President's Message
As the year winds down, we can all reflect on the many challenges we faced as individuals, as a school system, and as an Association. How are you feeling?
The most recent shock was probably your contract for the next school year. There were no step increases, no cost of living adjustments and higher health insurance costs for those of us who participate in the school systems plan. In addition, the matching retirement funds from the school division were reduced from 5% to 2%. Though it seems most everyone has kept a job, some will not be teaching what they prefer or they will be at a worksite different from what they are used to. The increase in class sizes, cut-backs in the number of education support positions, and decreased funding for certain programs will mean once again we will be doing more with less. The good news is that no one lost their job. However, next year’s budget battles will be as difficult as this year’s, if not worse.
As an Association, we worked very hard this year to mitigate the most egregious aspects of the Teacher Incentive Performance Award initiative. (It will only go forward if the PWCS grant application for the Teacher Incentive Fund is awarded.) We have been involved in the Professional Performance Process and have conducted information workshops at the PWEA office. We also conducted Retirement Seminars and informational All-Member Meetings. Our General Assembly lobby efforts, during the budget process, saved our Virginia Retirement System, saved secondary planning time, and kept the cuts to public education from being as steep as they could have been. Our local efforts persuaded the Board of County Supervisors to adopt a tax rate slightly higher than advertised which benefited our school system’s budget. The Meet and Confer team is meeting this summer to prepare for next year’s bargaining.
Our member’s level of involvement in Association activities increased. I am truly grateful for that involvement and thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your continued support and activism will shape the future of education. Membership is the cornerstone of a healthy, powerful organization.
As you complete the school year and have some quality down time this summer to re-focus and re-energize, remember this:
Life’s biggest, boldest, brightest ideas---life’s honors, achievements and accomplishments occur because somewhere, sometime, someone touched their lives and it all began with a teacher.
~author unknown
By Bonnie Klakowicz
PWEA President