Earlier this morning, the Washington Teachers Union sent its members the results of a survey about IMPACT, the new employee evaluation system used by DCPS. The survey was sent out to DCPS teachers last spring, and was completed by 928 teachers. According to an email from the Washington Teachers’ Union, the results are being released now because, “media interest in the survey results is much higher than earlier this year.” That’s probably true — just hours ago, news broke that 241 teachers had been fired for “ineffective” performance under the new system. George Parker, president of the WTU, has announced that the union will appeal the firings.

Photo by David Clow – Maryland For once, Washington Teachers’ Union president’s George Parker’s robo-call to teachers assuring them that contract negations were nearly finished wasn’t just talk. City Paper’s Mike DeBonis first broke the news Tuesday evening that the union had at last reached a tentative contract agreement with D.C. Public Schools, ending more than two years of extremely contentious negotiations. DeBonis obtained draft internal documents detailing elements of the agreement, and they’re…

In an email sent Sunday evening, Washington Teachers’ Union President George Parker congratulated union members on having the D.C. public schools closed on Monday. Making no mention of potential factors like, oh, a record snowstorm, a barely functioning Metro system, or the closing of federal offices, Parker suggested that shuttered schools count as a union victory. As he told members, “Your calls to the office of the Mayor and Chancellor expressing your disagreement and…

WTU President George Parker. Photo by Meaghan Gay for DCist. As we mentioned in the Morning Roundup, the D.C. public schools announced yesterday that an unexpected $40 million budget shortfall will require spending cuts and personnel reductions by the end of October. In a letter to teachers, George Parker, president of the Washington Teachers’ Union, expressed anger that the WTU was not notified of the cuts prior to yesterday’s announcement, and suggested that the…

In a letter sent last week to DCPS teachers, D.C. schools chancellor Michelle Rhee directly addressed ten of the most frequent concerns she hears from teachers, ranging from “Some people say that you want to fire all the veterans in DCPS and replace them with Teach For America teachers or DC Teaching Fellows. Is that true?” to “There are too many initiatives going on. I’m worn out and overwhelmed. What’s your priority?” Rhee admits,…

Sixty-one DCPS schools are serving as polling places in the District today, in addition to following a normal academic schedule. (The Washington Teachers’ Union had asked schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee to close the schools for election day, but their request was denied.) According to a spokesperson for the District, additional security has been put in place to ensure the safety of students, and “guarantees” have been made for light and heat (although one would hope…

Last Friday was payday for the 3,293 students at 15 D.C. middle schools who are enrolled in the District’s Capital Gains program. The pilot program, co-funded by the District and Harvard University, allows students to earn up to $100 every two weeks for meeting conditions based on good academics, attendance, and behavior. The average amount earned by students in the first pay period was $43, though district officials say they expect payouts to increase as…

Some notable finger pointing over the past week: a list showing 90 unfilled teacher vacancies surfaced, prompting complaints of a teacher shortage caused by Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s firing 270 teachers this summer; the long-awaited schools modernization plan was criticized by the D.C. council as incomplete and lacking community input; and a Washington Teachers Union information session about the quagmired teachers’ contract negotiations descended into name-calling and shouting matches. Perhaps Post columnist Jay Mathews had the…

WTU President George Parker speaks to the press after a small protest by teachers last week. Photo by Meaghan Gay for DCist. School starts on Monday, and even though Washington Teachers Union president George Parker recently told a group of protesting teachers that a tentative agreement could be expected within a week, it doesn’t look like we’re any closer to a contract vote for the District’s teachers. The negotiations hinge on D.C. Schools Chancellor…

Volunteer Opportunities: With school starting in two weeks, we figure it’s a good time to highlight some of the ways to get involved and support local students. Most volunteer programs are actively recruiting for the fall, and there’s really something for everyone, from mentoring to coaching to sharing your inner-geek as an after-school technology teacher. A few opportunities are featured below, and feel free to make additional suggestions in the comments. >> Not unlike last…