March 2025

Happy Spring, and welcome to Teaching and Learning TODAY. We encourage you to monitor this newsletter regularly and respond to areas that interest you. We facilitate the development of professional learning by members and are grateful for the opportunity to do so. Allow us to assist you to learn, grow professionally, and impact others.

Please share our newsletter far and wide!

Updates from Teaching & Learning

VEA Learning Portal

Are you a special education teacher or work with students who have disabilities? Did you miss the Special Education Support Series VEA Zoom calls? You can check out the recordings and see the resources on the Portal!

Know Your Rights Training– collaboration with the VEA Department of Legal Advocacy to present a webinar on educator rights as it relates to working with students with disabilities
What All Educators Should Know– collaboration with the Training and Technical Assistance Center (T/TAC) at William & Mary to present a webinar on the basics of Special Education.

Early Enrollment Training

Check out the Spring Early Enrollment Training hosted by VEA staff! This webinar is designed to teach local leaders how to help others join the Union using Join Now, know the benefits available to Early Enrollees, and understand the relationship between Early Enrollment and building power. Click here to view instructions on how to access the training.

To see these courses and more, check out the VEA Learning Portal! Access the VEA Learning Portal HERE. Feel free to bookmark this link.

If you have any trouble getting into the portal, please reach out to either Dr. Amber Brown, abrown@veanea.org, or Isabel Sullivan, isullivan@veanea.org

SVEA Aspiring Educators

Scholarship Application Open Now!

In honor of Rosa Lee Guard, an educator whose Last Will and Testament established the Rosa Lee Guard Fund to provide for VEA members who were unable to pay the fees to receive medical services at UVA. “I do this in memory of the days when I as a young girl taught in the Virginia Public Schools.” This need phased out when group health insurance became available to public school employees in 1969. The funds have been modified “to enable VEA to give the monies to students who need assistance paying college tuition, expenses, fees, and/or loans incurred to obtain an education related degree.”

The Rosa Lee Guard Scholarship Fund will award up to two $2000.00 scholarships to SVEA-Aspiring Educator members who have actively engaged in AE activities at the chapter, state, and/or national level. Deadline to apply at this link before midnight April 6, 2025.

Special Education

VCU Autism Center for Education

The Virginia Commonwealth University Autism Center for Education (VCU-ACE) is a university-based center that provides resources and training to support people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Find out more information and resources HERE.

Let's Celebrate

March is National Literacy Month!

Upcoming Opportunities

Innovation Summit: Rethinking Learning and Teaching for the Future Across Virginia! April 23-24

VCEE Spring Professional Development Opportunities

Professional Development Workshops for Science Teachers

Just Equations’ Free Virtual Conference

2025-2026 Global Learning Fellowship Application (NEA Foundation)

The Board of Education recently updated guidelines for the National Board Certification Teacher Incentive Award Program. The changes were necessary in order to align with the current budget language. The updated guidelines are as follows:

An individual seeking a National Board Certification Incentive Award must:

Hold an active National Board Certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and be employed in a public school in Virginia on September 30 of the current school year; and
Be a public-school employee holding an active ten-year renewable license issued by the Virginia Board of Education; or
Be a candidate working in a Title 1 school or a school eligible for participation in the Community Eligibility Provision pursuant to 22.1-207.4:1 and who is pursuing initial national certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards; or
Be a candidate working in a Title 1 school or a school eligible for participation in the Community Eligibility Provision pursuant to 22.1-207.4:1 who is pursuing Maintenance of Certification (MOC) from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

Additionally, awards will be disbursed according to the following priority as long as funds are available.

Active National Board Certified Teachers
New National Board Certified Teachers
National Board Certified Candidates employed in a Title 1 or CEP School
All other public-school employees

Questions? Contact Melinda Bright, mbright@veanea.org

From our friends at VDOE

New English Standards of Learning Resources Available from VDOE
New resources to support English teaching and learning have been released and are located on the 2024 English Standards of Learning webpage. The K-12 English Instructional Guides provide support to English and literacy educators as they implement the 2024 English Standards of Learning. This week your school division’s literacy leaders attended a webinar with an overview of the 2024 English Standards of Learning. Recordings and resources will be posted on the 2024 English Standards of Learning webpage as they become available.

Career Switchers

Teaching and Learning received 29 responses to the survey conducted recently to assess needs of this group of members. While a variety of experiences were shared, some common requests included training on classroom management, improved mentor programs, and better guidance during the process to full licensure. TL is here to help!

This month, we are highlighting some relevant courses that are available on VEA’s learning portal (VEA Learning Portal).

Webinar: Connection Before Curriculum: Teaching in a Post-Pandemic World

Explore research-based programs to set the tone of the classroom. All need to feel safe in order for teaching and learning to occur. This webinar is part of the NEA Professional Excellence Portal offerings.

Webinar: Rethinking Grading with Agency and Equity

Examine assumptions about grading, look at current grading practices, and imagine alternatives to the status quo.

Cultural Responsiveness: An Introduction

In this course, you will learn about cultural competence and what it means to be a culturally responsive teacher. Explore practical tools to assist in implementing a culture of competent and responsive teaching in the classroom.

Math Resources from Zearn

Zearn’s K-8 math platform supports Virginia educators to accelerate math learning for all students with free access for all divisions in the Commonwealth. Find out more about Zearn’s downloadable posters, webinar, and resources. Free access to Zearn includes the K-8 math platform offering more than 1,000 digital lessons, training for educators, and materials to support families and resources. Families can also use Zearn at no cost. Virginia educators (both current and new users) who would like to participate for the 2025-26 school year should reach out to their school or division leads to indicate their interest. Division leaders who are ready to opt in should contact Zearn.

Who's Who in Teaching and Learning

The work of the Department of Teaching and Learning extends out of headquarters and works directly with members. This month, we will be featuring our SVEA-AE student president:

Name: Denver Francis-McKenzie

Local: Aspiring Educator, Virginia State University Chapter

Role(s) that you have completed with VEA: State President, SPED Committee

# of years in education: Aspiring Educator

# of years in VEA: 1

How has being a union member helped you? Being a union member has influenced my passion about who I wanted to become as an educator. It provided me the opportunity to look at the world of education through multiple lenses and providing me the platform to sit at the table and weigh in on decisions needed for the betterment of the education system. Becoming a union member created new goals for me as an educator to continue to enhance the education system and become a leader in ensuring that happens. It also made me part of a family and a strong community, one that I can call on for support and experience growth in my career with.

If you could give 1 piece of advice to someone in education, what would it be? If I could give 1 piece of advice to someone in education, it would be to value your craft. Teaching is one of the most valuable professions there is; we build generations and create opportunities for our students to leave school and become leaders of our future. Valuing your craft is important to remember throughout your years in education because it teaches you to understand the weight you hold in pouring into our students.

The Latest from VEA

Teaching & Learning Today: March 2025