HUGE SUCCESS!

Supervisors release Federal Funds to LCPS and employees’ pay is restored…

Today the Supervisors voted 5-3-1 to release the Federal Education Jobs Fund Grant to the School Board. The pay cut from the furlough days will be undone! Thanks to all who emailed Supervisors in support of this important item, as well as those who spoke at last night's public input session. During the discussion it was stated that the Supervisors received hundreds of emails about this item. (Way to go!!) The five Supervisors in support of the transfer of funds were: Miller (Dulles), Buckley (Sugarland Run), McGimsey (Potomac), Burton (Blue Ridge) and Kurtz (Catoctin). The 3 opposed were: York (At-Large), Waters (Broad Run) and Delgaudio (Sterling). Burk (Leesburg) recused herself from the vote because she is an employee of the school system.

$4.5 million of the federal monies will restore employee pay this year and the remaining funds (approximately $5 million) will go into the 2011-2012 (FY12) budget.

This success is a perfect example of how the Association advocates for its membership, how members speak up for themselves, and how we can all make a positive impact when we stand together!

Part 2: ACTION NEEDED: Federal Funds

Please take the time today to contact the BOS members who did not vote in support of the Federal Education Jobs Fund Grant going to LCPS or do not serve on the Finance Committee. As I did yesterday, I am asking you to do two things:

~ email the Supervisors listed below to encourage them to support the Federal Jobs Funds coming to LCPS. Below is suggested text for your email—please send this email from your personal email account after school hours and include in your email how the salary freezes and pay cuts are impacting you:

Kelly Burk: supervisor.kelly.burk@loudoun.gov
Eugene Delgaudio: eugene.delgaudio@loudoun.gov
Sally Kurtz: sally.kurtz@loudoun.gov
Andrea McGimsey: Andrea.McGimsey@loudoun.gov
Lori Waters: lori.waters@loudoun.gov
Scott York: scott.york@loudoun.gov

Based on Wednesday’s vote of the Finance Committee, at your meeting next week you will have before you an item regarding allotting the Federal Education Jobs Fund Grant to the School Board. This item transfers all the Jobs Grant to LCPS, with roughly half to be used this year and the rest in FY12.

As an employee whose personal finances have been deeply impacted for three years, this is a small recognition of my hard work

Please support this important action next Tuesday.

~ plan to attend and speak at the public input session on Mon., Nov. 15 @ 7pm at the Government Center in Leesburg. This is our last opportunity before this important vote to make it clear to the Supervisors that LCPS students and employees are worth more. Simply call 703.771.5072 to be placed on the speakers list. Please feel free to contact me if you would like us to review your remarks.

We have worked on this important issue for several months now—this is the last push and your voice matters. Speak up.

We’re Worth More!!

ACTION NEEDED: Federal Funds

At Wednesday’s BOS Finance Committee meeting, the committee supported a motion to allocate the entire $9.4 million dollars of the Federal Education Jobs Fund Grant to the School Board. Of that, $4.5 million will be used to restore full salaries to LCPS employees and the remaining funds will be set aside for the FY12 LCPS budget. As a result, the Association strongly encourages you to do two things:

~ email the BOS Finance Comm. members who supported this item to thank them for their right vote and encourage them to support this item when it goes before the full Board on Tuesday, November 16. Below is suggested text for your email—please send this email from your personal email account after school hours and include in your email how the salary freezes and pay cuts are impacting you :
Stevens Miller (Dulles): stevens.miller@loudoun.gov
Susan Buckley (Sugarland Run): susan.buckley@loudoun.gov
Jim Burton (Blue Ridge): jim.burton@loudoun.gov

I appreciate your vote to recommend to the full Board that the entire $9.4 million dollars of the Federal Education Jobs Fund Grant be allocated to the School Board. Choosing to have $4.5 million used this year and setting aside the remaining funds for the FY12 LCPS budget is a balanced and reasonable approach.

As an employee whose personal finances have been deeply impacted for three years, this small recognition of my continued hard work is a help to both my morale and my personal finances.

I look forward to your continued support of this item when it comes before the full Board next Tuesday.

~ plan to attend and speak at the public input session on Mon., Nov. 15 @ 7pm at the Government Center in Leesburg. This is our last opportunity before this important vote to make it clear to the Supervisors that LCPS students and employees are worth more. Simply call 703.771.5072 to be placed on the speakers list. Please feel free to contact me if you would like us to review your remarks.

The Association has worked on this important issue for several months now—this is the last push and your voice matters. Speak up.

WE’RE WORTH MORE!!

LCPS Employees Working to the Rule

Currently LCPS employees are engaging in work to the rule through November 19. This is “round two” of LEA’s efforts to highlight all that the school employees do for our students every day. As we all know, LCPS has been underfunded in recent years which has resulted in increased class sizes and frozen salaries for employees (and if salaries are not made whole - a pay cut). Sitting back and not speaking up for our students and ourselves is not an option.

We are putting special emphasis on American Education week, and ask that all employees wear their “We’re Worth More” buttons. This week would also be a perfect time to be vigilant about arriving on time and leaving on time each day. Please email ssullivanlea@aol.com if you need a “We’re Worth More” button.
Also, please know that we have “They’re Worth More” buttons for community members who support our efforts. If you would like to have some buttons so you can give them to parents and others, please email ssullivanlea@aol.com.

Keep our message going strong…

We’re Worth More!