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Happy First Friday of February! I hope everyone enjoyed the bonus week off. Special thanks to everyone who worked so hard to get schools back open safely, and for the abundance of patience we all needed to navigate the complexities of this storm.
February is a month filled with various celebrations, holidays, and observances, including Valentine's Day, Black History Month, the Superbowl, and cultural festivals around the world. We also celebrate School Counselors, Crossing Guards, and much more. Please see a few resources below from VEA including a "Black Lives Matter at School" toolkit, and a flyer about HBCU Pride Week.
Be safe this weekend.
News for Support Staff
There will be a check in Zoom on February 11th from 5:30 to 6:30. Please use the following link to join:
ESP Legislative Briefing Set for February 10Education Support Professionals and their allies are invited to a VEA Legislative Briefing to hear the most up-to-date developments from this year’s General Assembly. Hear how your Union is working to expand and protect rights of ESPs and all VEA members, all of whom are invited to attend—we encourage you to invite potential members, too. The Legislative Briefing is February 10, 2026 from 6 to 7 pm via Zoom. Registration required. |
Black Lives Matter Tool Kit
Get Involved/Take Action
Upcoming APS Community Engagement Opportunities:
Sat, Feb. 7 APS Career Expo: Explore opportunities, connect candidates to APS and interview on-site
10 am – 2 pm Wakefield High School, 1325 S Dinwiddie St. 22206
Thu, Feb. 26 School Board Meeting: Superintendent’s Proposed Budget Presentation
7:00 pm Watch School Board meeting online, on Comcast Ch. 70, Verizon Ch. 41 or at Syphax Education Center, 2nd FL, 2110 Washington Blvd. 22204
The 2026 Honored Citizen Nomination form is now available
Nominate a deserving volunteer in your school community. Every year, the School Board recognizes volunteers who have made outstanding contributions to Arlington Public Schools. Details about this award and nomination can be accessed here. The nomination deadline is Fri, March 13.
More at: Community Engagement Opportunities with automatic translation into: Español Монгол አማርኛ العربية (Other languages)
Arlington Community Opportunities and Events:
Winter storms create a higher risk of car accidents, hypothermia, frostbite, carbon monoxide poisoning, and heart attacks from overexertion. Winter storms can bring extreme cold, freezing rain, snow, ice and high winds.
Free Places to Stay Warm: Community centers, libraries, and shopping malls
For Assistance with Heat Repairs or Utility Bills: Call 703-228-1350
For Temporary Shelter Assistance (if unhoused): Call 703-228-1010
Arlington Community Foundation Scholarships are available to high school seniors. Over $650,000 awarded in 2025 to about 100 new students. Apply by Feb. 9!
Mon, Feb. 9 Share the Love family-friendly bowling and fundraiser for the Leadership Center of Arlington
5:30-7:30 pm Buy tickets here. Lucky Strike Arlington, 320 23rd Street S, 22202
Wed, Feb 11 Free Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) training for adults supporting adolescents ages 12–18. Training requires two hours of virtual pre-work followed by a six-hour in-person session.
9am - 3 pm Sign up by Feb. 8. DHS, 2100 Washington Blvd, 22204
Tue, Feb. 17 Free documentary screening: Ain’t No back to Merry Go Round, presented by Youth Democracy Institute
5 - 8:00 pm RSVP here. Howard University Blackbrun Center
Fri, Feb. 27 Teen Takeover: Amazon After Dark for middle and high school students. Teen DJs will showcase their skills, only clear backpacks allowed. Hosted by Parks & Recreation in partnership with Amazon.
7-10:00 pm Register here. Amazon HQ2
Mott Million Dollar Challenge: A Pitch Competition for Kids and Teens
The 50 State Afterschool Network competition invites K-12 students to submit a short, 30-90 second video showcasing an idea that would make a positive impact in their school, home, or community. Students may enter individually or in teams of up to three, and a total of $1 million in prizes will be awarded. Details here. Submissions are due Feb. 27.
Scholarships for high school studentsThe George Washington Chapter AUSA 2025 Scholarship Committee is accepting digital scholarship applications at C2101@ausa.org. Email questions to karen.lowe1956@gmail.com or dickwinter1@gmail.com. Applications are due Fri, May 1.
Policies Open for Public Comment
Number | Policy Title and link to Draft Policy | Anticipated SB Action | Comment Period Opens | Comment Period Closes | Policy questionnaires |
B-3.6.30 | Mar 2026 | Jan 23, 2026 | Feb 22, 2026 |
Get Involved
Thu, Mar 5 @ 7pm · Fairfax County Democratic Committee
Thu, Feb 12 @ 7:30pm · Loudoun County Democratic Committee
Thu, Mar 12 @ 7pm · Loudoun County Democratic Committee
Thu, Mar 5 @ 7pm · Loudoun County Democratic Committee
Sat, Feb 21 @ 5pm · Spotsylvania County Democratic Committee
From the AEA Elections Committee
It's a busy time for elections! We're trying our best to not have too much overlap with elections.
Please see the revised timeline below for our Executive Board Elections. If you would like to run for President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, HS Rep, MS Rep, or ES Rep, please email admin@aeava.org.
January 12 – February 27:
Collection of signatures. All forms must be submitted to the AEA office by COB on Friday, February 27 with at least 20 signatures (the business day before March 1). All forms will be date/time stamped. No late submissions will be accepted.
March 2 – March 27:
Signature verification by AEA administration. The Elections Committee may inspect. Ballots are created by AEA administration and approved by the AEA Elections Committee and DA. AEA will notify petitioners of their placement on the ballot. Campaigning may begin.
March 27 (week of):
Ballots sent via interoffice mail to individual members. Representatives will be notified to be on the lookout.
Candidate forum:
TBD, via Zoom (?? March 24 or another day).
April 6 –April 30:
Voting/election period (beginning the Monday following spring break). All ballots must be returned to the AEA office by COB on Thursday, April 30. Late ballots will be held but not counted.
May 4 (week of):
Ballots counted. Elections Committee Certifies the results of the election. Winners notified.
Self-Nomination for NEA-RA Convention
If you would like to attend the National Education Association Representative Assembly (NEA-RA) this year, please use the link below to self-nominate. The RA is July 3-7 in Denver, CO.
Arlington is allowed 11 delegates to this convention, with the AEA President as an automatic delegate (per Bylaws). If more nominations are received than available slots, we will hold an election.
Self-nomination will be open until close of business on 2/13/26.
NEW Disability Rights & Inclusion - Community Action Grants
NEA’s Education Policy and Implementation Center is excited to share a new grant opportunity for NEA local affiliates: the Disability Rights Community Action Grant.
This grant supports collaborative, action-oriented projects that strengthen member connection and advance disability rights and inclusion in K–12 and higher education. Projects should bring educators together with families, students, and community partners to take collective action.
Grant details:
Up to $3,000 per project
Projects completed within 6 months
Up to 5 awards per quarter (March, June, September, December 2026)
Open to all NEA local affiliates, with preference for projects led by or centering members with disabilities
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis through December 2026 and require a brief project description, timeline, budget, and a letter of support from the local affiliate president.
Please share this opportunity with interested members.
Link to application: DRI Community Action Grant
NEWS FROM VEA
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Making Education's Case in the Halls of PowerI’ve been delighted to see VEA members raising their voices on behalf of their students and colleagues during the early part of this year’s General Assembly by testifying before legislative committees. No one is a better spokesperson on K-12 education issues than our members are, and it makes me so proud to see you sharing your expertise at the State Capitol! We have an excellent opportunity to get some key wins for public schools this year and I love seeing our members take advantage of that. Momentum Building for Lobby DayYour chance to speak with the legislators who will be making key decisions about public education in our state is just a week away. VEA’s 2026 Lobby Day is set for Monday, Feb. 16 and legislators need to hear your input! We’ll hold a 30-minute briefing at 7:30 am in House Room 3 inside the Virginia State Capitol to help you get ready to meet with your representatives. We’ll also have a briefing on Sunday the 15th at 5 p.m. for those arriving in Richmond the day before. That will be at the Omni Richmond Downtown (100 S. 12th St.) Pack the Truck: A Social Justice Opportunity at Lobby DayVEA is joining forces with RizzeUp Resources, a nonprofit whose mission is helping those in need in the Richmond metro area, to hold a donation day on February 15 & 16 in conjunction with our Lobby Day. The event is called Pack the Truck, they are looking for new linens and towels, pots and pans, and other household items. (More details are in this flyer) If you live in the area or are in town for Lobby Day, consider helping out. Three Cheers for Albemarle!Albemarle Education Association ratified their collective bargaining agreements last month, and their school board is scheduled to vote on it this Thursday, 2/12 at 6:30pm in Lane Auditorium. If you’re in the area, please come and cheer on the school board as they take his historic vote! Collective Bargaining and Black History MonthWe have a real shot this year to finally win statewide, non-permissive collective bargaining for public employees in Virginia, and Black History Month is a good time to remember why that matters. Virginia’s limits on collective bargaining weren’t an accident. They grew out of decisions made when Black workers were starting to build power on the job. In the mid-1940s, Black workers at UVA Hospital organized and won improvements, and the backlash was quick: by January 1946, the General Assembly moved to block state agencies from recognizing public employee unions. (See When Black Virginians used collective action to win better pay and working conditions, the state changed the rules to stop them.) That history is exactly why winning collective bargaining this year is so significant. We’re not just talking about a technical change in the Code, we’re talking about restoring a basic freedom that was restricted in Virginia in ways that hit Black workers first and hardest, and then held back generations of public employees after them. If we can secure collective bargaining, it’s a step toward correcting a long-standing injustice and making sure educators and other public employees have a real voice over the conditions that shape our schools and our communities. You Asked, We Answered!As we enter the process of working out the VEA budget for our next fiscal year, we offered you a chance to ask questions and raise issues. I’m pleased to say that you did that, and you can find some of the questions and answers here. It’s your organization and no one has the right to know more than you do! HBCU Pride Week Set for February 23-27Recognizing the richness that historically black colleges and universities have provided for much of America’s history, the Virginia Education Association wishes to salute all our HBCUs during our third HBCU PRIDE WEEK. There are lots of ways you can show your pride and participate in lots of ways. Get the scoop about resources below! Grants Available from The NEA FoundationA check from The NEA Foundation can make a big difference for you and your students, and applications are now open for the current round of Envision Equity, Learning & Leadership, and Student Success grants. Learn more at those links or by attending a virtual information session on February 19 @ 7:00-8:00 p.m. (Please click this link to register.) Application deadline for grants is Monday, March 2. VEA Builds New Bridge to Praxis Candidates!VEA PRIME is proud to offer another addition to our Praxis Support called the Praxis Equity Bridge! Are you someone who needs to pass your Praxis test(s) before June 30, 2026? Then this is the opportunity for you! Click the link to learn more about this program of support that bridges the gap that many face with payment, time, structure, and study resources as they approach the Praxis. Registration is currently open and will close on February 16th. VEA-Retired Election Results are In—AlmostThanks to all VEA-R candidates and voters in our January elections. You’ll find a summary of the results here. In two races, no candidate received a majority of the votes cast, so we’ll be holding run-offs in those contests. The run-off candidates are:
Online ballots will open at noon February 11 and close at noon February 13, using the same format and link as the January elections. We’ll send an email reminder when the ballot opens, and the link will also be available on the VEA-Retired page of the VEA website. To vote, you’ll need your 10-digit member ID, which is on the address label of any NEA or VEA publication you receive by mail. If possible, we encourage you to locate it ahead of time. If you can’t find it, just email us at vearetired@veanea.org and we’ll be happy to look it up for you. ESP Legislative Briefing Set for February 10Education Support Professionals and their allies are invited to a VEA Legislative Briefing to hear the most up-to-date developments from this year’s General Assembly. Hear how your Union is working to expand and protect rights of ESPs and all VEA members, all of whom are invited to attend—we encourage you to invite potential members, too. The Legislative Briefing is February 10, 2026 from 6 to 7 pm via Zoom. Registration required. VEA Convention RemindersJust a quick reminder for local Presidents that early bird delegate registration for the 2026 RA in Norfolk closes February 9th. Locals can still submit your delegates until February 23, but there will be a fee associated with late submissions. Presidents, please check your email for more information. While ice from last weekend’s storm is still melting around Richmond, the General Assembly is in full gear, with legislators focused on moving bills through committees ahead of “crossover” – when bills that have passed their chamber of origin (House or Senate) head to the other chamber and begin the process again. VEA bills continue to move steadily, including the collective bargaining legislation, which had its first hearing and advanced out of key labor committees this week. Again this week, the fabulous members of our retired lobby cadre (Sam Eure, Meg Gruber, Sid Neighbours, Dot Walton, and Kristen Young), continued to give their time and energy on behalf of educators and students. They remained busy testifying, tracking legislation, meeting with lawmakers, and advocating across committees. Below are highlights of several VEA bills and their current status:
Members can follow the progress of VEA bills throughout the session using theVEA General Assembly Bill Tracker, which is updated regularly as bills move through the process. |