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About e-source
VEA is proud to send you this e-source newsletter, a tip-filled resource to help you on the job and in your profession. These monthly dispatches will keep you informed about the latest news affecting your job and will help you take advantage of all the resources offered by your Association. If you'd rather not receive the e-source again, click the "Unsubscribe" button at bottom right.
For the latest information and resources for Virginia educators, go to www.veanea.org. Share this e-source! Click at bottom left to forward this message to your colleagues. |  |
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VEA Members Brave Snowstorm to Attend Lobby Day Feb. 1 |
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Nearly a foot of snow fell in the Richmond area last weekend, but that didn't stop close to 200 Association members from around the state from attending VEA Lobby Day February 1. In one of many visits to lawmakers, representatives of Education Association of Alexandria (EAA) met with Del. Charniele Herring and presented her with VEA's "Rookie of the Year" award for getting a perfect score on VEA's legislative report card. "For you to step up as a first-year legislator and vote 100 percent with us on our issues is fantastic," said Kim Blake-Wilcox of EAA. Then, getting down to the business at hand, they asked for her support on the budget and on protecting the Virginia Retirement System. Blake-Wilcox said an event such as Lobby Day is one way to focus lawmakers' attention on the needs of educators and their students. "We try to be instrumental in helping friends of education get elected, and once they are in, it's our responsibility to keep their eyes on the prize," she said. Learn more about Lobby Day activities here, and view our photos at our Flickr site.
Your Calendar: February 8 is the deadline for making nominations for this year's awards from the Fitz Turner Commission (FTC). FTC seeks nominations for individuals or groups who have demonstrated positive human relationships in your education community and helped to encourage leadership development. Details in this brochure.
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You May Win Free iPod Touch! Fan the VEA on Facebook |
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Here's another incentive to hop onto Facebook: VEA will be giving away a free iPod Touch when we reach 1,500 fans linked. (We're at 800 now.) Once we hurtle past the 1,500 mark, we’ll select one of our fans at random to receive the iPod. The lucky person will be able to listen to their tunes, view photos and videos and, of course, browse their Facebook updates from the VEA (and everyone else). So, if you have not yet become a fan, go now to www.facebook.com/VirginiaEducationAssociation or search VEA on Facebook.
Food for Thought: Is scheduling recess just before lunch better for elementary school students? A fascinating article in the New York Times suggests it is. Only 5 percent of schools schedule recess right before lunch, but those that do report a drop in food waste and fewer afternoon trips to the nurse's office. Learn more here.
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Virginia Schools Facing a 'Freight Train' of Budget Cuts |
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"If something isn't done to stop the out-of-control freight train that is heading down the track in the form of the impending budget for Virginia, our students, their parents, and our school professionals won't know what ran over them by this time next year." That’s the message VEA President Kitty Boitnott gave reporters at a recent news briefing at the General Assembly. VEA's analysis of the current state budget is that at least 23,000 education jobs are on the chopping block. Class sizes will go up and worthy programs, both academic and extracurricular, will fall by the wayside if the cuts are sustained. Overburdened staff have little hope of keeping up. "Quality of instruction…will unquestioningly plummet," she said. Here's how you can help protect education funding.
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Spread the word. Let your friends, neighbors, and others in your social networks know how much schools will be harmed by budget cuts. Recommend Support Virginia Schools, a web site we set up with the general public in mind.
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Resources on African-American and Women’s History |
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VEA staff member Tami Sober, liaison to the VEA Minority and Women's Concerns Committee, suggests several resources to check out for use during African-American History Month (February) or Women's History Month (March). Her emphasis is on practical materials with downloadable resources you can easily put to use. Check out her recommendations here.
Legal Reminder: A Chesapeake teacher recently was suspended for showing the 1971 version of the film, "Macbeth" to his senior class. The film, which includes some nudity, was not from the school division's educational resource center. VEA Attorney Dena Rosenkrantz reminds you why you must stick with your district's policy on materials here.
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Learn to Give Quality Feedback to Your Students |
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To improve, learners need detailed feedback on their performance. But what specific techniques can teachers use to make sure their feedback to students is as valuable as it can be? Susan Brookhart answers that question in this month's Virginia Journal of Education. "Making Feedback Work" explains what effective feedback looks like and gives particular applications for reaching struggling learners. Read the story here.
Take Note: Are you planning to retire? VEA members are welcome to attend one of VEA's 10 regional retirement meetings, which run from March 8 through April 21. Details on locations and dates here.
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Battle Over Your Retirement Benefits Is On |
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VEA has made clear for the past year that the Virginia Retirement System—source of your retirement security—is under attack. Lawmakers are considering a variety of changes, and several bills already have been introduced that would cut pension benefits. VEA's position is that educators, who are not paid handsomely to begin with, deserve a pension that will allow them to retire with dignity. In the current climate, however, it will be difficult to forestall any and all changes to VRS. That's why it's especially important to "grandfather" employees who have already begun employment in a VRS-covered position. Language in the introduced budget from former Gov. Kaine left open a door to providing inferior benefits to employees who switch school divisions or take a few years off before returning to the classroom. VEA prefers Del. Lacey Putney's approach (HB 1189) because it grandfathers all current employees and those with prior VRS service credit. Stay informed as developments warrant, and send your representatives in the General Assembly a clear message that educators deserve a fair retirement.
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