Dear PTA Leaders,
Virginia PTA is part of the world’s largest child advocacy association and now more than ever is using the voice of our parents and teachers to make a difference in the future of what our schools will look like.
In the spring of 2020, our Commonwealth began to look very different. Businesses closed, work was being done from home offices, college classes were being directed to our college students now at home, and in an unprecedented move, the doors of our schools closed to ALL of our students and teachers. What has become our normal for now, also will have an impact on our future.
We sometimes find the Mission of PTA,
“to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children”
a challenge with our every day lives, but in this case, the challenge has become an opportunity to be at the table representing our students, parents, families, teachers, and staff. Our voices will be part of the future of our Virginia education system. We have voices being heard by our members speaking at PTA meetings, school board meetings, and publicly speaking out more than ever.
Concerns span the gamut of so many levels, it’s hard to even imagine what our students, parents, and teachers are concerned with. They range from how will we celebrate our graduating classes, to how will our teachers be able to safely enter our schools, to whether our students will be able to socially be responsive with their classmates - which is what our classrooms often provide - as well as safety and places to learn daily. With these new mindsets, come mental health and social emotional concerns, meal concerns (summer and school year), internet capability, teaching tools and resources, accreditation questions, funding, and more.
Virginia PTA has been asked to represent voices of students, teachers, and families along with many of our other education stakeholders including the VEA, Voices of Virginia, Virginia Public Education Coalition, Alliance for Virginia’s Students, VA TV Classroom, Virginia is for Learners, VDOE, VHSL, National PTA, and during this time of unprecedented closures, we have a seat on the following Task Forces:
If you have questions or concerns that you would like to ask, please contact us at the emails above. We will respond by representing your concerns and questions with our partners not only now but as we continue to work through a challenge that we have never seen, as a Commonwealth and globally. Our backgrounds, as Virginia PTA members, represent ALL of our students, teachers, and staff and we will continue to do so as we look towards our future and what it will look like.
Virginia PTA wishes you health and safety but more than that we represent you during this time.
