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If there was one message that came out of the June 25 healthcare reform rally on Capitol Hill, it was that healthcare reform cannot wait. The demand from the crowd of nearly 10,000 was for affordable, high-quality healthcare with the choice of a public or private option—now!
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Directions to the New WEEL/AFT-WEA Office
625 Andover Park West, Suite 111 Tukwila, WA 98188 For driving directions, click the title link. |
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Randi Weingarten, who was elected AFT president one year ago, announced on June 24 that she will devote herself full time to that role and is stepping down from her position as president of the United Federation of Teachers in New York City, effective July 31.
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Washington Educators in Early Learning/AFT-WEA is proud to annouce the first winner of the Dorothy Gibson award. This new annual award honors one of our first and most active members, Dorothy Gibson. It is an award that focuses on our major purpose: organizing to change the balance of power. A true early education pioneer, Dorothy set in motion the fight for child care directors, owners, and workers to receive worthy wages, respect, and access to professional development. Years ago, she recognized the need for early childhood educators to come together to solve problems and tackle issues such as quality child care, apprenticeship, and employment benefits. Nominees for the award included Tyson Fellman, April Krubally, Marci McLaughlin, and Pam Wilson. At the leadership meeting on May 30, 2009 Dorothy announced the winner and presented the very first annual award to Marci McLaughlin. Click the title of this article to read Dorothy's speech and view images of the nominees with her. |
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Do you know a WEEL/AFT-WEA member who has gone above and beyond the call of leadership to become a role model for all members and leaders? If so, please nominate her or him for the Dorothy Gibson Award. The Dorothy Gibson award, a new award we will give annually, honors one of WEEL/AFT-WEA's first and most active members, Dorothy Gibson. It is an award that focuses on our major purpose: organizing to change the balance of power. A true early education pioneer, Dorothy Gibson set in motion the fight for child care directors, owners, and workers to receive worthy wages, respect, and access to professional development. Click the title of this announcement to read more about the award and how submit your nomination. |
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Child care owners, directors, and teachers speak up about the real facts on forming a union.
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On February 16, 2009 WEEL/AFT-WEA members and advocates lobbied their representatives for passage of HB 1329 and SB 5572, the Access to Quality Child Care Act!
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by The Seattle Medium
The Seattle Medium Originally posted 3/11/2009  OLYMPIA – Recounting past childhood experiences, Rep. Eric Pettigrew (D – 37th Dist.) spoke of the educational benefits of quality child care. Raised by a single mother in south-central Los Angeles, Pettigrew said that his child care center was the only steady thing in his life. “Child care centers provide stable, equal education for all of our kids,” Pettigrew said. “Education gives us hope, regardless of where you’re from.” |
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From the Seattle PI
By BRIAN SLODYSKO
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Some child care workers could get collective bargaining rights under a bill passed by the House on Monday. The bill passed on a 65-31 vote and is now headed to the Senate, which is already considering a similar measure. The House bill allows child care workers to unionize if the day care or school they work for accepts state subsidies for low-income children. |
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ELLs in Early Childhood Education: Recruiting Immigrant Families: This article by Colorín Colorado is the first of a two-part series that details the importance of enrolling English language learners in preschool. The article also examines how preschools may better meet the needs of ELL students.
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The National Early Literacy Panel, which convened in 2002, today issued its final report. Its findings show that young children’s exposure to and mastery of several emergent literacy skills, such as knowing the alphabet, understanding how books work, and awareness of the sounds in words, are strong to moderate predictors of their later reading skills.
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On May 1, 2008 -- Worthy Wage Day -- WEEL/AFT-WEA presented Washington State Representative Eric Pettigrew a Children's Champion Award for his commitment to ensuring good early learning environments for children and good working environments for the adults responsible for their care amd education. The award was presented by Angie Maxie, director of Tiny Tots Development Center in Seattle. Parents, children, and WEEL/AFT-WEA staff were onhand to congratulate Representative Pettigrew and to thank him for his continued support.
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The 18th Annual Embracing Early Childhood Conference was held in Wenatchee again this year. The title of the conference this year was The Collaborative Journey. The conference sponsored two special key-note presentations with Dr. Sal Severe, who has written the books How to Behave So Your Children Will, Too! and How to Behave So Your Preschooler Will, Too! and Scott Liebler, who developed his unique Funsical program to provide curriculum to develop children’s motor skills.
Linda Tyler Murray, a WEEL Organizer from Yakima, presented the Transitioning To Kindergarten: A Toolkit for Early Childhood at the Wenatchee conference.
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What are very young children capable of learning? What are the potential cognitive gains of the preschool years? How can preschools maximize these gains so as to help reduce America’s enduring achievement gap? Information on how content-rich programs ensure the best investment of valuable preschool dollars.
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New Tool Calculates Family Budgets
The New Tool Calculates Family Budgets |
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Here's an opportunity for you and others to provide input. The Department of Early Learning is seeking input from educators, families, and advocates about their priorities for a statewide kindergarten assessment process in
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Would you like the opportunity to become a Child Care Assistant/Associate I, Child Care Site Coordinator/Associate II, or an Educational Paraprofessional? Or would you like the chance to bring apprenticeship to your center? The Washington State Early Care and Education Apprenticeship Program can assist you in meeting your goal. Find out how credit for previous experience, on-the-job training, and classroom study can help you or your employees obtain journeyperson status in the field!
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Are you interested in becoming a registered early learning apprentice so that you can EARN while you LEARN? Discover how the Washington Early Care and Education Apprenticeship Program combines on-the-job training with theoretical instruction to produce certified child care specialists and educational paraprofessionals.
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State Representative Eric Pettigrew recently met with Robert and Tracey Delgardo, owners of Toddler Tech Day Care Center at their site. |
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On March 6, 2008 early learning workers rallied for improvement in our field. WEEL/AFT-WEA members joined with SEIU Local 925 members to specifically ask why YMCA wanted to stop 10,000 teachers and directors from voting on whether to form a union.
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Learn about a great new resource from the Office of Head Start!
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To all of You, a beautiful poem by Organizer and Teacher Christy Halbert from the Spokane area.
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Spokesman-Review | 3/6/08, Groups push to unionize day care
Richard Roesler, Staff Writer OLYMPIA - When Spokane's Christine Halbert took her first child care job a decade ago, her training consisted of being shown the room and left alone with the kids.The pay? Minimum wage. [read the full article in print view]
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Every year the state legislature passes laws that have a tremendous impact on your salary, health care, retirement benefits, academic freedoms, and much more. Want to find out about what's going on? Sign up for our GetActive email!
When you sign up, you will also receive the AFT Washington Legisletter at your personal or home address. |
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WEEL/AFT-WEA and SEIU members, supporters, children, and staff met in Olympia on January 21, 2008 to march and meet with legislators in a show of support for upcoming early education legislation. Click the article title to view photos of this successful event! |
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SB 6522/HB 2449, providing collective bargaining for child care center directors and workers, is being considered by the state Legislature. To find out more information, click on the headline for a FACT SHEET about this legislation.
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You know you've lived a good, long while when the branches of your life circle back to tap you on the shoulder. And you know you've lived a good life filled with good people when the branches that are tip, tap, tapping your shoulders are full of love and fond memories. |
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Early learning staff seek to establish an all-inclusive, statewide Association with bargaining rights to represent their interests with the State, raise standards and improve the quality of early learning and care. |
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Monitor Washington State legislative committee meetings and agendas for the coming legislative session. |
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If your membership has expired, it is time to renew!
This is an exciting time in the field of early learning. Because people like you saw value in becoming a member of the Child Care Workforce Alliance of Washington, we have grown in numbers and clout. At a leadership retreat in June your colleagues chose a new name that more accurately reflects the important work in which you are involved: Washington Educators in Early Learning (WEEL). Because of your support, we have come this far, and we need your continuing support to succeed. Click on the link above for a more in-depth article and a link to a renewal application. |
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Find out how WEEL staff and leaders met with their U.S. Representatives and Senators. You too can meet with your representative to voice your concerns about early learning, the value of working with children, and support for early learning educators' needs for higher wages, benefits, and educational opportunities. |
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Welcome to the website of Washington Educators in Early Learning (formerly called Child Care Workforce Alliance of Washington), a project of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the Center for the Childcare Workforce.
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Join WEEL
When you join WEEL, you become part of the campaign for:
Membership in the Washington Educators in Early Learning makes you a part of a growing movement to guarantee early care and educational professionals get the better wages, benefits, and respect they deserve. |
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Get STARS continuing education credit for professional development through WEEL, a STARS-certified training organization.
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