Statement of Virginia Education Association President Jim Livingston on the events in our country:
Words cannot express our outrage at the senseless, immoral, and systemic murder of unarmed black men and women we have seen over centuries of American history, most recently at the hands of law enforcement who are charged with the protection of human life. It is clear that something is terribly wrong and to deny that fact is but another example of the privilege enjoyed by white America.
The Virginia Education Association condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the murder of and marginalization of members of the African American community and calls on all people of moral character to stand with our brothers and sisters of color in demanding an end to the hate and oppression created by racism. The VEA further calls on all educational organizations and institutions to work collaboratively and with intentionality for the elimination of racism and bigotry.
In 2020, civilized people would have expected that racism and bigotry had become an obscure part of our nation’s history, but instead we see the proliferation of a culture of “white supremacy” growing out of control. That culture of privilege has been on display for decades and is now highlighted by the current global health crisis in which people of color have suffered disproportionately. From underfunded public schools and lack of social, emotional, health, and economic resources, to the murder of unarmed African American men and women in American streets at the hands of law enforcement, ours is a society in crisis.
The VEA is united in its belief that our communities can only realize racial justice through educational justice. We are committed to the necessary actions to ensure all marginalized students and their families are treated with dignity and respect, and that their lives are not only enriched by our educational system but are secured by a system of justice that provides for their equal protection.
Anything less is a betrayal of the American Dream.
Thursday, June 25, 2020
RETURN TO SCHOOL PLANNING MEETING
On Thursday, June 18, Dr. Mark Jones convened a meeting of PCS school staff to discuss returning to school for the 2020-2021 school year. Dr. Jones provided a PowerPoint presentation (a copy is attached in your email) outlining Virginia’s response to COVID-19, the phases of reopening Virginia, and the PCS plan. During the meeting, Dr. Jones stated there were opportunities for staff to be involved in the return to school planning process by joining one of the following committees: Employees, Instruction, Schedule, Virtual/Online Learning, Special Education/Health, Transportation, Hygiene, Buildings, and Social/Emotional Wellness.
Dr. Jones indicated by Thursday, June 25, 2020, Reopening Plan Team chairs will provide a copy of a draft plan for each of the following: Employees, Instruction, Schedule, Virtual/Online Learning, Special Education/Health, Transportation, Hygiene, Buildings, and Social/Emotional Wellness. The input he received during the June 18 meeting was shared with chairs on Monday, June 22.
Some of the questions posed and answered in the GoogleMeet chat feature, as well as live, included:
I know this is hypothetical but what is the plan if a teacher/student/staff contracts COVID...will that result in immediate closure of the buildings and a reversion to Phase I were we are all online?
What about the plans that we wrote this past summer? Where do those fit in?
Are you considering options for teachers who are medically fragile or live with people who are and do not feel comfortable going back into the classroom?
If they (lessons) were recorded, the lessons could be posted to a Google Classroom that students could have access to.
Dr. Jones, will there be extra cleaning and sanitizing of school buildings and classrooms?
Dr. Jones stated, “ There are many issues to consider as we plan to reopen.” Superintendent Jones plans to meet with the entire Teacher Planning Committee again on Thursday, July 9. Too, he has called virtual meetings of the Teacher’s Advisory, Citizen’s Advisory, and Support Staff Advisory Committees as well as the Committee for Minority Concerns to be conducted during the first and second full weeks of July to discuss reopening schools. Dr. Jones indicated after drafts are reviewed, team chairs will reconvene their meetings to prepare a final draft for review as the final plan will be submitted to the School Board for approval.
Dr. Jones indicated by Thursday, June 25, 2020, Reopening Plan Team chairs will provide a copy of a draft plan for each of the following: Employees, Instruction, Schedule, Virtual/Online Learning, Special Education/Health, Transportation, Hygiene, Buildings, and Social/Emotional Wellness. The input he received during the June 18 meeting was shared with chairs on Monday, June 22.
Some of the questions posed and answered in the GoogleMeet chat feature, as well as live, included:
I know this is hypothetical but what is the plan if a teacher/student/staff contracts COVID...will that result in immediate closure of the buildings and a reversion to Phase I were we are all online?
What about the plans that we wrote this past summer? Where do those fit in?
Are you considering options for teachers who are medically fragile or live with people who are and do not feel comfortable going back into the classroom?
If they (lessons) were recorded, the lessons could be posted to a Google Classroom that students could have access to.
Dr. Jones, will there be extra cleaning and sanitizing of school buildings and classrooms?
Dr. Jones stated, “ There are many issues to consider as we plan to reopen.” Superintendent Jones plans to meet with the entire Teacher Planning Committee again on Thursday, July 9. Too, he has called virtual meetings of the Teacher’s Advisory, Citizen’s Advisory, and Support Staff Advisory Committees as well as the Committee for Minority Concerns to be conducted during the first and second full weeks of July to discuss reopening schools. Dr. Jones indicated after drafts are reviewed, team chairs will reconvene their meetings to prepare a final draft for review as the final plan will be submitted to the School Board for approval.
INTERVIEW WITH PCS DIRECTOR OF FINANCE – Tracey Worley
As we move forward into summer, there have been lingering questions about what funding and finances will look like when the 2020-2021 school year begins. On June 10, PEA had the opportunity to have a sit-down interview with PCS Director of Finance, Tracey Worley. Below is a transcript of the interview:
Tell us about yourself/describe for us your role as Director of Finance for Pittsylvania County Schools (PCS).
I am a product of PCS; A 1985 graduate of GHS. I enjoyed the small elementary school life at Mt. Airy elementary and went to Averett College in Danville, graduating in 1989, earning a B.S. with concentration in Accounting. I received my CPA license in 1992. I worked in the private arena until coming to the county in 1994 to work for the Board of Supervisors as their first Director of Finance and then came to the school system in 2000 as Budget Supervisor. The thing I enjoyed the most through my journey in the finance world is going from the private to the public/government world of accounting. It was quite a learning curve but I have enjoyed this side of accounting very much. I became the first Director of Finance for PCS in 2012 when Mr. Don Johnson retired from the school division.
What is the most challenging part of budgeting for you?
From year to year, it’s the amount of funding that we receive for PCS. It’s just not enough. The majority of our funds come from the state. Our county is doing all they can. They are trying to give us more funding. We are just so far behind in that category and it is going to take quite some time to build up the local funding. We are such a large school system, it takes a lot of money to do anything.
How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your work and our school division’s budget/finance operations… Many are concerned about the completion of the Evergreen Solutions compensation study. Can you describe what potential plans PCS has for completing the study and incorporating a cost of living adjustment?
When things absolutely turned around on a dime in March, it was devastating. After several years, we actually had a budget that looked like Christmas in July. We were going to have funding to give employees the last phase of the compensation study, and their steps for FY 2019 and FY 2020. When the economy shut down, everybody knew it was not going to end well from an economic standpoint or medical standpoint. We were financially able to honor all contracts through June 30 2020 and it is my hope that all of our employees are grateful for that as well. Revenue losses for FY 2020 have not been as bad as we thought they would be. We are still waiting to see what our sales tax revenue will be for the month of June. We are anticipating it will be less than budgeted, but it will give guidance to better project for July and August. The amount we receive for sales tax revenue is two months behind… so what we receive in June is based on what the population spends in April. Our total budget with Cares Act money and new state money received based on SOQ, is still looking similar to the budget that was passed by the BOS in March. However, there is no new projection for lottery or sales tax and we have to anticipate those revenues being lower than originally projected. When April lottery numbers came in, they were 14.4% below where they were the previous year. Hopefully, things will not be as bad economically speaking with the state slowly reopening. That is why we have to be very cautious and conservative when we start the school year. The initial plan for the CARES ACT money is to be used for “Other activities that are necessary to maintain the operations of and continuity of services and continuing to employee existing staff”.
A lot of the money we were expecting to receive, like compensation money, is currently un-allotted, this means if things turn around and we receive this money, then we are looking to see what we can do for a “during the year” salary increase. We need about $1.2 million to complete the compensation study. You cannot use CARES money to give a bonus or raise; if we do not need the CARES money for normal operating expenses, we can use that for other expense like technology for students and staff.
Looking at those who are near or at retirement, in addition to those who have held on at their current pay/step, if PCS gets money from Governor Northam later this year, will that money be incorporated as a bonus or will it be a salary adjustment? Too, if the money is received during this year (2020), will that money be included in pay during 2020 or held off until 2021 and what impact could that have on employee taxes and retirement.
The number one goal is to get the final phase of the compensation study implemented, next will be the step increases for FY 2019 and FY 2020. After that, we will look at doing a cost of living adjustment to the salary scales as funding is available. If a salary change is made during the fiscal year, it will be effective from that date forward. That would then be your credible comp in VRS, effective whatever date PCS would be able to implement the increase. I (Tracey) am always in favor of a salary increase instead of a bonus. Generally when a bonus is given, it is given with one-time money, but if the compensation money from the state is re-allotted, that would be used to implement the compensation study.
If you had a wish list of what we could do with Pittsylvania County Schools finances for the 2020-2021 school year and beyond, what would that list look like and why?
The first thing, I would put a very nice cost of living adjustment on the salary schedules to bring us into 2020. The second thing would be maintenance and getting our buildings back up to par… stop the roof leaks, pave parking lots, etc. The third thing would be too add new programs for instruction and allow PCS to continue to grow.
Tell us about yourself/describe for us your role as Director of Finance for Pittsylvania County Schools (PCS).
I am a product of PCS; A 1985 graduate of GHS. I enjoyed the small elementary school life at Mt. Airy elementary and went to Averett College in Danville, graduating in 1989, earning a B.S. with concentration in Accounting. I received my CPA license in 1992. I worked in the private arena until coming to the county in 1994 to work for the Board of Supervisors as their first Director of Finance and then came to the school system in 2000 as Budget Supervisor. The thing I enjoyed the most through my journey in the finance world is going from the private to the public/government world of accounting. It was quite a learning curve but I have enjoyed this side of accounting very much. I became the first Director of Finance for PCS in 2012 when Mr. Don Johnson retired from the school division.
What is the most challenging part of budgeting for you?
From year to year, it’s the amount of funding that we receive for PCS. It’s just not enough. The majority of our funds come from the state. Our county is doing all they can. They are trying to give us more funding. We are just so far behind in that category and it is going to take quite some time to build up the local funding. We are such a large school system, it takes a lot of money to do anything.
How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your work and our school division’s budget/finance operations… Many are concerned about the completion of the Evergreen Solutions compensation study. Can you describe what potential plans PCS has for completing the study and incorporating a cost of living adjustment?
When things absolutely turned around on a dime in March, it was devastating. After several years, we actually had a budget that looked like Christmas in July. We were going to have funding to give employees the last phase of the compensation study, and their steps for FY 2019 and FY 2020. When the economy shut down, everybody knew it was not going to end well from an economic standpoint or medical standpoint. We were financially able to honor all contracts through June 30 2020 and it is my hope that all of our employees are grateful for that as well. Revenue losses for FY 2020 have not been as bad as we thought they would be. We are still waiting to see what our sales tax revenue will be for the month of June. We are anticipating it will be less than budgeted, but it will give guidance to better project for July and August. The amount we receive for sales tax revenue is two months behind… so what we receive in June is based on what the population spends in April. Our total budget with Cares Act money and new state money received based on SOQ, is still looking similar to the budget that was passed by the BOS in March. However, there is no new projection for lottery or sales tax and we have to anticipate those revenues being lower than originally projected. When April lottery numbers came in, they were 14.4% below where they were the previous year. Hopefully, things will not be as bad economically speaking with the state slowly reopening. That is why we have to be very cautious and conservative when we start the school year. The initial plan for the CARES ACT money is to be used for “Other activities that are necessary to maintain the operations of and continuity of services and continuing to employee existing staff”.
A lot of the money we were expecting to receive, like compensation money, is currently un-allotted, this means if things turn around and we receive this money, then we are looking to see what we can do for a “during the year” salary increase. We need about $1.2 million to complete the compensation study. You cannot use CARES money to give a bonus or raise; if we do not need the CARES money for normal operating expenses, we can use that for other expense like technology for students and staff.
Looking at those who are near or at retirement, in addition to those who have held on at their current pay/step, if PCS gets money from Governor Northam later this year, will that money be incorporated as a bonus or will it be a salary adjustment? Too, if the money is received during this year (2020), will that money be included in pay during 2020 or held off until 2021 and what impact could that have on employee taxes and retirement.
The number one goal is to get the final phase of the compensation study implemented, next will be the step increases for FY 2019 and FY 2020. After that, we will look at doing a cost of living adjustment to the salary scales as funding is available. If a salary change is made during the fiscal year, it will be effective from that date forward. That would then be your credible comp in VRS, effective whatever date PCS would be able to implement the increase. I (Tracey) am always in favor of a salary increase instead of a bonus. Generally when a bonus is given, it is given with one-time money, but if the compensation money from the state is re-allotted, that would be used to implement the compensation study.
If you had a wish list of what we could do with Pittsylvania County Schools finances for the 2020-2021 school year and beyond, what would that list look like and why?
The first thing, I would put a very nice cost of living adjustment on the salary schedules to bring us into 2020. The second thing would be maintenance and getting our buildings back up to par… stop the roof leaks, pave parking lots, etc. The third thing would be too add new programs for instruction and allow PCS to continue to grow.
THE PATH TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING/VEA VIRTUAL SUMMER LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
During the General Assembly session, VEA helped overturn a decades-long ban on public sector collective bargaining. Thanks to VEA, local Unions will have the right to be recognized for bargaining beginning in 2021. That’s HUGE!
But before we bargain a new contract, we will have to organize, build coalitions, grow Union membership, and much more. At the Virtual Summer Leadership Conference, VEA will equip you with the skills to win representation and have a real voice. You need to sign up now and encourage your fellow members to join the fight!
The conference runs from July 13-17 and registration is open now. Sessions are spread across the five days, usually with virtual presentations in the mornings followed by virtual Q&A or “labs” in the afternoons.
This comprehensive online training is open to anyone interested in stepping up as a leader in the VEA or their local Union. And it’s FREE! All you’ll need, once you’ve registered, is reliable internet access and a device with a webcam and microphone. Sign up today!
But before we bargain a new contract, we will have to organize, build coalitions, grow Union membership, and much more. At the Virtual Summer Leadership Conference, VEA will equip you with the skills to win representation and have a real voice. You need to sign up now and encourage your fellow members to join the fight!
The conference runs from July 13-17 and registration is open now. Sessions are spread across the five days, usually with virtual presentations in the mornings followed by virtual Q&A or “labs” in the afternoons.
This comprehensive online training is open to anyone interested in stepping up as a leader in the VEA or their local Union. And it’s FREE! All you’ll need, once you’ve registered, is reliable internet access and a device with a webcam and microphone. Sign up today!
NEA MICRO-CREDENTIAL VIRTUAL PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES
A micro-credential is a short, competency-based recognition that allows an educator to demonstrate mastery in a particular area.
NEA will be providing members an opportunity to participate in a virtual Professional Learning Community (PLC) to support successful completion of a NEA Micro-credential from start to finish. Educators who participate in a PLC to complete a micro-credential are more likely to earn their badge the first time. The virtual PLC will be facilitated by a trained micro-credential facilitator and consist of weekly support meetings via Zoom. PLCs will start during the week of July 13 and end by August 31. PLCs will meet on the day.
You may register for one of the following PLCs by clicking the link at the bottom of this page:
Exploring Restorative Practices: Educators will explore restorative practices to strengthen relationships and build a community where harm can be addressed and repaired. PLC will meet on Monday afternoon/evenings.
Technology for Educational Leaders: Curating Content: Educators will use a variety of curation tools to collect meaningful content for their students. PLC will meet on Tuesday afternoon/evenings.
Technology Integration: Citizen: Educators will inspire students to positively contribute to and responsibly participate in the digital world. PLC will meet on Wednesday afternoon/evenings.
Teaching the Teacher: The Importance of Continuous Learning: Educators will demonstrate the impact of continuous professional development and its application on their own teaching practice and student success. PLC will meet on Thursday afternoon/evenings.
To learn more, please click the links below:
Learn more about NEA Micro-credentials
View all Micro-credentials on NEA Certification Bank
Click to Register for a Micro-credential PLC
NEA will be providing members an opportunity to participate in a virtual Professional Learning Community (PLC) to support successful completion of a NEA Micro-credential from start to finish. Educators who participate in a PLC to complete a micro-credential are more likely to earn their badge the first time. The virtual PLC will be facilitated by a trained micro-credential facilitator and consist of weekly support meetings via Zoom. PLCs will start during the week of July 13 and end by August 31. PLCs will meet on the day.
You may register for one of the following PLCs by clicking the link at the bottom of this page:
Exploring Restorative Practices: Educators will explore restorative practices to strengthen relationships and build a community where harm can be addressed and repaired. PLC will meet on Monday afternoon/evenings.
Technology for Educational Leaders: Curating Content: Educators will use a variety of curation tools to collect meaningful content for their students. PLC will meet on Tuesday afternoon/evenings.
Technology Integration: Citizen: Educators will inspire students to positively contribute to and responsibly participate in the digital world. PLC will meet on Wednesday afternoon/evenings.
Teaching the Teacher: The Importance of Continuous Learning: Educators will demonstrate the impact of continuous professional development and its application on their own teaching practice and student success. PLC will meet on Thursday afternoon/evenings.
To learn more, please click the links below:
Learn more about NEA Micro-credentials
View all Micro-credentials on NEA Certification Bank
Click to Register for a Micro-credential PLC
PCS SCHOOL BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS
The Pittsylvania County School Board met on Tuesday, June 9. The school board meetings can now be viewed on YouTube. To view school board meetings online, visit https://www.pcs.k12.va.us/school_board/board_meeting_on_you_tube
During the meeting, Tracey Worley discussed how the economic impact was not as bad as originally thought and hopefully things would continue to improve, but that there was a spending freeze at this time. The following students were highlighted in a presentation for recognition by the Board:
- 2019-2020 School Board Student Representatives
- Beta Club Winners
- Region 2C State Wrestling Champion (Elijah Moshenek)
- State VHSL Class 2 Male Athlete of the Year (Ethan Lewis)
- VSBA Regional Art Contest Winners
- SkillsUSA Winners
- Perfect Attendance (13 years)
- Industry Certification Perfect Scores
Other items of discussion included the State Review Board and the Virginia Board of Historic Resources would be considering, at its June 18 meeting, Southside High School to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places and included in the Virginia Landmarks Register. Too, Pittsylvania County reached out to PCS in an effort to renovate the Educational and Cultural Center (ECC) Auditorium for the purpose of creating a multipurpose meeting space that would allow for greater social distancing as well as live streaming of meetings. To perform the renovations, Pittsylvania County would spend part of its COVID-19 CARES Act Corona Virus Relief Funds. Board meeting documents with details attached to the PEA Gazette email and are posted on our PEA Blog.
During the meeting, Tracey Worley discussed how the economic impact was not as bad as originally thought and hopefully things would continue to improve, but that there was a spending freeze at this time. The following students were highlighted in a presentation for recognition by the Board:
- 2019-2020 School Board Student Representatives
- Beta Club Winners
- Region 2C State Wrestling Champion (Elijah Moshenek)
- State VHSL Class 2 Male Athlete of the Year (Ethan Lewis)
- VSBA Regional Art Contest Winners
- SkillsUSA Winners
- Perfect Attendance (13 years)
- Industry Certification Perfect Scores
Other items of discussion included the State Review Board and the Virginia Board of Historic Resources would be considering, at its June 18 meeting, Southside High School to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places and included in the Virginia Landmarks Register. Too, Pittsylvania County reached out to PCS in an effort to renovate the Educational and Cultural Center (ECC) Auditorium for the purpose of creating a multipurpose meeting space that would allow for greater social distancing as well as live streaming of meetings. To perform the renovations, Pittsylvania County would spend part of its COVID-19 CARES Act Corona Virus Relief Funds. Board meeting documents with details attached to the PEA Gazette email and are posted on our PEA Blog.
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