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January 16, 2026

  • Jan 16
  • 5 min read

Updated: Jan 23

Happy Friday!  We had our monthly Delegate Assembly meeting on Monday, and had a visit from Carol Bauer, President of the Virginia Education Association. Our Delegate Assembly voted unanimously to endorse President Bauer in her reelection campaign. Speaking of elections--we kicked off our Executive Board elections this week--next week we'll be sending out a revised timeline that gives our candidate a bit more time to campaign. Please watch this space for opportunities to meet the candidates. AEA will host a candidate forum sometime in March, via Zoom. In the next few weeks, you'll also have the opportunity to self-nominate to be a delegate at our national convention--the NEA-RA.

I had a great visit at Drew Elementary School earlier this week--the power went out in parts of the building, so no great pictures. We made the best of it with "Donuts in the Dark". Thank you to the Drew staff for your flexibility and good humor. Never a dull moment, right?

We also had a meeting of members interested in participating on the Licensed Bargaining Team. The CBA for Licensed staff will be open for negotiation in the fall.  We hope to have a lot of participation on the team--if you can't commit to being on the team but might be interested in becoming a subject matter expert, I'd love to hear from you.  Please email president.arlington@leavea.org for more information.

Some of you have expressed concern over the presence of ICE, given the recent happenings in MN. Please review the NEA guidance:  Guidance on Immigration Issues | NEA, and APS guidance:  Immigration Resources for Families - Arlington Public Schools

As for this weekend--VEA members will be marching in the Inaugural Parade, and watching history being made as Virginia swears in its first ever female governor!  There are also events happening to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  

Join Arlington for the MLK Jr. Day of Service

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, the 2026 MLK Day of Service brings the community together to serve, uplift, and make a meaningful impact. Volunteers will engage in hands-on service projects that support our schools and strengthen our community, reflecting Dr. King’s call to action: “Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.”

🗓️ Date: Mon, Jan. 19, 2026

⏰ Time: 8:30 a.m. – noon

I hope the weekend keeps you safe, and brings you rest and joy!

Here are some ways you can take action

School Board Policies open for Public Comment:

Number

Policy Title and link to Draft Policy

Anticipated SB Action

Comment Period Opens

Comment Period Closes

Policy questionnaires

G-1.8

Employee Conflict of Interests

Mar 2026

Jan 15, 2026

Feb 14, 2026

Provide Feedback

G-30

Whistleblower Protection

Mar 2026

Jan 15, 2026

Feb 14, 2026

Provide Feedback

VEA's Learning Lounge:

The Department of Equity, Justice, and Learning is pleased to offer “The Learning Lounge” – your dedicated virtual haven where every role in our vibrant school community finds common ground, growth, and understands that our diversity is our strength! This isn't just a place to learn; it's a friendly space to discover that the journey of learning is continuous and beautifully interconnected. These 45-minute sessions will be held on the first and third Tuesdays of every month at 6:30 pm via Zoom and are open to ALL within our school communities.   Click here to see the calendar of future speakers and register.

Our speaker for Tuesday, January 21st, will be Jo-el Cox, Coordinator of Multilingual Learner Instruction with VDOE to talk about Understanding Students with Limited and/or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE)

Click here to register and explore the full calendar of sessions.

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NEWS FROM VEA



Ever Doubt Your Power?

You won’t after you see this video. In it, VEA President Carol Bauer, Vice President Jessica Jones, and a lineup of members lay out some of the big recent wins VEA members made happen. We give it—and you—five stars!

And They're Off...

The General Assembly is officially back in action! The legislative session kicked off on Wednesday, and the first batch of VEA-supported bills is moving along on schedule. That includes a VEA-initiated bill to compensate student teachers (SB174 patroned by Senator Pekarsky), which was reported out of the Senate Public Education subcommittee on Thursday afternoon. This is how the early days of session are supposed to look: bills are being heard, conversations are underway, and key issues for educators and students are moving through the process.

At the same time, there’s a noticeable flurry of activity around the Capitol as Richmond prepares for tomorrow’s gubernatorial inauguration. With a new governor being sworn in, Virginia will enter this session with a pro-education trifecta in state government, with the House, Senate, and Governor’s office aligned. That alignment matters as debates heat up and decisions are made that will directly affect our classrooms, students, and profession. Stay tuned for more updates as we move through the next two months of session.


Standing Up for Our Students

VEA President Carol Bauer was a featured speaker at yesterday’s Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights press conference, joining with other public education allies to push for legislation that would limit state collaboration with ICE and emphasize the need for adequate state funding for English learners. VEA remains committed to equity, inclusion, and ensuring that every student feels safe and supported.


You Make a Huge Difference at Lobby Day!

There is probably nothing that makes more of an impact about our schools on a legislator than hearing personal accounts of how policy is affecting the educators and students in their districts. Lobby Day is your chance to really make a difference! This year’s event is set for Monday, February 16 at the State Capitol. Make your plans now—RSVP below and make your plans to come to the Capitol to let your lawmakers hear about the importance of expanding and strengthening collective bargaining rights for public employees, competitive compensation, increasing revenue and enhancing worker protections! There will be an in-person briefing and legislative reception on Sunday February 15th, so that you’ll be prepared for Lobby Day the following Day.

Be sure to make appointments to meet with your legislators on Lobby Day. If you’re unsure, you can start by using “Who’s My Legislator?” to look up who your representatives are. Once you know, reach out to their offices by email or phone and request an appointment specifically for February 16th. Requesting meetings early helps ensure time on your legislator’s schedule. If you’re unsure how much time to ask for, 10–15 minute meetings are standard and effective. Even brief conversations make a difference.

ESP Legislative Briefing Set for February 10

Education 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.


 
 
 

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