Here's What's Brewing Today

Monday, December 6, 2021

Renaming Wilson High School

All are welcome to the WTU IMPACT meeting – December 7 at 4:30

We’ll be discussing the pros and cons of the Danielson and Marzano frameworks for teaching and the teacher observation process. Via Zoom. Meeting ID: 873 0146 8847; Passcode: 755793

WTU/Empower Ed Survey on Educator Morale and Retention

The WTU has joined with EmpowerEd to learn more about your hopes as well as the challenges that you are facing this year. I hope you’ll complete our joint “Educator Morale and Retention Survey” to help us understand whether or not you're considering leaving the teaching profession and what is driving your decision-making.

Thank you in advance for taking a few minutes to complete our short survey.

OSSE is offering LETRS training

LETRS, Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling, a new science of reading training. ELA educators invited to participate include: instructional coaches, reading specialists, classroom teachers, special education teachers, English Learner (EL) teachers and instructional leaders. Applications are due December 16th. Please follow the link to this Google Folder to see the relevant information: 11.2021 LETRS Info Session

Report COVID Health & Safety Concerns

If there is a problem with COVID health and safety provisions, please report it to OSSE and the situation room

OSSE Online Complaint Form (dc.gov)

WTU/DCPS Situation Room: http://bit.ly/WTUSafeOpenings

Professional Development Hours on PeopleSoft

All teachers should have 8 hours of HO (Professional Development) listed on PeopleSoft. Contact your Field Representative if you have questions.

Dental and Vision Open Enrollment - CLOSING SOON

DC government has announced its open enrollment to run from 2022 for Monday, November 8 through Monday December 13, 2021. This is an annual opportunity to review your current benefits elections and make changes. This is also an opportunity for you to make any changes to your dental and vision benefits. Click here for details on your dental and vision coverage or if you have any questions regarding these benefits, contact Valerie Kilby at [email protected]. If you have questions regarding enrollment into the plans, contact DCPS benefits at [email protected]. 

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

Professional Development Highlights 

November 29, 2021

Join the Flagway League!

We launched the Flagway League on  Monday, October 25 led by coordinator Raphael Bonhomme. Our next meeting will be December 6 @ 5pm-once you register, you will receive a calendar invitation from our league coordinator .

"The goal of The Flagway™ Game is to create environments where students can practice and celebrate learning math. There are many different ways to create a cultural context in which mathematics emerges naturally from students’ experience. One method used by the YPP and the Algebra Project is to create mathematically rich games and experiences." Find more info about the game here: http://www.typp.org/flagway.

Register HERE to become a Flagway Coach: https://www.wtulocal6.net/fall_2021_flagway_league_section_1

Strategies for Student Success (FREE!)

Instructor: Laurine Kennedy

Tuesdays: November 30; December 7; 4:15-7:15pm

The following modules will be offered in this section: Dimensions to a Better Life; Navigating the Journey Between Stress and SEL, Electrifying Online Learning, The Game Factor. Participants will receive 4 PLU’s for each session. RSVP HERE: https://www.wtulocal6.net/fall_2021_strategies_for_student_success

WTU Tech Tuesdays Are Back!!!

Next session is Tuesday 11/30 @ 4:30-5:30pm, coordinator Sarah Elwell for a session on Electrifying Instruction with Online Tools.

Register HERE.

Here's What's Brewing Today

Monday, November 29, 2021

We hope you had a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

We are monitoring reports about the spread of the new omicron variant of COVID-19. We encourage everyone to get vaccinated. The new MOA, the result of over a month and a half of hard work and late nights from the WTU contract bargaining team, includes time-off for you to receive your boosters as well as getting fully vaccinated. The full MOA is available here. If you have any symptoms, please report them immediately to our school administration and be sure to inform your Field Representative.

All are welcome to the WTU IMPACT meeting – November 30 at 4:30

We’ll be discussing the pros and cons of the Danielson and Marzano frameworks for teaching and the teacher observation process. Via Zoom. Meeting ID: 873 0146 8847; Passcode: 755793.

Indoor Air Quality Report October

OSSE is offering LETRS training.

Dental and Vision Open Enrollment 

DC government has announced its open enrollment to run from 2022 for Monday, November 8 through Monday December 13, 2021. This is an annual opportunity to review your current benefits elections and make changes. This is also an opportunity for you to make any changes to your dental and vision benefits. Click here for details on your dental and vision coverage or if you have any questions regarding these benefits, contact Valerie Kilby at [email protected]. 

If you have questions regarding enrollment into the plans, contact DCPS benefits at [email protected]. 

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

Professional Development

Here are the latest professional development opportunities from the WTU and our partners.

Strategies for Student Success (FREE!)

Instructor: Laurine Kennedy

Tuesdays: November 23 and 30; December 7; 4:15-7:15pm

The following modules will be offered in this section: Dimensions to a Better Life; Navigating the Journey Between Stress and SEL, Electrifying Online Learning, The Game Factor. Participants will receive 4 PLU’s for each session. RSVP HERE: https://www.wtulocal6.net/fall_2021_strategies_for_student_success

WTU Tech Tuesdays Are Back!!!

Next session is Tuesday 11/30 @ 4:30-5:30pm, coordinator Sarah Elwell for a session on Electrifying Instruction with Online Tools.

Register HERE.

Black Lives Matter at School: December and January curriculum fairs

• Please register for the D.C. Area Black Lives Matter at School Virtual Curriculum Fair for Saturday, December 11th from 10am - noon.. Apply to present a workshop, here, by this Sunday, November 21st.
• Learn more and register for the national Black Lives Matter at School Virtual Curriculum Fair on Saturday, January 8th from 10am ET - 12:30pm ET. Apply to present a workshop, here.
• The fifth annual Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action is January 31st - February 4th, 2022. Learn more and sign up to participate, here.
  • If you’d like to participate in a 1 hour planning meeting around Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action on Saturday, January 22nd from 1pm - 2pm, RSVP here.

Here's What's Brewing Today

Monday, November 22, 2021

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving Holiday!

DCPS has begun distribution of Office Depot cards. We did ask, but DCPS is not able to reimburse teachers for purchases already made. If you haven’t received your Office Depot card, please reach out to your Field Representative.

Members Amber Terry, Anthony Allard and Faith Wang attended the signing of the Infrastructure Bill at the White House with AFT President Randi Weingarten.

OSSE is offering LETRS training. 

LETRS, Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling, a new science of reading training. ELA educators invited to participate include: instructional coaches, reading specialists, classroom teachers, special education teachers, English Learner (EL) teachers and instructional leaders. 

Please follow the link to this Google Folder to see the relevant information: 11.2021 LETRS Info Session

There will be an information session on Monday, Nov. 22 at 4:15 p.m. Interested participants can register here. We will be accepting up to 70 participants across 2 cohorts. The application for the OSSE LETRS cohorts is due Sunday, Nov. 28 at 11:59 p.m. The application can be found here.

All are welcome to the WTU IMPACT meeting – November 30 at 4:30
We’ll be discussing the pros and cons of the Danielson and Marzano frameworks for teaching and the teacher observation process. Via Zoom. Meeting ID: 873 0146 8847; Passcode: 755793.

Dental and Vision Open Enrollment 

DC government has announced its open enrollment to run from 2022 for Monday, November 8 through Monday December 13, 2021. This is an annual opportunity to review your current benefits elections and make changes. This is also an opportunity for you to make any changes to your dental and vision benefits. Click here for details on your dental and vision coverage or if you have any questions regarding these benefits, contact Valerie Kilby at [email protected]. 

If you have questions regarding enrollment into the plans, contact DCPS benefits at [email protected]. 

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

Here's What's Brewing Today

Monday, November 15, 2021

ICYMI: The Washington Teachers' Union was hopeful that by now we would have been close to a final agreement with DCPS on language regarding the impact and effects of the Mayor’s vaccine mandate on teachers. Unfortunately, we are still at odds over the final wording on testing. We want to make sure that all teachers, including those already vaccinated, have access to COVID-19 testing. Although the overall number of COVID-19 cases is decreasing, there may be a surge with the approach of the holiday and winter season. Including all teachers in testing ensures that we are doing everything possible to keep students, teachers and staff safe. Please make sure to go to Peoplesoft and declare your vaccination status.

DCPS will have the Office Depot cards prepared and ready for distribution to all teachers this week. We did ask, but DCPS is not able to reimburse teachers for purchases already made.

A DCPS Teacher Who Helped Create RCTs Speaks Outs

IMPACT

WTU Testing Survey

Pay for coverage

Advocate for Community Schools!

Dental and Vision Open Enrollment

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

Professional Development

Here are the latest professional development opportunities from the WTU and our partners.

Strategies for Student Success (FREE!)

Instructor: Laurine Kennedy

Tuesdays: November 16, 23 and 30; December 7; 4:15-7:15pm

The following modules will be offered in this section: Dimensions to a Better Life; Navigating the Journey Between Stress and SEL, Electrifying Online Learning, The Game Factor. Participants will receive 4 PLU’s for each session. RSVP HERE: https://www.wtulocal6.net/fall_2021_strategies_for_student_success

WTU Tech Tuesdays Are Back!!!

Next session is Tuesday 11/16 @ 5:30-6:30pm, coordinator Sarah Elwell for a session on Integrating Discovery Education Resources.

Register HERE.

Here's What's Brewing Today

Monday, November 8, 2021

Representative Assembly Meeting

Join us on Tuesday, November 9, 2021, at 04:30 PM Eastern Time (Via Zoom) for our monthly Representative Assembly. The meeting is open to all members of the Washington Teachers’ Union. Please click here to register.

Proposed Agenda:

• President’s Report, Jacqueline Pogue Lyons
• Professional Development, Sarah Elwell
• Committee Reports, Committee Chairs
• WTU Financials and Vote on WTU Budget for FY2022, Nadia Torney

DCPS Librarians are featured in the November edition of School Library Journal 

Click here to read more.

Dental and Vision Open Enrollment 

DC government has announced its open enrollment to run from 2022 for Monday, November 8 through Monday December 13, 2021. This is an annual opportunity to review your current benefits elections and make changes. This is also an opportunity for you to make any changes to your dental and vision benefits. Click here for details on your dental and vision coverage or if you have any questions regarding these benefits, contact Valerie Kilby at [email protected]. 

If you have questions regarding enrollment into the plans, contact DCPS benefits at [email protected]. 

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

Professional Development

Additional Professional Development opportunities are available on the PD Blog at https://www.wtulocal6.net/pdblog

FREE WTU PD Workshops in November:

Strategies for Student Success. 

Instructor: Laurine Kennedy

Tuesdays: November 16, 23 and 30; December 7; 4:15-7:15pm

The following modules will be offered in this section: Dimensions to a Better Life; Navigating the Journey Between Stress and SEL, Electrifying Online Learning, The Game Factor. Participants will receive 4 PLU’s for each session. RSVP HERE: https://www.wtulocal6.net/fall_2021_strategies_for_student_success

Transforming Teacher Identity: Who Am I as an Educator?

Instructors: Tiffany L. Brown and Donald Thompson

November 13; 9am-12noon

Using a variety of interactive strategies, educators will explore how various aspects of their personal and social identities uniquely form who they are as professionals and affect their teaching and learning. Participants will receive 4 PLU’s. RSVP HERE: https://www.wtulocal6.net/fall_2021_transforming_teacher_identity

Here's What's Brewing Today

Monday, November 1, 2021

CONGRATULATIONS to Takeisha Wilson, a fourth-grade English language arts and social studies teacher at Shepherd Elementary School, and Rickita Perry Taylor, who teaches students with disabilities and medical difficulties at Turner Elementary School. Both teachers were named finalists for DC’s 2022 Teacher of the Year Award and received $1,500. 

Vaccine Mandate

The mayor’s vaccination mandate goes into effect today. We are still in negotiations with DCPS over the impact and effects of the mandate especially for those with legitimate medical or religious exemptions. We urge everyone to go to Peoplesoft if you have not declared your vaccination status. If you have a medical or a religious exemption please email [email protected] to request an accommodation.

FMLA 

If you haven’t heard back regarding your FMLA application, please contact your field rep and let them know when you submitted your application.  

Steps for Filing for FMLA - Family and Medical Leave Act

The FMLA entitles eligible employees to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons with continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms and conditions as if the employee had not taken leave. 

To qualify for FMLA you must:
1. Have worked at DCPS for 1 year without a break in service
 

To apply:
1. You MUST have your medical certification completed by the attending physician
2. Complete Leave of Absence Form (LOA) in QuickBase  

Sick Leave 

When you go out on FLMA, you will use all your sick leave.  

When you exhaust all your sick leave, you will be out on unpaid leave.  

Sick Leave Bank 

Completing qualifying documents for FMLA approval does not guarantee that you will also have use of the Sick Leave Bank.  

The Sick Leave Bank is available for use by DCPS teachers, and can be accessed only if you, yourself are sick. The Sick Leave Bank cannot be accessed or used by DCPS teachers to take care of a family member.  

Contact Charmaine Wilks at [email protected] with questions about the Sick Leave Bank  

Representative Assembly Meetings

School election results and current rosters need to be on file with the WTU to confirm membership, building representatives and delegates. Your field rep will reach out to building reps if we need this information from your school.

IMPACT

Thank you to everyone who completed the IMPACT survey. The WTU is working with the AFT to create a teacher development and evaluation system that is fair to teachers and good for students. We are looking for members who would like to be part of a team that is writing the strands for Teacher Observation, Student Performance and Professional Growth.  If you would like to help with this effort, please email Regina Bell at [email protected] 

Dental and Vision Open Enrollment 

DC government has announced its open enrollment to run from 2022 for Monday, November 8 through Monday December 13, 2021. This is an annual opportunity to review your current benefits elections and make changes. This is also an opportunity for you to make any changes to your dental and vision benefits. Click here for details on your dental and vision coverage or if you have any questions regarding these benefits, contact Valerie Kilby at [email protected]. 

If you have questions regarding enrollment into the plans, contact DCPS benefits at [email protected]. 

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

Professional Development

FREE WTU PD Workshops in November:

Strategies for Student Success

Instructor: Laurine Kennedy

Tuesdays: November 16, 23 and 30; December 7; 4:15-7:15pm

The following modules will be offered in this section: Dimensions to a Better Life; Navigating the Journey Between Stress and SEL, Electrifying Online Learning, The Game Factor. Participants will receive 4 PLU’s for each session. RSVP HERE: https://www.wtulocal6.net/fall_2021_strategies_for_student_success

Transforming Teacher Identity: Who Am I as an Educator?

Instructors: Tiffany L. Brown and Donald Thompson

November 13; 9am-12noon

Using a variety of interactive strategies, educators will explore how various aspects of their personal and social identities uniquely form who they are as professionals and affect their teaching and learning. Participants will receive 4 PLU’s. RSVP HERE: https://www.wtulocal6.net/fall_2021_transforming_teacher_identity

IMPACT Professional Development Workshop (FREE)

Part 2 (EP 3, 4 & 5): Saturday, November 6 @ 10am-1pm

In many ways, your career in DCPS is dependent upon the IMPACT scoring system. Learn what the system measures, how it works and much more. Participants will take a deep dive into the scoring systems used by DCPS which include the Essential Practices, Teacher-Assessed Student Achievement Data (TAS), Community School Commitment (CSC) and Core Professionalism (CP) Participants will receive 3 PLU’s.

RSVP HERE: https://www.wtulocal6.net/fall_2021_impact_professional_development

WTU Tech Tuesdays Are Back!!!

Next session is Tuesday 11/9 @ 5:30-6:30pm, coordinator Sarah Elwell for a session on Integrating Discovery Education Resources.

Register HERE.

Professional Development Highlights

October 25, 2021

For additional PD opportunities, check out the PD Blog at https://www.wtulocal6.net/pdblog.

Join the Flagway League!

The Flagway League Launch is TODAY Monday, October 25 @ 4-5pm, led by coordinator Raphael Bonhomme. "The goal of The Flagway™ Game is to create environments where students can practice and celebrate learning math. There are many different ways to create a cultural context in which mathematics emerges naturally from students’ experience. One method used by the YPP and the Algebra Project is to create mathematically rich games and experiences." Find more info about the game here: http://www.typp.org/flagway.

Register HERE to become a Flagway Coach: https://www.wtulocal6.net/fall_2021_flagway_league_section_1

IMPACT Professional Development Workshop (FREE)

Part 2 (EP 3, 4 & 5): Saturday, November 6 @ 10am-1pm

In many ways, your career in DCPS is dependent upon the IMPACT scoring system. Learn what the system measures, how it works and much more. Participants will take a deep dive into the scoring systems used by DCPS which include the Essential Practices, Teacher-Assessed Student Achievement Data (TAS), Community School Commitment (CSC) and Core Professionalism (CP) Participants will receive 3 PLU’s.

RSVP HERE: https://www.wtulocal6.net/fall_2021_impact_professional_development