May 9, 2025

appy Friday, and happy Teacher Appreciation week to all of our amazing educators!  We hope you felt a little extra love this week. Speaking of extra love--Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!

We are busy at the AEA office preparing for the next school year already!   This week the budget committee met to discuss next year's budget. The committee will present the balanced budget to the Delegate Assembly early next week. We also hosted our all-member Zoom meeting. Thank you to all of those who participated. As a reminder, self-nominations are open for Building Representatives through May 16 (please email admin@aeava.org if interested).

Learning Opportunity

Please join NEA for a virtual briefing on how to talk about our fight for honest, inclusive, and fully funded public schools amidst a hostile political environment.

Advancing the Freedom To Learn: A Briefing on How To Talk About Our Fight for Honest, Inclusive, and Fully Funded Public Schools

📅 Tuesday, May 13th

🕛 4PM - 5PM ET / 1PM - 2PM PT

[REGISTER TODAY]

In this briefing, Dennis Chin, Chief Strategy Officer at We Make The Future Action, and Anna Castro, Principal Narrative Strategist at Transgender Law Center, will share research-backed messaging guidance to help public education advocates like you advance our children’s freedom to learn and be themselves.

From attacks on “DEI” and “woke” to attacks on transgender youth and immigrants, the MAGA movement has relied on distraction and division so that they can enact their agenda to drain public dollars from our public schools. But everyday, students, parents, educators, and school board members are fighting back. They’re joining together to fight for fully funded public schools and defend the gains we’ve made to make our schools places where every child – Black, white or brown, Native or newcomer, transgender or not - is respected and protected.

Register for our Tuesday, May 13th briefing today to learn about how people in states across the country are fighting back and how to incorporate research-backed messaging guidance to fight for public schools that all of our children deserve.

News from AEA-PAC

Greetings AEA Voters---

Please mark your calendars for the final voting day:

May 10 at Drew ES from 10-6.

Our very own AEA President, June Prakash is a candidate for APS School Board.  June brings a proven track record of results from her time in the classroom, as PTA President at Ashlawn ES, and as our two-term President.  We are excited to have an opportunity to have an educator on the school board where decisions are being made about us.   We won't get there if you don't vote (and bring all the eligible voters you know)!

If you'd like to know a bit more, follow June on Facebook (June Prakash for Arlington School Board) or www.friendsofjune.com.

NEWS FROM VEA

Congratulations, Matthew Neale!

It’s my great delight to share with you that Virginia’s new Teacher of the Year is Matthew Neale, a member of the Roanoke County Education Association and a journalism teacher at Hidden Valley High School! He’s a career-switcher, coming to the classroom over 20 years ago after a law career, led to teaching by a desire to make a difference. He’s known for his hallmark ASK (Approachable, Standards, and Kindness) philosophy, which has earned him the trust of both students and colleagues. I’m thrilled that he’ll be representing our state’s teachers in the year ahead. Congratulations on a well-deserved honor, Matthew!

Congratulations, Karen Grady!

I’d be remiss if I didn’t also offer a salute to Karen Grady, who teaches first grade at A.R. Ware Elementary in Staunton City Public Schools. She’s a member of the Staunton Education Association and was named Virginia’s 2026 Region 5 Teacher of the Year!

Last Weekend to Register for VEA's Educators of Color Summit!

We’ve extended the registration deadline for VEA’s Summit, so you still have three days to reserve your spot. We’ll be shutting sign-ups down this Monday, May 12—and don’t forget that if you registered for the Summit before it had to be rescheduled, you must sign up again. It’s now set for May 30-31 in Richmond (where the chances of it being snowed out are minimal). A whole lineup of workshops and speakers is highlighted by keynote speaker Helena Lourdes Donato-Sapp, who at only 15 is national and global award-winning activist, educator, peace-builder, artist, poet, and speaker.  

Register Here

Early Enrollment: Let's Build Power!

Pay raises, better working/learning conditions, and so much more—it’s what we make happen through the power of our growing membership. Early enrollment is a great way to get more of our colleagues on board, making it possible for us to do even greater things for students and educators. I encourage you to reach out to friends in your building and ask them to join the VEA! It’s a win for everyone. As part of your conversations, share this link with them. Thanks in advance for helping to grow our Union—we are stronger together!

A Week of Can't-Miss Summer School

Looking to sharpen some of your skills while enjoying your summer break? VEA will offer three separate training opportunities for members in July: Leadership Training (for local officers), the Summer Organizing Institute, and the ESP Conference. All three will be held in Richmond. To learn more and to secure your spot, click below.

Register Here

RSVP Here

VEA Research: What Federal Education Cuts are Costing Us

Dismantling the U.S. Department of Education puts our public schools, educators, and students at risk, including in your school division. Learn how federal cuts will directly affect your local school division: Click below and then on your school system to download your community-specific fact sheet, created by VEA Government Relations and Research.

Find Your Local Here

Sharing Your Experience and Expertise at the State Level

Some are longstanding, like the Instruction and Professional Development and Education Support Professionals committees, and the Fitz Turner Commission for Human and Civil Rights. Some are brand new, like the Collective Bargaining Committee. Either way,  your Union maintains a lineup of statewide committees and commissions to help guide our work—and we’re always looking for members who are qualified for and interested in serving in this way. Want to learn more? Know someone who might fit the bill, including yourself? Check out our form and let us know of your interest—we’ll be delighted to talk more!

2025 Committee Interest Form