WTU News and Information 
January 31, 2015

 
WTU PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COURSES
ARE STILL AVAILABLE FOR FEBRUARY, MARCH
AND APRIL

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COURSES STILL AVAILABLE:

Legal Issues in Education

Beginning Reading Instruction

Making Data and Classroom  
Assessments Work  
for You
 
Managing Anti-Social Behavior  
 
Organizing the Classroom for Teaching and Learning
    
  

 

DCPS Spring IMPACT PD  

 

DCPS has announced the dates for its Spring 2015 IMPACT training. The professional development sessions, entitled "Growing Your Practice," start in mid-February and include training for early childhood educators and special education teachers.  

 

Go here to see the  

classes and schedule

 

 

 

SHARE MY LESSON
has a wealth of resources designed to recognize Black History and educate students about the contributions of Black Americans. These lesson plans and other materials are sure to engage learners of all grades
and ages.

  

Go here for the resources


WTU members receive a live Share My Lesson demo and free Starbucks gift card when you upload a lesson at the WTU Shared Vision conference on February 21st.

Would you like to request a school visit and meeting with President Davis?

Visit the New WTU Website and click the link under
the Message from the
President column.

We will schedule your school visit within 48 hours.

 VISIT THE
NEW WTU WEBSITE

 
  
  
                                                                                                                                                  Our website has a

fresh, bold new look!  

On it you'll find a wealth of valuable resources, and documents outlining your rights as a D.C. Public School educator. You'll also have access to an ever-growing list of WTU member benefits.

 

Check it out!


Quick Links

President's Message

Advocating for the professional development
you want and deserve

WTU President Elizabeth Davis

 

As educators, we want to deliver the first-rate classroom instruction that our kids deserve. And professional development is an essential part of that. In recent weeks, several of you have contacted the union with concerns about the quality and accessibility of the professional development training being offered by the school district. You've told us that this training is too often not up to standards and that it's often difficult for you to get to the schools in which it is being held.

 

Be assured that the union has heard your concerns and has made DCPS aware of them. We've made it clear to them that you want training that will lead to real and sustained professional growth.

 

Meanwhile, I urge you to take advantage of the professional development courses offered by the WTU. Most of these classes are taught by classroom teachers like yourself with first-hand experience with some of the situations and issues that many of you confront on a daily basis. Soon you will receive a survey from us asking several questions about your professional development experiences. Please be sure to fill it out and return it to us.  

 

Reclaiming our public schools and our voice as educators means ensuring that you have access to relevant professional development designed to help you better serve and educate our city's students. Advocating for and delivering that kind of training will always be one of this union's priorities.

 

In solidarity,

 

Liz Davis

 

REGISTER TODAY!
 Free Community Education Conference on February 21!
Pre-Registration Ends February 13th
This one day community conference offers an exciting, rich opportunity to bring together teachers, parents, community leaders and other stakeholders to talk about our shared vision for reclaiming public education in our city.
  
Four learning tracks led by national and local facilitators and experts will be available for participant selection. The learning tracks are as follows: Track 1 -Common Core Support and Lesson Design, Track 2 - Local School Team Leadership Support, Track 3 - IMPACT Instructional Support, and Track 4 - Partnerships that Support Student Learning  and Family Engagement.
  
Participants will learn about research-based, proven strategies for successful schools and how to work together to fulfill the promise of a great public education for all children.  Click here for more information about the conference learning tracks and breakout sessions. 
  
  
All DC educators receive 6 Professional Learning Units for attending and receive a free Starbucks gift card when you stop by the Share My Lesson (SML) Activity Zone and participate in SML activities. 
  
Invited exhibitors include: 
Coalition for Community Schools, District of Columbia Public Schools, Empower DC, Higher Achievement Program, Kaiser Permanente, New York Life, Share My Lesson/AFT, SF&C Insurance, Teaching for Change and Trinity University. 
  
Don't miss this free learning conference for all DC school stakeholders. Calling all DC educators, parents, city officials, policy makers, community members, and local school teams in both traditional and charter public schools! Although this is a free conference, registration is required. Join us on Saturday, February 21, 2015 at the Kellogg Center on the campus of Gallaudet University! Register NOW.    

 Calling all WTU LSAT members and 
Related Service Providers!

Delegate Assembly Meeting

Tuesday, February 10

4:30 - 6:30 pm

McKinley Tech High School

151 T Street, NE, Room 150

 

Major topics for the evening include:

Contract Negotiations Update
PARCC Assessment Readiness Update
Contract Action Forum for Related Service Providers 

 

Special DCPS FY16 Budget Segment 

 During the meeting, WTU will co-host an Everyone, Everywhere Campaign session with the DCPS Office of Family and Public Engagement and the Office of Human Capital to solicit member feedback on the school budget development process and the Chancellor's three proposed funding priorities for Fiscal Year 2016. Learn more.

 

 

PLUS!

For showing up, enter to win a 40-inch flat screen television from WTU partners, SF&C Insurance! 

Register for the 2/21 Shared Vision conference

...and indulge in delicious sweets at our dessert bar for an early Valentine's Day treat!
We just LOVE our WTU members!

ALL MEMBERS ARE INVITED!
Be there on Tuesday, 2/10/15 at Tech!
 
IN OBSERVANCE OF MLK HOLIDAY WEEKEND
  
Dr. King "Read Alouds"

On Jan. 16, the WTU recognized the King Holiday Weekend by holding "read alouds" in several D.C. schools where union members and leaders, including President Elizabeth Davis, read the book "Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr." to students. Thanks to
First Book, an AFT and WTU partner, every student also received a copy of the book to take home.


Members see "Selma" courtesy of the WTU

 

  

Winners of the WTU's "Selma" free ticket giveway meet up at the Regal Theatre in downtown DC during the King Holiday Weekend to see the movie.

 

 

 AFT sponsors students to see Selma  

 

The WTU's national affiliate, the American Federation of Teachers, recently made a $2,500 contribution to the March on Washington Film Festival's effort to raise funds so that every middle and high school student in DC can see "Selma" for free.
NEW WTU FACEBOOK PAGE

Your union and its leaders are working hard on your behalf.
And we're doing our best to keep you informed through e-newsletters, e-blasts, robocall, text messages and the
WTU twitter account. Now, we have a new and improved Facebook site where you can find out even more about
what the WTU is doing on a day-to-day basis. 

GO HERE
TO "LIKE" US AND YOU'LL BE SURE TO RECEIVE ALL THE LATEST WTU NEWS AND INFORMATION