This Week

Join the Leave Banks

Now is the time to make sure you are enrolled in the both the Parental and Sick Leave Banks!

By enrolling in both you are helping yourself and your colleagues in their time of need.

• Joining the Sick Leave Bank ensures that it is solvent for the rest of the the year, and if we get enough donations we will hopefully be able to provide retro to those who did not get access to the banks during the Spring of SY25.
• Joining the Parental Leave Bank is how we can help our colleagues who are hoping to spend some much needed time with new additions to their family! This bank is in a precarious position and it will take us all to collectively keep it whole

DC Elections are coming June 16, 2026

The DC Democratic Primary is the election where the future of DC Government is largely decided. Mayor Bowser, Brianne Nadeau and Anita Bonds have all announced they are not running again. The WTU Committee on Political Education (COPE) has begun an expedited process for Ward 1 DC Council and Mayoral Election, sending out our questionnaire to all candidates and will be hosting a candidate forum on January 7th from 6-8PM. We will then follow with the rest of the DC Council, Attorney General and DC Delegate to Congress in the following months.

We need to elect leaders who strongly support unionized educators so we can negotiate over our evaluation (IMPACT), bargain a strong contract, and accomplish so many more of our short and long-term goals. 

The WTU Executive Board wants to hear from you

Every month the Area Vice Presidents you elected host a meeting to hear what is happening in your schools and to discuss strategies and next steps for how to take action to address your concerns. This week Junior and Senior High VPs are both hosting meetings on Zoom.

• WTU Senior High VP Meeting (Zoom) - 12/15/25, 4:30PM
• WTU Junior High VP Meeting (Zoom) - Special Time - 12/15/25, 6:00PM

Join the WTU Retirement Task Force (Zoom) - 12/16/25, 5PM

The WTU Retirement Task Force's goals are:

1. Initiate a process to get better 403b providers through DCPS
2. Advocate for better communication from DCRB and others around Retirement, including trainings
3. Gather information and best practices to share with members
4. Plan for future contract negotiations and winning stronger retirement packages (including advocating for faster processing times)

WTU Science Educators (Zoom) - 12/16/25, 4:30 PM

Join Committee Chair Angenette Planter from CHEC to discuss how to ensure science education does not fall by the wayside and gets the funding it deserves.

AFT Debt Survey

Workers are being crushed by the soaring costs of basics—housing, healthcare, child care, college, even the cost of keeping up with credit cards or medical bills. This survey will help us identify the most urgent affordability issues and shape the resources we build to help members get the relief they need. Please fill out this confidential AFT Debt Survey

• WTU Senior High VP Meeting (Zoom) - 12/15/25, 4:30PM
• WTU Junior High VP Meeting (Zoom) - Special Time - 12/15/25, 6:00PM
• WTU Science Educator Committee (Zoom) - 12/16/25, 4:30 PM
• WTU Retirement Options Task Force (Zoom) - 12/16/25, 5PM
• DC State Board of Education Public Meeting (Sign up to Speak) - 12/17/25, 5:30PM

• The WTU Office will be closed from December 24 through January 1. 

  • If you are facing an emergency and require legal assistance, please access our legal benefit through Robert Ades and Associates: https://www.wtulocal6.net/legal

The following are open forms you can use to inform the WTU of your opinion:

Thank you for your continued dedication to our students, our schools, and our union. Let’s stay informed and united because together, we’re stronger.

In solidarity,

Washington Teachers’ Union

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