239 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20003). 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. Our campaign focuses on 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]. 

Join a WTU Committee!

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:  

Contract Action Team (CAT) & Organizing Committee – Wednesday, Sept. 27^th @ 5PM in person.

The CAT Team will be joining the initial meeting of the Organizing Committee on Wednesday, Sept. 27th @5PM in person at the Washington Teachers Union offices (1239 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE). Contact: Mike Roland ([email protected]) 

Communications Committee – Tuesday, Sept. 26^th @4:30PM

Chair: WTU President Jacqueline Pogue Lyons ([email protected]) Meets the 4th Tuesday of each month. Via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81572951788?pwd=eFlIa2Q4MHNTeE1GeHRQSFk5bG9qdz09

Committee on Political Education (COPE) Meeting – Monday, October 2^nd @ 7-8pm

Chair: Michael Donaldson ([email protected]). Meets the first Monday of each month. Via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85422764300?pwd=WUtZZjVGT3lQTElqdkFEWWMvaEJPZz09

Legislative Committee – Tuesday, October 17^th @4:30PM

Chairs: Jacqueline Pogue Lyons, WTU President ([email protected]) and Regina Bell, WTU Vice President ([email protected]). Via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81572951788?pwd=eFlIa2Q4MHNTeE1GeHRQSFk5bG9qdz09

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, WTU Vice President ([email protected])

Hard to Fill Bonuses

Hard to fill bonuses are based on your IMPACT Group. Contact your Field Representative if you haven’t received your bonus.

Attend a Student Loan Forgiveness Webinar

Monday, September 25^th 4-5PM Register here. The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education invites DC educators to our second virtual webinar led by a Certified Financial Planner™, Andrew Katz-Moses, on Monday, September 25th, from 4 to 5 pm ET. The Student Loan Forgiveness webinar will provide DC educators with essential insights and strategies to navigate student loan repayments, optimize the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, and learn if loan consolidation is right for them. The webinar will cover how to plan for loan repayment starting in October as well as major opportunities for loan forgiveness you need to take advantage of by the end of 2023. Whether you're currently paying off student loans or seeking ways to optimize your repayment journey, this webinar is designed to empower you with the knowledge you need. See the full invitation attached and register here. Q&A will follow the session.

Attend a Boundary & Student Assignment Study Virtual Town Hall

Tuesday, September 26 at 12 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Wednesday, September 27 at 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Both sessions below will cover the same information.

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

Sign DC School Nurses’ Petition 

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 nurses 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. 

In the News

• Washington Post – In a Changing Mount Pleasant, Bancroft Elementary Loses Federal Grant
• NBC4 News – Magic Johnson Offers DC Teen a Scholarship
• DCist  – DC School Nurses Say New Staffing Model is a Recipe for Disaster
• Accuracy in Academia – Teachers’ Union President Slams Impeachment Inquiry as a Scam

Washington DC - Washington Post reports on gentrification affecting school's ability to retain Title I funding. "The shift comes after D.C. Public Schools changed the way it assesses Title I eligibility, but also reflects a transformation years in the making, which is familiar now to many longtime D.C. residents and natives — the neighborhood that surrounds Bancroft has become increasingly attractive to wealthier crowds in search of coveted row homes and lush public parks, pricing out lower-income families and reshaping local schools." Read more here.

Washington, DC - DC activists raise concerns that DCPS isn't doing enough to raise DCPS teacher retention rates.

“Two years ago an American University study found the DCPS teacher evaluation system to be racially biased, yet two years later it remains virtually unchanged,” Goldstein told the AFRO. “From an evaluation system that creates fear instead of growth to an excessive amount of standardized testing and far too little teacher professional authority, we still aren’t doing what we need to do to retain educators.” - Scott Goldstein, founder and executive director of EmpowerEd, an organization that seeks to create an equitable education system in D.C.

Read Full Article here

The Washington Post interviewed teachers and DCPS regarding crucial repairs raising safety issues and disrupting the teaching and learning process. To read the full story, click here.

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 20^th 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:  

1. Committee on Political Education (COPE) Meeting  
   Chair: Michael Donaldson ([email protected])
   Meets the 1st Monday of each month Virtual @ 7-8pm 
   Join via zoom.
2. Communications Committee
   Chair: WTU President Jacqueline Pogue Lyons ([email protected]) Meets the 4th Tuesday of each month @ 4:30pm
3. Legislative Committee – Tuesday, Sept. 19^th @ 4:30PM via Zoom
   Chair: Regina Bell, Vice President WTU ([email protected])  
   Join via zoom.
4. 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
5. 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.

WTU President Pogue Lyons spoke with Channel 9 News reporters re: DCPS' failure to return to the bargaining table. She was asked if the WTU intended to strike. Click the image or here to learn more.

​To download the flyer, click here.​

To download additional information, including the program, click here.​

Here's What's Brewing Today

Monday, September 11, 2023

Good Morning, WTU Members!

Today, as we stop to remember those who lost their lives in the 2001 tragedy, we are reminded of the need to build a teaching community that supports and values each of its members equally. We remain continually grateful to our first responders from 911 through COVID and until today for their hard work and dedication to everyone and particularly those in need.

Thank you for continuing to drive change in your community as our deadline for receiving a new contract is less than 20 days away! We need to keep showing our collective demand for a new contract by wearing red on Fridays along with our new Campaign button (see above), posting pictures on social media, and rallying everyone we know to sign our petition for school safety. We need your wonderful photos! So, please don’t forget to keep emailing them to [email protected]. Finally, one last request, please consider volunteering to join our WTU’s advocacy tables at these upcoming events:

H-Street Festival, Saturday, September 16th, 11-5PM

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. Please remember to check our new 2023-24 Members’ Organizational Guide for advance notice of all WTU events throughout the year.  If you haven’t received your printed brochure, please reach out to your Field Representative. Again, I wish you another amazing week filled with the joy of teaching and hope this day’s memory leaves you inspired to continue our drive for change! 

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 – TODAY! September 11^th!

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

Chair: Regina Bell, Vice President WTU ([email protected]) (pictured left) Meets the 3rd Tuesday of each month @ 4:30pm

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. 

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 nurses 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 or this url: https://youtu.be/TSYwkpsirmA?si=7mTXgqK6Coj8xb0P

Watch previous video updates here.

In the News

• The Washington Post - H.D. Woodson dominates defensively; Brentsville player goes from ballboy to star
• The Washington Post - Jackson-Reed volleyball welcomes all challengers; soccer players raise big money

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

The Washington Informer interviewed WTU's President Pogue Lyons on the soon-to-expire WTU contract, 17 school safety recommendations submitted to DCPS, and the WTU survey of 750 teachers on school violence. 

She told The Informer that DCPS' lack of response to the 17 safety recommendations underscored their lack of urgency about key issues affecting teachers.

She emphasized the importance of carefully reading the survey results which showed that 45% of teachers have considered leaving the profession. For her, solidifying the 2023-2027 contract has become "a matter of retaining a solid educator workforce in underserved communities." Read the full story here.

Educators report being threatened and attacked by students and, in some cases, their parents. Elsewhere, they worry about censorship.

The Washington Post's Education Reporter Lauren Lumpkin interviewed a number of WTU teachers and WTU president Jacqueline Pogue Lyons before writing this article.