Getting on Board

Congratulations to successful CEA-endorsed School Board candidates: incumbent David Wyman (Dale), and challenger Tom Doland (Matoaca) who will be returning to the Board after a 4-year absence.  They will join unopposed victors Patty Carpenter (Midlothian) and Dianne Smith (Clover Hill), as well as Carrie Coyner (Bermuda) who defeated CEA-endorsed candidate Stella Edwards.

This iteration of the school board should be very student-centered and employee-friendly as both Doland and Smith are career educators who worked as front-line employees and as administrators within CCPS. Carpenter has always shown a community-sensitive focus, and Wyman has brought a highly rational, process-based approach to school division oversight.  While Ms. Coyner was not an endorsed candidate, in my discussions with her she has expressed a desire to elevate the level of community involvement with schools.  During his first run for school board, Mr. Wyman was not endorsed by the CEA, but we have been most impressed with the way he set about the task of learning the inns and outs of school governance and applying those aspects of his work in the business world.

I look forward to working with all of the Board members to continue to advance the democratically (small "d") agreed upon interests of CEA Members, as well as on behalf of all public school educators in Chesterfield who have yet to realize the value of collective action, toward our goal of creating the best school environments for employees and the students they educate.

Practice What We Teach

Tomorrow, as you all know, is Election Day; polls open at 6:00 AM and close at 7:00 PM.

Due to redistricting in the General Assembly, some polling locations have changed.  You should have received a new voter registration card in the mail earlier this month.  If you are unsure where you should vote, you may find your polling location here:  https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/PublicSite/Public/FT2/PublicPollingPlace.aspx

In 2007, the last local election for School Board and Supervisors, only 25% of registered voters cast ballots.  Think about that: 75% of the people who could have had a say in the management of our community chose not to.  Were you part of the "silent majority?"  I truly hope not!

As educators, we are the foundation for a working democracy; we show young people how to access and evaluate information to make the best choices from among what is known (not to mention understanding what is knowable in the first place).  And while schools are no longer the gateways to information access that they were before the electronic information revolution, they continue to be the guiding authority on information usage.  The critical thinking skills taught in our public schools are more important than ever with the widespread availability of information.  Since misinformation can be spread just as easily (and sadly, just as intentionally), the ability to discern useful information, relevant information and even truthful information from among the literally millions of individual pieces of data that can be called up at the push of a button at practically any time and place is paramount to having an educated citizenry capable of making meaningful choices for the betterment of their lives and community.

So please make the time to vote tomorrow.  We would not accept 25% as a demonstration of high quality and "best effort" from our students, why would we model such apathy in our civic responsibility?  And when you vote tomorrow, please keep in mind that the CEA-endorsed candidates have all been vetted through a process including written and face-to-face interviews, and have expressed agreement with and support for CEA's positions on improving public education for the families of Chesterfield County.

Phone Banking for Endorsed Candidates is Underway

As you know, on October 13, the CEA Fund for Children and Public Education endorsed candidates in three school board races and two supervisor races.  In addition to our endorsement, the candidates need our field support as well.  A number of CEA members have already given several hours of their personal time to support the candidates through neighborhood walks, and several more members will be coming into the office this week after the close of business to work phone banks to help get Friends of Education elected locally.

But we need more help!  If you live in the district of one of our endorsed candidates and would be willing to place a support sign in your yard, please let us know which sign(s) you need.  And no matter which district you live in, if you are willing to work at one or more of the voting precincts before or after school hours on Election Day, to help inform undecided voters about our endorsed candidates, please contact us and we will get you the lists of available times and locations.  There are a total of 40 polling precincts (31 schools, 9 churches, 1 library and 1 fire department) that need coverage: most of them are schools where you may already work.  Won't you consider sticking around to help get our candidates the few extra votes that may make the difference in whether schools and the people who learn and work in them are a top priority for the next 4 years?  To see if your school is conveniently on the list, click here: http://www.chesterfield.gov/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=16661

In all cases, please talk to YOUR neighbors, friends, and family, about YOUR CEA-endorsed candidates and what their election means for YOU and YOUR students.  Get Out the Vote!

CEA-Endorsed Candidates who need your help in the neighborhoods and at the polls:

For School Board from Matoaca: Tom Doland;

For School Board from Dale: David Wyman;

For School Board from Bermuda: Stella Edwards;

For Supervisor from Bermuda: Mark Fausz.   

Endorsed Candidates Visit Rep Council

All four CEA-endorsed candidates for the local school board and supervisor races dropped by the monthly Rep Council meeting at the Midlothian MS library/media center to thank us for our endorsements, to stress their most important thoughts on the state of public education in Chesterfield, and to ask Reps to convey to members in all the buildings the need to get everyone they know to vote on November 8th.

Mark Fausz (for Bermuda Supervisor) arrived early and spent some time talking directly with individual Reps.  As a small business owner and newspaper editor (both, The Village News), Mark has formed significant  relationships with the business community in especially the Bermuda but also the Dale and Matoaca districts where his paper has its primary circulation.  Mark understands how the media (at the national level) has demonized teachers and their pensions, yet it has ignored the reality of the local classroom and the effect of continued under-funding on morale.  During his remarks he stressed that as Supervisor he would cast his vote in support of increased school funding, with a specific emphasis on employee salaries.

Stella Edwards (for Bermuda School Board) resisted what would have been the easy temptation to say, "Hey, vote for me because I'm one of you," or to put extra emphasis on her tenure on the CEA Board of Directors as a former Member-at-Large.  Instead she stressed the importance of partnerships and relationships that she has forged with CCPS and the County Government through her leadership in Chesterfield PTA/PTSA.  In addition to educator salaries that are competitive with Henrico and other neighboring jurisdictions, she supports greater CEA representation on CCPS advisory committees.  With Stella's child-centered social justice background, I cannot think of a more tailor-made candidate for school board with the possible exception of...

Tom Doland (for Matoaca School Board) reminded Reps that during his previous term on the school board, when he served as vice chair and then chair, he was the major proponent of the changes to the CCPS salary schedule that corrected the long-standing depression in the middle of the scale where most of our veteran teachers fell farther and farther behind their peers in neighboring divisions.  Having watched all that progress slip away the past four years, Tom will emphasize making our salaries competitive again, including publicly advocating for legislation and support from the state if our local supervisors will not provide the needed funding!  Tom has served for 32 years in CCPS both at the building-level and in a supervisory role at central office; he understands the need for greater balance in front-line and administrative responsibilities.  Part of maintaining that balance requires having teachers and support personnel more involved in the decision-making process.  To achieve that, he would like to see more CEA members appointed to CCPS advisory committees.

David Wyman (for Dale School Board), the only contested incumbent to receive an endorsement, not only thanked the Reps and told them what he's done and what he planned to do, he stayed for the entire rest of the meeting, listening to members' concerns, and observing how our dedicated professionals look for solutions to problems rather than just complaining.  Though David did not carry our endorsement in his first run for school board, he made it a priority to get to know CEA and our issues through then-president Lois Stanton, and has since continued to engage in very candid conversations with current CEA President Frank Cardella.  He has shown the courage to publicly advocate for increased school funding for improved salaries and decreased class sizes, even going so far as to wade into the politically murky waters of calling for a tax increase if that was the only way to get schools what they need.  Like Stella and Tom, David supports greater CEA representation on CCPS advisory committees and feels that our members have a lot of creative talent to offer the system beyond the classrooms.

If CEA members do everything they can to help elect Stella, Tom, and David to join unopposed school board candidates Patty Carpenter (Midlothian) and Dianne Smith (Clover Hill), we will have a super-majority on the board with a pro-student, pro-employee agenda.  And if CEA members do everything they can to help elect Mark to the Board of Supervisors, we stand a fighting chance of actually getting the funding needed to ensure a Great Public School for Every Child in Chesterfield County, and to set the system back on track to becoming a First Choice Employer.            

CEA Fund Endorses Candidates

The CEA Fund for Children and Public Education, the independently supported political action committee of the Chesterfield Education Association, met yesterday to discuss options for endorsing candidates in local races.  After hours of discussion and debate, the following endorsements were voted in the affirmative:

• For School Board from Bermuda: Stella Edwards;
• For School Board from Dale: David Wyman;
• For School Board from Matoaca: Tom Doland;

• For Supervisor from Bermuda: Mark Fausz;
• For Supervisor from Midlothain: Dan Gecker (unopposed).

(An endorsement for David Bernard in Virginia Senate District 10 had been previously forwarded to VEA.)

Informational talking points about each of the endorsed candidates are available through the CEA Office.  

The CEA Fund employs a strict process for ensuring that all announced candidates have the opportunity to seek and gain our endorsement.  All candidates were sent a questionnaire by registered mail that allowed them to take position for or against, and make preliminary comments on, issues related to public education in Chesterfield County and in general.  Regardless of a candidate's answers, s/he was invited to a panel interview if s/he returned the completed questionnaire.  Only candidates completing both parts of the process were eligible for endorsement. The interviewers then presented their findings at a scheduled meeting of the Fund committee to which all Fund members were invited and sent advance notification.  After presentation by the interview panelists, any member of the Fund could move a position of endorsement for ANY of the candidates who completed the process, or could move a position of "no endorsement" for a given race.

*All financial support for candidates provided by the CEA Fund is raised through separate donations by the Fund members; in accordance with federal law, regular CEA membership dues are NOT used.

Remember, when discussing political issues on school grounds during work hours, it IS permissible to be informative ("The CEA has endorsed Candidate X in race A."); however it is NOT permissible to be directive ("You should vote for Candidate Y in race B.").  If you have specific questions regarding "political speech" as it relates to the Acceptable Use Policy, please contact the CEA Office for advice.          

Rep Council Reminder: Tuesday, September 20

Just a brief reminder that the CEA Rep Council meets tomorrow, September 20, 2011, in the Library/Media Center at Manchester Middle School on Hull Street Road (see map at bottom of page).  The meeting officially begins at 4:30 pm, but Reps are welcome to arrive between 4:05-4:25 for light refreshments and social time, as well as a chance to consult with Member Benefits providers about ways to save money through your membership in CEA!

We're doing something a little different at Rep Council this year, called "Keeping Our Vision 20/20."  Each monthly meeting will have a theme, and will include two separate 20 minute activities, one for relaxation and fun during the social time, and another that includes a Rep Training component during the main meeting, typically at 5:00 pm.  It is my hope that you will find these activities enjoyable and helpful in managing the stress of our jobs, as we work to advance the goals ("Vision") of the CEA.  This month's theme is Interpersonal Interaction, so please join us at 4:05 for our version of "Family Game Night" and play a few rounds of classic board games to relax at the end of the work day.

CEA Rep Council meetings are open to ALL members, so feel free to bring along a friend (they just won't get to vote on action items).  The agenda has been sent by email earlier today, so please glance over it ahead of time, and bring any member concerns in writing to help facilitate the process.

Thanks and see you tomorrow night!

~Frank  

PTA Honors Retiring School Board Members

Last night at the CCPS school board meeting, Chesterfield County Council of PTA/PTSA President Stella Edwards presented Marshall Trammell and Diane Pettitt with Virginia PTA Lifetime Memberships in recognition of nearly two decades of service to the children of Chesterfield County.  Both Ms. Pettitt and Mr. Trammell have announced their retirement from the school board at the end of 2011, choosing not to seek reelection.  Both have served as Chair of the school board multiple times, each stewarding the board for a year during this difficult financial period that has come to be known as the "Great Recession," and which has seen the funding of public schools in Chesterfield County dwindle to smaller and smaller percentages of the County's also shrinking general budget.

As the liaison for CEA on the County Council Executive Board, I assisted Ms. Edwards with the presentation, further underscoring the relationship between PTA and CEA, whose primary advocacy efforts are for the children and the educators who guide them, respectively.  Having worked with Mr. Trammell and Ms. Pettitt personally over the past 10 years in my capacity as CEA Treasurer, Vice President, and currently as President, I know that they have not always felt good about the decisions that they have had to make regarding employee salaries and school budgets, but I believe that they have always taken their charge seriously and made the difficult decisions that will always be unpopular to some of their constituents at some point in time.  While we have not always agreed on the appropriate resolution to every issue, I respect their service and commitment to children and public education.

      

Welcome Back CEA!

The Chesterfield Education Association would like to welcome back all of our members to the 2011-12 school year!  We'd also like to extend a warm welcome to our newest members who have chosen to be a part of their local professional organization and help advocate for children and public education.  Whether you are new to the school system or a veteran of public education in Chesterfield, we are here to help you have the best year that you can.

This year is going to be a rebuilding year for our schools and for public education in general.  All of the funding cuts that CCPS classrooms and employees have had to withstand over the past three years have taken a heavy toll both on the physical status of our students' learning environment, be it in the form of unmet maintenance needs, inadequate capacity, missing/worn out equipment and unreplaced supplies, or simply insufficient amounts of materials to meet students' needs, as well as the morale of our educators who have been asked to make up these budget shortfalls through their own generosity while simultaneously accepting salary reductions, so that the disruption to student learning can be minimized.

CEA has been the loudest voice for educators during this funding crisis, and has worked locally with the superintendent, the school board, and the supervisors to keep the issues most critical to employees and students at the forefront of the discussion.  CEA has also worked in partnership with our state affiliate, the Virginia Education Association, to inform and influence legislators in the General Assembly, supporting programs and initiatives to raise high school graduations rates, local control for school board funding decisions, state support for National Board Certification, and reminding the General Assembly of its constitutional obligation to adequately fund public education in the Commonwealth.  Most significantly, CEA and VEA have been successful in preventing efforts to undermine the Virginia Retirement System (VRS), and to divert money away from the public school system through tuition tax credits and voucher programs.

But none of this happens in a vacuum; it happens through the efforts of CEA Members like you!  Thanks to your actions, our Cyberlobby program has grown each year, and we hope that trend continues.  Our national affiliate, the NEA makes the technology available to us locally so that you can just put in your zip code and click on the talking points that you feel strongly about, and send a letter to your legislator in literally under 2 minutes.  Of course, you have full control to add your own words and tell your own classroom story, and we encourage you to do so.  Legislators make decisions based on what they hear from their constituents: with over 2000 local constituents in the CEA, 60,000 statewide in VEA, and over 3.2 MILLION educators belonging to the NEA, our voices can and should be heard loud and clear!

I stated earlier that this is a rebuilding year.  As the economy begins to make the wide turn back in a positive direction, local and state leaders will be cautious to not present too overly optimistic a picture of economic recovery, but we are already seeing some indications that revenues will rise in the coming year.  It is imperative that we share the message that the public schools system, its students, and its employees have done their part in keeping the ship from sinking, have made their sacrifices for the common good of our community.  Now it is time for the community to reinvest in schools, in teachers, in custodians and bus drivers, and in all of the workers who make Chesterfield County Public Schools a top-rated place to educate a child.

But to send that message louder and stronger, we need each of you to join in the chorus, to add your voices and those of your colleagues to the message: Back to Schools.  As money begins to flow back into the state's and county's general fund, that money needs to go Back to Schools.  The money that was taken away from educators through salary cuts and furlough days: that money needs to go Back to Schools.  The money that was removed from the capital improvement budget that pays for needed repairs and capacity in buildings: that money needs to go Back to Schools.  The money that the governor put into other projects instead of VRS which now threatens to reduce our retirement benefits as much as 48%: that money needs to go Back to Schools.  If we want CCPS to be the cornerstone of a thriving, highly desirable community, and to have the pick of the region for top talent leading our classroom learning environments, then that money needs to go Back to Schools.

Again I thank you for your membership in the CEA, your only active, local, and completely member-funded employee advocacy organization.  And if you are not a part of CEA, but you're reading this and thinking that maybe it's the right time for you to become a part of the team that champions your cause, trust me, it really is.

Welcome Back to School and Back to CEA.                  

Communications Overhaul

More Big Changes to CEA Communications

Posted by F. Cardella

Updates. They weren't very frequent last year. We heard you. The new website added a lot of content, but it wasn't as user-friendly as we'd hoped (nor was it as webmaster friendly). We received a number of props on the new look, as well as the information available, but ultimately we just couldn't meet demand from the office. So we're making changes again. The website will soon be revamped and connected to other companion information vehicles as part of a broader CEA Communications Plan. We hope you will find it more useful and relevant. It will certainly be simpler and faster to update, while still providing the information you are asking for most. As always, please continue to let us know what works and what doesn't, so we can try to continually meet the needs of our diverse membership. Thanks for your patience while the dust settles.

5 6 7  8-Part Plan

Wow, every time we think we've got it all figured out, we talk to a member who gives us a new idea.  While some parts of the plan have been implemented throughout the year, let me share the progress of the plan as a whole.  The 8-Part Plan includes all of the following ways to communicate with CEA:

1. The Website: WWW.CEAonline.org (links, phone numbers, documents, and basic info)
2. The Blogs: CEAstories (the issues and events blog) and Frankly Speaking (the President's blog)
3. The YouTube Channel: ChannelCEA (internally and externally generated content) 
4. The Facebook Page: Chesterfield Education Association (quick updates, reminders, polls, and opinions) 
5. The E-mail account: first initial followed by last name @ veanea.org (we are not on ccpsnet.net) 
6. The Newsletter: CEA Emphasis (hardcopy updates of CEA working for you)
7. The Live Visits: Wednesday Walks (on-site conversations with the President and UDs)
8. The Building Reps: First Responders (the ones closest to the action and the people you know best)