November is Diabetes Awareness Month and the eyes play an important role in early detection, as well as overall wellness. Diabetes affects more than 8.3% of the U.S. population. Diabetes can lead to many eye complications, from dry eyes to blindness.

Feel free to make hard copies for distribution at health fairs and elsewhere.

President's Message

Negotiations moving ahead,

congrats to newly elected city leaders

WTU President Elizabeth Davis

First of all, I'm sure you will be happy to know that contract negotiations between the Washington Teachers' Union and DC public school officials are moving ahead. As your sole bargaining agent, the WTU is eager to put on the table a host of important issues, including salary increases, extended day, and improvements to the grievance procedure and much-needed changes to IMPACT.

We also intend to make it clear that you deserve a contract that recognizes your expertise, talents and contributions, one that emphasizes collaboration and the voices and opinions of educators who, after all, know best what our schools and children need to be successful.

For the first time in many years, your union was a visible and active participant in the DC elections. Now that they are over ,we are looking forward to working closely with the city's newly elected leaders. I'd like to congratulate Mayor-Elect Muriel Bowser, as well as those men and women elected to the DC City Council, which includes WTU-endorsed at-large city council candidate Elissa Silverman, and State Board of Education candidate Ruth Wattenberg, who we also endorsed.

READ MORE HERE 

IMPACT, union leadership, other topics  

are on the agenda at WTU training institute 

 

More than 60 WTU leaders and members gathered at Savoy Elementary School on Nov. 1 for WTU's Union Leadership Institute. The program featured remarks by President Elizabeth Davis, a presentation by DCPS officials on IMPACT, and small-group sessions on union leadership, school-based collaboration and effective student assessments.

 

President Davis told the institute's participants that she considers them  essential members of the WTU's leadership team. She noted that many of them are building reps and others serve on such school-based groups as the Local School Restructuring Team, the School Council Advisory Team and the Personnel Committee. She urged them to regularly attend WTU meetings "so that you can get first-hand the information that we have for you and teachers at your school."

 

WTUers had numerous questions for the DCPS officials on hand to provide the latest information on IMPACT. Many of the questions focused on the rubrics used to evaluate teachers and aspects of the Teaching and Learning Framework, which is key part of the IMPACT teacher evaluation program.

 

Thornell Page shared with the institute's participants background on the formation of the WTU Scholarship Fund in the late 1970s. The fund has since awarded $20,000 scholarships to more than 100 DCPS students, he pointed out. Page said the fund is looking to award scholarships to local students interested in pursuing a career in teaching.

Share My Lesson event is a hit with WTU members  

WTU members were the special guests at a Share My Lesson

(SML) professional development and networking evening hosted by the American Federation of Teachers on Oct. 29. More than 50 members were on hand to hear about the lesson plans, curriculum, teaching tips and other resources available on Share My Lesson, a website developed by teachers for teachers.

The event also included webinars on how to align lessons with Common Core State Standards and strategies to curb bullying.

WTU President Elizabeth Davis welcomed participants, urging them to take advantage of the resources on SML and to download their lessons plans and teaching tips so that other teachers can use and learn from them.

Their presence at the event was a reflection of their willingness--like most teachers--to put in extra time to improve their craft and help students learn, AFT Executive Vice President Mary Cathryn Ricker told the DCPS educators gathered in a conference room at the AFT headquarters.

WTU Teacher Leaders Maria Angala (Jefferson Academy) and Sarah Ewell (McKinley Technical HS), both of whom have used SML extensively, praised the online site for its smart, easy-to-use resources. Angala has had some 75,000 downloads of the lesson plans that she's put on the site.

During the two-hour event, WTU members downloaded some 20 of their lessons plans for other educators to utilize. They also took part in a number of fun giveaways, including tote bags and slick AFT jackets. Teachers who attended the SML presentation earned PLUs.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SHARE MY LESSON 

PD classes at Whittier postponed

The WTU professional development workshops and classes scheduled to take place at Whittier Education Campus this month and in early December have been postponed. Meanwhile, look out for the spring catalog of WTU professional development courses and special offers.  

Join workers, labor and community activists, and

others at the Troublemakers School on Nov. 15

The WTU is a proud sponsor of the DC Labor Notes Troublemakers School. Scheduled for Sat., Nov. 15, 8 am - 4 pm at Foundry United Methodist Church, "Troublemakers School" brings together labor activists, rank-and-file workers and the community from throughout the D.C. metropolitan area for a day of skill-building workshops, education and strategy discussions designed to strengthen the local labor movement--and the voice of teachers and other workers.

"It will be a great place for WTU leaders, members and activists to learn from our union brothers and sisters, as we kick our contract fight into high gear," WTU President Elizabeth Davis, who will be on one of the panels, said. 

The WTU is offering scholarships to those who would like to attend the "Troublemakers School." The scholarships, which cover the school's registration fee, are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Lunch and childcare will be provided. 

Contact David Street dstreet@wtulocal6.net if you're interested in attending.

To learn more about "Troublemakers School" go HERE.