Reopening Schools.

Last week, AFT President Randi Weingarten discussed her commitment to reopening the nation's classrooms in the fall. Click here to watch her speech. Read more from the New York Times.

The WTU is working to develop our list of priorities for a safe reopening. To learn more, please contact WTU's Legislative Committee Chair, Regina Bell at [email protected].

Speak Out – Sign-up to Testify on the FY2022 School Budgets

The Committee of the Whole will be holding an Oversight Hearing on the School Year 2021-2022 budgets on June 3, 2021 at 9am. Sign-up to testify: www.ChairmanMendelson.com/testify  

Council’s Special Committee on COVID-19 Pandemic Recovery. On May 26, the Special Committee will hold a joint hearing focused on what the District’s public education system should look like coming out of the PHE. Sign-up to testify by emailing Malcolm Cameron at [email protected] before 6:00 p.m. on Monday, May 24, 2021.

We Need Your Input

School Year 2021-22 Budgets. Let us know if your School Year 2021-2022 Budget has been cut and what positions are being eliminated. Click here to take our short survey.

Educators - Report your Certification and Recertification Concerns. Click here to let us know about your troubles obtaining your teaching credentials.

Class Coverage Survey – Are you being pulled from your regular duties? Click here to take our quick survey.

AM Brew News and Notices will be archived at https://www.wtulocal6.net/AMBrew. Please bookmark the site and check back for regular news and notices as well as to find items from past editions of the AM Brew.

Professional Development

This Week's Professional Development Blog includes information on upcoming Tech Tuesday, the National Math Alliance, Ignite My Future in School Virtual TECHademy, and MORE!  Click here to check it out.

2021 WTU TEACHER LEADER PROGRAM SYMPOSIUM

The 2021 Teacher Leaders have looked at a number of critical issues that will impact you. Please join us to learn more about their research.

Learn more about the 2021 Teacher Leaders Program Symposium and Register Here.

WTU 2021 Trainer Search

The WTU/AFT Educational Research and Dissemination (ER&D) Program represents one of the union’s major efforts to improve student achievement by making a difference in practitioners’ performance and professional growth. Training will be held July 2021 in the Summer Educator Academy (SEA) organized by the American Federation of Teachers, our parent union. You may apply HERE by May 17, 2021.

WTU PROFESSIONAL LEARNING - SUMMER 2021 COURSE OFFERINGS

WTU Professional Development Courses are developed and taught by educators, for educators.

Click here for Summer 2021 course descriptions and registration links.

WTU Professional Development opportunities are also be posted regularly to the PD Blog at https://www.wtulocal6.net/pdblog

Committee Updates

Committees Updates will be moving out of the AM Brew. Committees will be asked to provide updates on their work to share with members the 2^nd Thursday of each month.

Information on WTU Committees can be found here: https://www.wtulocal6.net/committees.

This week’s events

May is Mental Health Awareness Month!

• May 18, Tuesday @ 5:00pm – WTU Teacher Leader Symposium
• May 18, Tuesday @ 4:30pm – WTU Legislative Committee. Via Zoom: Meeting ID: 859 6155 0231; Passcode: 328360
• May 20, Thursday @ 5:00pm – WTU Organizing Committee. Via Zoom: Meeting ID: 821 7141 4149; Passcode: 270649

At the beginning of each month, a monthly calendar will be posted to the AMBrew Blog. You can access May 2021 events here. Partner events and other upcoming events of interest are also posted to the AMBrew Blog.

Reminders

Are our Buildings Safe? 

Report your concerns at http://bit.ly/WTUSafeOpenings

Learn more about the work the WTU is doing to keep our schools safe at: https://www.wtulocal6.net/safe_reopenings. Please contact your Field Representatives should you have any concerns but feel uncomfortable raising them in the reporting form.

SICK LEAVE & MATERNITY LEAVE BANKS

The WTU is adding a new OPEN SEASON for enrollment in the Sick Leave and Maternity Leave Banks. Open enrollment will occur from June 1, 2021 through June 30, 2021 and from August 1, 2021 through August 31, 2021. Contact Charmaine Wilks at 202 517-1475 with any questions. This is strictly for the use of the Sick Leave and Maternity Banks and not the Dental/Vision enrollment.

SICK LEAVE BUYBACK FORM

Applications for Sick Leave Buy-Back from DCPS are now available. Applications are due by May 31. The DCPS memo with additional information on the program is available here. Sick Leave Buy Back applications can be downloaded here or by emailing [email protected].

We’re continuing to update our database

Please help us ensure we have your current personal contact information on file.

Email [email protected] to provide us with updated information.

Be sure to follow the WTU on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to keep up on the latest from your Union.