I have just returned from the Virginia State PTA Annual Meeting and Advocacy Conference in Richmond. I spent two days immersed in workshops and discussions of ideas vital to education in Virginia. The first general session included a resolution titled “Mental Health Return to Learn Safety Net”. The resolution passed unanimously.
Arlington and Fairfax SEPTAs gave a workshop entitled, “Empowering Parents of Students with Special Needs”. The attendees included parents and PTA representatives who want to know more about representing the SPED classes and programs in their schools. It was very rewarding to meet like-minded people from around the commonwealth who want to see all students succeed and be included in every aspect of education, and who understand that the decks are not fairly stacked. It was an honor to have Lorraine Hightower from Decoding Dyslexia attend our session.
National PTA president, Jim Accomando, spoke about advocacy being the mission of PTA. The National and State PTAs all lobby on behalf of teachers and students. The membership of our organization adds weight to that lobbying. While Arlington SEPTA lobbies on a local level (and all politics is local), remember that your membership makes an impact in Richmond and Washington as well. Is your membership current?
Conference Keynote speaker, Atif Qarni, is the new Virginia Secretary of Education. He is the first classroom teacher to hold that position. Mr. Qarni is a very impressive and dedicated public servant. He encouraged all parents to lobby the House of Delegates on education issues. It was brought to our attention that there are very few delegates with education backgrounds. It is vital that all members hear personal stories about how legislation affects our children.
Do you want to know what’s happening with K-12 education-related legislation, bills & resolutions of interest to superintendents, school division personnel, parents & other stakeholders? General Assembly tracking reports are updated weekly during the session. http://ow.ly/gPF530hVHeB
The 2018 Legislative Priorities for Virginia PTA are:
- Funding
- Standards of Excellence Enhancements
- Assessments
- Flexibility
- Gun Violence Prevention
- School Safety and Discipline
- Local Control
- School Board Authority
Arlington SEPTA looks forward to advocating for you this year.
Warmly,
Caroline Levy
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