Members of PWEA have voted for a plan to mobilize for action. At Monday's All Member meeting, four actions were approved by the body: a writing campaign (including letters to the editor), attend and speak at meetings, Solidarity Days, and Work to the Rule. Information is posted on the Prince William Education Association facebook page. Please follow all applicable regulations.
Now is your time to share your personal hardship stories. Speak out and speak loudly! Together we have a strong voice.
BE PREPARED FOR THE UPCOMING GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION
It is a hectic but wonderful time of year. Most of us are balancing work with holiday preparations. Students are a bit distracted but excited. We are all looking forward to a needed break.
VEA and PWEA leadership are busy engaging our state elected officials in crucial conversations about public education funding. To access our Legislative Agenda go to http://www.veanea.org/assets/document/VA/2012LegislativeAgenda.pdf .
I am hoping all of you are cyber-lobbyists and will help our efforts to stop cuts to public education, save our Virginia Retirement System from becoming a defined contribution plan, and defeat measures like vouchers and tuition tax credits that take away from public school funding.
We are also monitoring what is happening on the local level. We will keep our members informed about local funding and what it will mean for PWC schools.
I wish you and your families a great winter break!
WE MUST BE ADVOCATES FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION
Elections are very near and it is imperative we use our vote to elect public education friendly candidates. Members will be receiving a post card, before Election Day, to inform them of PWEA’s Prince William Political Action Committee recommendations. Since November 8 is a workday for PWCS employees, you may want to vote early. We especially need to Save the Senate. Per pupil funding, continuing contract, tax dollars for private school vouchers or tax credits, and significant changes to our Virginia Retirement System may be imminent if we don’t elect pro-public education Senators. Please vote November 8 for public education!
MEG’S MESSAGE
At our recent Education 411 Symposium, VEA vice-president, Meg Gruber, remarked on how we need to switch our personal public conversations from complaining about our long hours and increasingly larger workloads, to positive comments about our students and their achievements. Broadcast your successes and the pride you take in making them happen. There is no testament more powerful than that from an educator who is making a difference.
LISTENING TO LILY
Our Education 411 Symposium was a huge success! Lily Eskelsen, NEA vice-president, was our keynote speaker. No one in the room could have missed her message. Conservative politicians and conservative corporations with big money want to destroy teachers' unions. Why? Because we are powerful and reject their reforms! Reflect upon what has happened this past year...think of Wisconsin, Alabama, and Florida....think of what will happen in Virginia if the General Assembly is controlled by anti-public education lawmakers.
Please do not be complacent about politics. We have heard the Governor may try to end continuing contracts, base salaries on test scores, and change our retirement (VRS) from a defined benefit to a defined contribution plan. He needs only two senate seats to gain control. SAVE THE SENATE! Our profession and advocacy for students and public education is at stake. Contact Bonnie to see how you can be involved in saving the senate.
Please do not be complacent about politics. We have heard the Governor may try to end continuing contracts, base salaries on test scores, and change our retirement (VRS) from a defined benefit to a defined contribution plan. He needs only two senate seats to gain control. SAVE THE SENATE! Our profession and advocacy for students and public education is at stake. Contact Bonnie to see how you can be involved in saving the senate.
DON'T MISS THE EDUCATION 411 SYMPOSIUM OCTOBER 1, 2011
You are reporting this has been the most stressful opening of school you can remember. The joyful experience of setting up classrooms, creating engaging lessons, and meeting the wonderful students, has been clouded by the dreary aspect of having to devote so much time and energy to learning all the new initiatives.
You need a fun learning day with PWEA.
Please join us on Saturday, October 1, 2011, for our first Education 411 Symposium. You can learn about education initiatives that impact your job and understand your role in politics. You can attend a session geared to answering frequently asked questions about the Professional Performance Process. Need to learn more about technology? We offer three different sessions related to this topic. Need strategies to help you work with ESOL/LEP students? We have that too. There is also a session which will give you ideas on how to work most effectively with Special Education Students, as well as collaborative teaching strategies.
Are you a first year teacher? Learn how to better organize your classroom, your students, and yourself. If you are an Education Support Professional, you may want to participate in the hands-on Group Wise and Employee-Self-Service session.
Learn more about our new benefit, the Employee Assistance Program. Two Employee Rights sessions, (one specifically for ESP’s), conducted by VEA Attorney’s, will inform you of your rights and the importance of standing up for those rights.
A session on De-Stressing, how opportune!
This is FREE to PWEA members. It counts as a flex day, and you receive recertification points. Lily Eskelsen, NEA Vice-President, will deliver a keynote that will knock your socks off!
Don’t miss the September 23, 2011 deadline! Find a registration form on our website at www.pweaveanea.org.
Welcome Back to The New School Year
And welcome to Bonnie's Blog! This blog will replace Prez Sez on our website and will keep updates and information coming your way in a more timely fashion.
So much has gone on this summer! PWEA members attended the National Education Association Representative Assembly, the Reggie Smith Organizing School, the Save our Schools march in Washington, D.C., and Activist training. We are energized and ready to ORGANIZE around issues of concern for public education.
Your Board of Directors and Uniserv staff took your survey results seriously as we met to plan for this school year. Our calendar of events and other information regarding our activism will be published soon.
LILY IS COMING!
Please save the date, Saturday, October 1, for our first 411 Education Symposium. Flyers will be at your worksites soon. NEA Vice-President, Lily Eskelsen will be our guest speaker.
Have a great beginning to your school year. Know that we are working for you.
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