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WTU Area Vice President Committees 

(Bylaws Article VIII Section 5) Meet to discuss common issues, brainstorm solutions, advance motions 

WTU Committees – All on Zoom

Organized by standing meeting date 

• Propose a new Committee, Task Force or Solidarity Group with this link: https://forms.office.com/r/Mj1JsMfeHu 
• Committee Chair Applications: https://forms.office.com/r/eJAZe2a7GG 
• Committee Files and Materials: https://bit.ly/WTUcommittees

Committee & Task Force Descriptions

Organized alphabetically

Communications Committee

Are you passionate about making sure union members stay better informed, connected, and engaged? Join the WTU Communications Committee! This first committee meeting will focus on improving our website. However, our goal also includes how we share updates with members, respond to member concerns, and communicate our wins and challenges with DCPS. Whether you’re into social media, writing, designing, or want to strengthen our union’s voice, there’s a place for you here. Let’s create a communications strategy that reflects who we are and what we’re fighting for

Immigrant and Multilingual Learner Task Force

The Immigrant & Multilingual Learner Task Force will bring together WTU members to ensure that immigrant students and multilingual learners experience schools as places of safety, belonging, and trust—especially in the current climate of heightened immigration enforcement. The task force will center the well-being of students and families while also addressing the instructional, cultural, and policy supports necessary for multilingual learners to thrive. Purpose: Prioritize safety and belonging by equipping educators and schools to serve as sanctuaries where immigrant families can engage without fear. Liaise with outside organizations—including immigrant justice, legal aid, and community-based groups—to strengthen networks of support for students and families. Conduct professional development/trainings (upon request from schools) on Know Your Rights (KYR), bystander intervention, and building-wide best practices to protect and affirm immigrant students. Organize educators to advocate for systemic changes that expand resources and protections for multilingual learners and immigrant families. Provide professional learning opportunities to help teachers implement inclusive, culturally and linguistically responsive practices. Elevate student and family voice in WTU’s advocacy, ensuring union campaigns reflect the lived realities of our immigrant communities. Rationale: Amid increased immigration enforcement in Washington, D.C., immigrant families face surveillance, instability, and fear that directly impact students’ ability to learn. For multilingual learners—the fastest-growing student population in DCPS—these challenges compound existing inequities like limited bilingual staffing and curriculum that fails to honor their linguistic and cultural strengths. By organizing around safety and belonging first, offering practical trainings to schools, and forging partnerships with outside organizations, this task force will ensure WTU acts boldly to protect immigrant students and families while building schools that affirm identity, expand opportunity, and strengthen our union’s collective power.

International Educators Committee

Join the International Educators Committee Meeting to stand with over 300 H1B educators whose futures—and our students’ stability—are at risk after DCPS abruptly ended its Green Card policy. Together, we’ll organize to demand the promised pathway to permanent residency and protect the global talent that strengthens our schools.

Professional Development Committee

We will continue building on the Professional Development the WTU has offered, will continue to offer, and what we want to do to further support the Professional Development of Teachers. This is open to all members, but we especially want to hear from our current AFT trainers on what has worked, what hasn't, and how we can build off the work everyone has already done.

Organizing Committee

Join us for our Organizing Committee! If you believe we deserve better working conditions, more support in our classrooms, and a greater voice in decisions that impact our schools, this is where it all starts. At this first meeting, we’ll connect with each other, share insights from WTU members across our DCPS, and discuss how we can improve our Union Leadership Institute and plan how we can build the collective strength needed to create meaningful change. All members are welcome!

Science Education Committee

Science education in DCPS. How can we make sure that the sciences are included in all aspect of a DCPS students education. Science matters, andshould not be forgotten. We will meet to discuss academic awareness of the sciences. 

Socialite Committee

To give staff an outlet other than work During breaks we will offer trips and opportunities to relax and plan two annual parties a year.

WTU Leave Bank Task Force

The WTU Leave Bank Task Force, open to all Members will meet to examine the current WTU Sick and Maternity/Paternity Leave Bank Policies. The Task Force will be ultimately responsible for creating a report for the WTU Executive Board's approval on options for how to improve information getting to members on how to best use the Banks, potential policy changes that would improve members' access to the banks, and how to get more members to sign up for the Banks, as well as any other questions regarding the WTU Sick and Maternity/Leave Bank that the Task Force deems necessary. Our first meeting will be introductory to learn about what we know so far about the Leave banks, and to set the intentions for how we want to task force to move forward. Reach out to WTU General Vice President Lisa Haynes to get involved.