Henrico teachers continue push for restructured pay scales; New program to address traumatized students
Happy Friday, and happy day off from school for everyone in Henrico Schools. The Henrico School Board approved two additional “wellness days” for next school year at its meeting last night. Those will be Monday, Nov. 7 and Friday, March 10.
Also at last night’s meeting…
FIGHT FOR FAIR PAY
💸Henrico teachers continued to push for a restructured pay scale this week, and showed up to last night’s Henrico School Board meeting to voice their concerns.
Many teachers were dismayed two weeks ago when they learned of the school division’s recruitment effort to raise the starting pay for new teachers fresh out of college. The announcement peeved some veteran teachers who make a smaller salary now than what new teachers with no experience will make starting this fall.
The page on the Henrico Schools website titled “teacher salary scales” was blank until May 13, shortly after the publication of a Henrico Citizen article detailing the confusion around the teacher compensation plan.
Henrico teachers to school board: restructure the pay scale
HANDLE WITH CARE
👮Starting this fall, Henrico County Public Schools teachers will know which of their students may have been involved in a traumatizing event the night before school, thanks to the “Handle with Care” program.
Henrico will be the first locality in the greater Richmond area to implement the program. In Virginia, 12 localities currently use the program and eight are scheduled for trainings this summer
Sen. Barbara Favola (D-Arlington) said she hopes that all localities eventually will be required to implement the program.
Henrico police, schools to implement ‘Handle with Care’ program
SIGNING DAY
✍HCPS hosted its fourth annual Career and Technical Education Letter-of-Intent Signing Day on Tuesday to recognize 50 students who earned industry credentials through the CTE program – and who will use those in their careers immediately after graduation next month.
Virginia Secretary of Education Amy Guidera congratulated students at the event and talked about the scathing report released by the state administration last week which concluded that lowered expectations for K-12 students have masked a downward shift in academic performance.
Henrico CTE students commit to careers on signing day
ATKINS EARNS ACCOLADES
🏆Henrico School Board member Alicia Atkins, who represents the Varina district, was honored Saturday by the Virginia Parent Teacher Association as child advocate of the year.
As for her next steps, Atkins said Saturday that she wants to focus on college affordability, involving children in civic engagement, and the importance of teaching history, an apparent reference to Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s order to end the use of “inherently divisive concepts” in schools – a push many have regarded as an attempt to dismantle efforts to promote cultural and racial diversity.
Virginia PTA honors Henrico’s Alicia Atkins as child advocate of the year
NEXT WEEK
🚨For three days next week, I’ll be covering the jury trial for Dean Lakey, the Short Pump Middle School teacher who was accused of sexually assaulting a student on campus. The trial will be heard before Henrico Circuit Court Judge L.A. Harris on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at the Henrico Circuit Court.
Jury trial approaches for Henrico teacher accused of sex assault on student
UPCOMING STORIES
I’m working on a series of stories about the increase of violence in schools this year. If you or your child or have experienced or witnessed in-school assaults, feel free to reach out to me.
That’s all for this week. As always, thanks for reading!
💬 Email me at Anna@HenricoCitizen.com to send questions, comments or tips.
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