Petaluma Federation of Teachers

Sweet end-of-year celebration at Brooke Note. 💙

Sweet end-of-year celebration at Brooks Note yesterday. 💙

Hi Friends,
I'm just contacting one person at each school about what's happening with music and vapa and prep time. I know it's short notice, but please spread the word to have as many teachers as possible to come to the board meeting this Tuesday night. three of us music teachers have concerts and will not be able to be there but the other two music teachers will be there along with vapa teachers.
Music team and vapa team have been cut down additional amounts. The music team budget has been moved out of parcel tax and into the prop 28 vapa funds. It was not passed through the budget committee and nobody knows why. We had originally been cut back to a 4.0 music team and a 3.0 vapa team. Now we are cut down to a 3.6 music team and a 1.6 vapa team. We need teachers to come out to advocate for music and the arts for elementary kids and also for your own prep time. There needs to be a ROAR. Please pass the word.
I don't have everybody's personal emails so I'm resorting to this.

Best,
Ms. Vicki Parks
PCS Elementary Music Teacher

5/26/26- PCS Board Meeting! Be there! 💙

You are receiving this email because I know that you appreciate the elementary VAPA program that has been running in our district for 3 years now. Unfortunately, the program has been affected by the recent budget cuts and 2.4 VAPA teachers will not be funded next year. This leaves 1.6 Visual art teachers for 3000 elementary students, which will severely reduce the amount of art your students will receive.

Our vision was to sustain our current VAPA program with 4 teachers, allowing each student to receive 24 weeks of art per year. We have worked hard, along with Erinn Vandermeer, to build a stable program. It has been wonderful seeing all of the students in the district thrive as artists and allow their creativity to shine. Prop 28 money is supposed to be allocated to the arts (and only to the arts) every year, however, the new administration has moved things around and funds are no longer available to sustain the current program.

We need your help to advocate for VAPA for your students! Next Tuesday, May 26, at the Board meeting is our only chance to be seen and heard. Whether you come to fight for students to receive art or you come to fight for your prep time, or both, we would love to see you there! The more people there that are seen and heard, the more attention the program will get. Credentialed teachers, classifieds, parents, students, or anyone else who feels strongly that art is an important piece of our students' complete education.

Thank you for your attention, time, and energy in this matter!

Sincerely,
VAPA teachers
Kris Thomason
Linsey Larimore
Charlotte Nehm

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Solidarity Is The Lesson Plan! ❤️

💙 CFT March 4th- Day of Action