WTU Summer Professional Learning!!!

Register TODAY for these exciting, engaging and informative summer professional development courses and workshops HERE.

Courses and Workshops that are still open:

Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (8/7 and 8/14) FREE

Decolonizing the Curriculum (starts 7/27) FREE

Financial Literacy Fridays for MS and HS Educators (5 part workshop series continuing 7/30) FREE

Managing Behavior in School Communities (starts Monday 8/9)

OSSE Licensure Focus Group

OSSE is launching a series of focus groups to enable us to better understand how our educator credential candidates are experiencing our website. We’re hoping to hear directly from current or aspiring DC teachers and school service providers who have recently engaged with OSSE’s educator credential website. Interested individuals will be eligible to participate in a 45-minute virtual focus group, and should complete this brief interest form by Friday, Aug. 6, 2021.

Recognizing WTU Trainers

Please congratulate Nadia Torney (Kimball ES) and Dr. Casey Collins (Walker-Jones EC) who are both facilitating national professional development training with the American Federation of Teachers at the 2021 Virtual Summer Educator Academy. Our WTU trainers ROCK!!!

Math Alliance Opportunities

• Caste in the Classroom - a documentary film by the Data for Better Schools group with the Young People’s Project - has been selected for the Bronze Lens Film Festival August 17th -22nd, 2021! To register for the 2021 Bronze Lens Film Festival, please visit: https://bronzelens.com/registration/
  • To see Caste in the Classroom and related resources, visit: https://www.typp.org/dbs
• NCTM Annual Meeting & Exposition - empowering the voice of teachers - from critical conversations to intentional actions, Atlanta, GA, Sept. 22-25, 2021. See: https://www.nctm.org/atlanta2021/

Here's What's Brewing Today

July 19, 2021

Everyone is anxious for schools to reopen this fall. After more than a year of being away from our school buildings because of the public health pandemic, it’s imperative that students and teachers get back to school.

Read more here.

FY2022 Budget Vote

The City Council will be VOTING ON TUESDAY on the School Year 2021-2022 budget. It is important that you contact Chairman Mendelson NOW ([email protected] or @ChmnMendelson) to ask him to reallocate $3.5m to ensure EVERY SCHOOL HAS A FULL-TIME LIBRARIAN.

Please CONTACT YOUR COUNCILMEMBERS NOW. Make your voice heard now and support your colleagues and our students!

Get Reading DC!

DCSBOE Ward 2 Representative Allister Chang is looking to speak with reading instructors, school librarians, and other interested educators about OSSE's recently released Comprehensive Literacy Plan. Please reach out to him directly at [email protected] if you are available and interested in providing your feedback on the plan. 

The WTU is looking for volunteers to help us analyze DCPS’ response to a FOIA request for information on literacy interventions. Please contact Joe Weedon @ [email protected] if you’d like to help.

The Statewide Data Warehouse Amendment Act

The DC State Board of Education introduced the Statewide Data Warehouse Amendment Act last week which would require OSSE to report annually on the state of teaching & teacher retention. Learn more here: https://lims.dccouncil.us/downloads/LIMS/47658/Introduction/B24-0355-Introduction.pdf

Sick Leave and/or the Maternity Leave Banks

DCPS will not accept individual requests to be removed from either the Sick Leave and/or the Maternity Leave Bank. Please contact Charmaine Wilks at [email protected] before the October 1, 2021 if you’d like to be removed from these banks.

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

WTU Summer Professional Learning!!!

Register TODAY for these exciting, engaging and informative summer professional development courses and workshops HERE.

The following Courses and Workshops are still open:

Financial Literacy Fridays for MS and HS Educators (5 part workshop series continuing 7/23) FREE

Instructional Strategies that Work for All Disciplines (started this past Saturday 7/17-makeup session required)

Managing Behavior in School Communities (starts Monday 8/9)

Culturally Responsive Pedagogy – August Sessions (Starts Aug 7)

Nobis Project Anti-Racist Global History Think Tank

July 21   2 pm – 4 pm ET

July 28   4 pm – 6 pm ET

*Attendance at all sessions is not required, join when you can!

Cost: Free

At this annual event we bring together highly innovative educators, scholars, designers, and community leaders for a multi-day workshop. During this year’s virtual workshop participants will develop content and resources materials focused on an anti-racist approach to teaching global history. Think Tank participants will each have the chance to share about the challenges and successes as it relates to anti-racist global history.

Educators will share project examples from their classrooms. Academic scholars will share about new research and trends in their fields. Community leaders will share about the problems their communities face and the impact of the solution initiatives they are involved in.

Think Tank participants will then be led through a series of design thinking exercises in order to develop curriculum or resources. Following the Think Tank participants are encouraged to continue to work together in developing and piloting materials.

Math Alliance Opportunities

Caste in the Classroom - a documentary film by the Data for Better Schools group with the Young People’s Project - has been selected for the Bronze Lens Film Festival August 17th -22nd, 2021! To register for the 2021 Bronze Lens Film Festival, please visit: https://bronzelens.com/registration/

To see Caste in the Classroom and related resources, visit:  https://www.typp.org/dbs

Here's What's Brewing Today

July 12, 2021

Get Reading DC

The City Council will be VOTING THIS WEEK on the School Year 2021-2022 budget. We hope that Councilmember Allen will be introducing a budget amendment requiring DCPS to reallocate $3.5m to ensure EVERY SCHOOL HAS A FULL-TIME LIBRARIAN.

Please CONTACT YOUR COUNCILMEMBERS NOW to ask them to support this Budget Amendment.

Make your voice heard now and support your colleagues and our students!

First Lady Visits Payne ES, Updates on Negotiations for SY2021-2022

The WTU was honored to join First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and AFT President Weingarten on a tour of Payne Elementary School last week. We used the opportunity to tell her how passionate teachers are to return to their school buildings – SAFELY.

The MOU signed between DCPS and the WTU in December 2020 will remain in effect until the return to school in the fall. If you have any questions or concerns about facility safety if you’re working this summer, please report to your Field Representatives.

The WTU is continuing negotiations with DCPS regarding an MOU for the 2021-2022 School Year and submitted a detailed proposal to DCPS last week. At this time, the DCPS request for educators to disclose their vaccination status remains under negotiation and you do not yet need to submit your vaccination information to DCPS. We are committed to ensuring that you will not be compelled to submit your information but we hope to reach an agreement with DCPS that will compensate you appropriately if you choose to disclose your status.

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

WTU Summer Professional Learning!!!

Register TODAY for these exciting, engaging and informative summer professional development courses and workshops HERE.

Courses and Workshops that are still open:

Hispanic Culture and Spanish Language I (started this past Saturday 7/10-makeup session required)

Strategies for Student Success Section 3 (4 part workshop series starting 7/13) FREE

Financial Literacy Fridays for MS and HS Educators (4 part workshop series starting 7/16) FREE

Instructional Strategies that Work for All Disciplines (starts Saturday 7/17)

Managing Behavior in School Communities (starts Monday 8/9)

Be sure to check out the latest Professional Development Newsletter for additional PD opportunities.

WTU Summer Professional Learning!!!

Register TODAY for these exciting, engaging and informative summer professional development courses and workshops HERE.

Courses and Workshops that are still open include:

Hispanic Culture and Spanish Language I (starts this Saturday 7/10)

Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (2 part workshop starting this Saturday 7/10) FREE

Strategies for Student Success Section 3 (4 part workshop series starting 7/13) FREE

Financial Literacy Fridays for MS and HS Educators (4 part workshop series starting 7/16) FREE

Instructional Strategies that Work for All Disciplines (starts Saturday 7/17)

Managing Behavior in School Communities (starts Monday 8/9)

Decolonizing the Curriculum

Join Washington Teachers’ Union and Teaching for Change as we host a Decolonizing the Curriculum summer series beginning July 27th. This six-session FREE series will feature presentations disrupting the master narrative in classroom curriculum, by providing hands-on strategies with lessons to be used in-person and virtually.

Each session is standalone (2 PLU's per session) so attend one or all six Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. EST via Zoom.

REGISTER TODAY

Tuesday July 27th at 5:00 p.m. EST Decolonizing the Curriculum with Teaching for Change

Thursday July 29th at 5:00 p.m. EST Tackling Controversial Topics in Early Childhood Education with Laleña Garcia

Tuesday, August 3rd at 5:00 p.m. EST COVID Tribunal with Caneisha Mills

Thursday, August 5th at 5:00 p.m. EST Politics of Hair with Dr. Cierra Kaler-Jones

Tuesday, August 10th at 5:00 p.m. EST Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) Role Play with Jessica Rucker and Judy Richardson

Thursday, August 12th at 5:00 p.m. EST Teaching about Voting Rights with Ursula Wolfe-Rocca

Here's What's Brewing Today

July 6, 2021

School Year 2021-2022 Budget Update

It’s not too late to CONTACT THE COUNCIL to ask that every school has a full-time librarian for the 2021-2022 school year. Librarians play an important role in building positive cultures and supporting students and teachers in developing the literacy skills of our students. Make your voice heard now and support your colleagues!  The Chairman will be publishing his changes to the Mayor's proposed budget this week and the Council will be voting on the budget soon.

Supporting Literacy & DCPS Librarians. The WTU has filed a grievance against DCPS on behalf of excessed DCPS librarians, librarians who have been terminated as the result of excessing and teachers who have been denied the services librarians provide as a result of cuts to library programs by DCPS. The grievance alleges that DCPS has violated the WTU contract by eliminating school librarian positions. 

The WTU Welcomes Jannett Lopez & Juan Gonzalez

The WTU would like to welcome Jannett Lopez and Juan Gonzalez to the Field Services team. Regina Bell, the WTU’s general vice president, has also officially joined the WTU office team. Please welcome them.

COVID-19 Leave Extension to August 29, 2021

By Mayor's Order 2021-038, the District’s Public Health Emergency (PHE) was extended to July 25, 2021. Please note that COVID Sick Leave was last set to expire on May 20, 2021 with the expiration of the PHE but is now extended through August 29, 2021.

D.C. COVID-19 Support Emergency Amendment Act (CSEA) 

The CSEA temporarily amends the DC FMLA to create a new COVID-19 job-protected leave category (“COVID-19 Leave”). This entitlement is effective as of March 11, 2020 and expires on August 29, 2021.

COVID Sick Leave 

The provisions of COVID Sick Leave apply until August 29, 2021. Under COVID Sick Leave, the employee is eligible for up to ten (10) days (up to 80 hours) of leave at the regular rate of pay if unable to work (or unable to telework) due to a specific list of criteria.

Questions regarding the different types of leave can be directed to your Field Representative or to the DCPS Leave of Absence team at [email protected]. 

REMINDER: YOU'RE ON VACATION!!!

The WTU wants to encourage you to take time for yourself and your own mental health needs. If you have not already, please remember to set up your out-of-office reply as you are not obligated to read or reply to any email messages sent to your dc.gov email account after June 25, 2021. Enjoy your summer!!!

Attention All Special Education Teachers and Related Service Providers

If you have received any correspondence from your Principal or LEA Representative mandating you continue to complete any assignments or case management responsibilities after Friday, June 25, 2021, please contact Janice Brown Parker immediately at 202-957 9928 or [email protected].

Maternity Leave and/or Sick Leave Banks

Due to overwhelming demand, open enrollment for the Maternity Leave and/or Sick Leave Banks for the 2021-2022 school year will re-open August 1 through August 31, 2021. This will be your last chance to sign-up for the 2021-2022 school year.

To join either bank you donate 8 hours (one day) of the total 96 hours (12 days) that is loaded to your leave balance on October 1, 2021, the beginning of the fiscal year. Please be mindful that if you join both banks you will donate two days or 16 hours. After the donation is taken you must wait three months before you can access the banks. Thus, the first time you can access the bank would be January 1, 2022.  Once you join the bank, you remain in the bank until you opt-out.

If you have any questions about either bank, contact Charmaine Wilks at [email protected] or 202 517-1475. Enrollment links will be sent out again on August 1.

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

Thank you to the over 100 educators who joined the WTU Summer2021 Virtual PD Institute last week.

If you missed it, you still have a chance to register TODAY for other exciting, engaging and informative summer professional development courses and workshops HERE and for our FREE Decolonizing the Curriculum series, in partnership with Teaching for Change, HERE.

Check out this listing of professional learning opportunities:

https://osse.dc.gov/node/1492506

AFT TEACH 2021 starts Tuesday, July 6, at 1 p.m. EDT with a welcome session featuring a keynote by AFT President Randi Weingarten! The agenda is packed with more than 60 sessions on essential topics covering social emotional learning, anti-racism, civic engagement and participation, and countless more tools and strategies you can use for the new school year. Plus, attendees can participate in five health and wellness sessions and two movie nights. Don’t delay; register now.

BONUS: All workshops will be available on demand for 90 days starting July 6.

• Math Literacy Corps National Virtual Town Hall - Youth Agency Through Math Literacy, July 12th, 2021 @ 5:30pm Eastern Time. To Register, visit this Eventbrite Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/160965420907. For event flyer, please visit: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kx6530UqxmISTE-XlyRX-nNvPrqz4REt/view?usp=sharing

• Dismantling Racism in Mathematics Instruction”, from Achieve the Core. A 12-hour, self-paced online course for K-12 educators. See https://achievethecore.org/page/3366/dismantling-racism-in-mathematics-instruction

• NCTM Annual Meeting & Exposition - empowering the voice of teachers - from critical conversations to intentional actions, Atlanta, GA, Sept. 22-25, 2021. See: https://www.nctm.org/atlanta2021/

• The Dillard University Center for Racial Justice’s 5 day Summer Institute is a student-led endeavor focused on preparing students for Student Activism and a 2022 Freedom Ride, August 9th-13th, 2021. This will help lay the groundwork for a Freedom Ride to Washington DC in summer 2022. If you know of students interested in joining the student leadership team, please forward them this announcement with the attachments with further details, list of committees, and planned endeavors throughout the year 21-22 school year.  Interested students should contact the Center for Racial Justice student leadership team: Kaylan Tanner - [email protected]; Carlos Pollard - [email protected]; and Leila Jones - [email protected]. For those who would like to join the advisory leadership team to support the students, please contact Ashraf Esmail, Director for the Center for Racial Justice at Dillard University in New Orleans, LA at [email protected].  We meet every Wednesday as an advisory team and we meet every Saturday with the students.  The various committees meet once a week to outline mission, goals, objectives, and outline for each day of the August 9th-13th Summer Institute. Linked documents:
  • Freedom Rides Again! - slides - click here
  • The Ride Revived and Summer Institute Roadmap - click here
  • Freedom Ride 2 - click here
  • Draft Description of Committees - Freedom Ride & Summer Institute - click here
    
    
• TODOS & JRMF: (four Thursdays in July: 8, 15, 22, 29) JRMF is excited to be partnering with TODOS to host a series of fun math events this summer. Join us as we explore games, puzzles, and other activities that make problem solving fun and accessible. There will be two sessions in English (one for parents and one for children) and two in Spanish. https://www.jrmf.org/todos

Here's What's Brewing Today

June 28, 2021

Thank you for your perseverance during this trying year! As you close up your classrooms for the summer, please ensure that the WTU has your personal contact information on file so you can continue to receive updates from us. While you’re away, our team will continue our work to ensure DC can safely reopen schools for the 2021-2022 school year and to improve the District’s IMPACT system.  And, we hope you’ll get involved in our campaign to close achievement gaps by highlighting your reading lists this summer!

Get Reading DC

The Council will be announcing their first budget marks this week. This process, outlining the changes the Council is making to the Mayor’s budget proposal is our first benchmark to know if we’ve secured funding to ensure EVERY school has a full-time librarian. 

It’s not too late to CONTACT THE COUNCIL. 

Click here to learn more about our campaign to #SaveDCPSLibrarians.

Honored Schools Life-Changing Teacher Award!

The WTU would like to congratulate Patricia West and Whittier Education Campus for winning the Winner of the 2021 Honored Schools Life-Changing Teacher Award!

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