Grade In

Sick of hearing that teachers are lazy? 

Tired of hearing about our “short hours”? 

Ever wish that you could show people just what it is that we really do? 

Then the grade-in is for you!

The grade-in is an event where

 hundreds of educators take up a

 space and grade papers or work in
a public place. It’s a chance for
the people of our counties to see

the kind of work we take home or

stay late to do, and to talk to them

 about some of the issues we face

 every day.

Here is what you need to know!

    Volunteers who sign up with Erin Merrill by February 1^st will get a stylish “Educator at Work” T-Shirt to wear at the Grade In.

    The grade-in will take place at the Spotsylvania Mall food court on February 18^th from 12 – 2 PM.

    Participants from several local associations will buy something from the Food Court, sit at a table, and grade papers or plan lessons while the public sits down with us and asks questions.

    Don’t expect to get too much work done though.  Our main purpose is to talk to the public about what it’s really like to be an educator.

Training Opportunity

Sign Up for Every Member Training by Jan. 13


VEA members are encouraged to take advantage of Every Member Training, to be held February 17-18 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Richmond. Attendees will choose from among three strands: Diversity/Social Justice; Emerging Leaders/Basic Leadership Skills; and Safe Schools-Civil Schools: Bullying and Harassment Prevention and Intervention. The sessions are limited to 20 participants each, so act now! The registration deadline is January 13. VEA pays for your lodging and group meals. Get more details from our flyer and application -access through the VEA web site.

Local VEA Retirement Seminar

REGIONAL RETIREMENT MEETING 2012


March 20 − Fredericksburg

4:30 - 6:00 pm

Ramada Inn

5342 Jeff Davis Hwy,

Fredericksburg, 22408

Important Message From VEA

If you're a VEA member, you will receive a phone call next week inviting you to participate in a unique event to discuss education issues with Virginia Sen. Mark Warner.


The event, a Tele-Town Hall meeting, will occur on Monday, November 28, at 6 p.m. You will be called at your home phone number around that time. When you answer, just stay on the line to be placed into the live Tele-Town Hall meeting with Sen. Warner. At that time, you'll also be told of options for asking a question of Sen. Warner.

This is a great opportunity to let Sen. Warner know your views on education policy and practice as Congress works on the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Sen. Warner is interested in hearing your ideas for building on and strengthening our education system.

Thank you for your commitment to Virginia's students. We look forward to your participation on Monday, November 28, at 6 p.m.

From Rob Jones sent to Cyber-Lobbyists-Are You One?

I have not written since the elections. Partly because we've been extremely busy, and partly because I just needed to ponder the results.



I thank each of you who worked in the campaigns for friends of education, and I thank all of you who voted. We won eight of our twelve targeted races. The VEA Fund recommended 36 House candidates. Twenty-three of those candidates won for a winning percentage of 64%. The VEA Fund recommended 25 Senate candidates. Nineteen of those candidates won for a winning percentage of 76%.



We lost the Senator that has most helped us in recent years, Edd Houck. We lost a true friend of public education Roscoe Reynolds. Those losses hurt.



As the session looms ahead, I think back to my years of teaching. You teach the ones they send you each year, knowing that the parents are sending their best. We'll be lobbying the legislators the voters have sent us - looking for the most effective means of advocating for the cause of public education.



Elections do matter. The one that just occurred will have consequences. As we look ahead, much is unanswered regarding the course Virginia takes. What remains to be seen is whether or not the Senate, under new leadership, will protect our schools from the will of a House prepared to exact deep cuts in funding for our schools.



It is time to move beyond the elections, and much is on our plate. Two items need your immediate attention.

First, Senator Mark Warner wants to talk with you about the re-authorization of ESEA and other pre-K through 12 education-related topics. We are working with the Senator on a tele-town-hall meeting which will take place on Monday, November 28th at 6 p.m. He'll be calling your home to invite you to join the meeting. Please mark the date on your calendar and plan to participate.



Second, Governor McDonnell is preparing the first of two biennial budgets he will submit. Please write to the Governor urging him to make education his top priority. Click on the link below to write today:



http://www.capwiz.com/nea/va/issues/alert/?alertid=56775501&type=SW



The House Appropriations Committee retreat began yesterday at Staunton’s Stonewall Jackson Hotel. The revenue outlook is not rosy, and, according to Staff Director Robert Vaughan, "Budget reductions may be needed to maintain fiscal balance."



How do they plan to cut education funding? The report offers some hints.



They will not include "one time" increases in the last budget (per-pupil supplement, composite index hold harmless, and performance pay). This reduces the base-line by $231.1 million.

Targeted Reductions and Reallocation Plans include the following:



• Suspend secondary planning period standard

• Fund teacher retirement at the state employer rate (8.80% rather than 11.71%)

• Adjust instructional salaries based only on state recognized salary incentives (FYI – that means 0%)

• Continue the current funding per-pupil amount for textbook payments

• Adjust the additional basic aid add-on percentage for At-Risk payments

• Eliminate funding tier level for K-3 Class Size Reduction program

• Reduce or eliminate technology VPSA grants (funds for computer hardware and software)



The cuts to state funding should be considered in the context of the fact that Virginia's per-pupil elementary and secondary school revenue from state sources now ranks 35th in the nation. The average state provides $5,725 per pupil – Virginia provides $5,115.



We certainly have a challenge ahead in the 2012 session.



Thank you,



Robley Jones

Are You A Cyberlobbyist?

Want to know what is going on at the State level?
Want an easy way to lobby for Public Education?
Want your voice to be counted?

Go to the link on the right and sign up to be a cyberlobbyist.
It's quick, it's easy, it's important!

Instructional Conference

Act Now! Sign Up for VEA’s Instructional Conference, Nov. 18-19




Make plans to attend VEA's fall Instructional Conference, to be held November 18-19 in Richmond at the Westin Richmond hotel. The theme of the conference is "Advancing Teaching, Learning, and Leading." The conference kicks off Friday evening with a special Virginia premiere of "Mitchell 20." This documentary film follows the story of Daniela Robles, an Arizona teacher at a high-needs school who recruited 20 fellow teachers to go through a portion or the full process of National Board Certification. The inspiring and thought-provoking events that follow comprise a powerful story of leadership and hope. On Saturday, you will choose from a variety of short workshop options. Topics include classroom discipline, developing a grant proposal, teacher leadership, fostering creativity, workplace issues for support professionals, and others. Cost to VEA members for the conference, including materials and meals on Saturday, is only $50, double occupancy. For a single room, you'll pay $100. Housing and registration deadline for the conference is October 28, 2011. Get all the details here and register online now! (And if you can promote the conference, please download and distribute our flyer.)