News

Survey Says: Invest in Educator Support, Social Emotional Wellness and School Safety

January 27, 2025 — As the School Board and City Council enter budget negotiations for the 2025-2026 school year, Charlottesville United for Public Education is urging enhanced funding to support: Social Emotional Wellness, School Safety, and Educator Support. This recommendation is based on a community feedback survey conducted over the summer and early fall of 2024 to ensure that the voices of students, parents, and educators are prioritized in decisions shaping Charlottesville City Schools. This process was specifically designed to uplift the perspectives of Black, Brown, and low-income residents, whose voices are often overlooked.

Get Up to Speed and Speak Up: School Board to Consider Youth Resource Officers as Part of School Safety Model

May 23, 2024 — We’re all juggling a million things — spring sports, SOLs/APs, field trips or any other EOY activities — during this month of MAYhem. So you might have missed this newsflash: The Charlottesville City School Board will potentially vote Thursday, May 30 (technically the June meeting) on a proposal to add Youth Resource Officers (YROs) to Buford Middle School and Charlottesville High School in the 2024-2025 school year.

Charlottesville United for Public Education has not taken a position in favor of or against YROs, but we are strongly encouraging everyone to seek out a few minutes of time – while sitting in the bleachers or in the car line or instead of scrolling through social media tonight – to get up to speed and share any questions, opinions and/or concerns with the School Board and Dr. Gurley before May 30 or during the meeting. We’ve provided resources below.

Letter to School Board re: Community Engagement

April 16, 2024 — CUPE sent the following letter to members of the Charlottesville School Board:

“Warm greetings from Charlottesville United for Public Education (CUPE)!

As engaged community members deeply invested in the success and inclusivity of our public education system, we recently tuned in to a School Board meeting where the sentiments expressed by several members resonated with us. The call for inclusive dialogue, innovative approaches, and increased community involvement struck a chord with us. We would like to echo the sentiments of several members who said: “We need to hear from everyone,” “We need to do things differently than we’ve always done,” and “We need to go out in the community” to hear directly from families. 

Ask City Council to Support Additional Funding Request for Schools

March 3, 2024 — This Tuesday, March 5, Charlottesville City Schools (CCS) Superintendent Dr. Gurley will present the School Board-approved 2024-2025 budget including a $9M additional ask, bringing the investment from the City from $67M in 2024 to $76M in 2025.

Charlottesville Tomorrow has a helpful breakdown of the budget request and process. Charlottesville United for Public Education supports this request for additional funds and encourages community members to contact City Council and tell them you’re in favor of stepping up the City’s commitment to our public schools at a critical moment. 

To send comments to City Council, email council@charlottesville.gov

City Schools will present the 2025 fiscal year budget to the City Council on Tuesday, March 5. The meeting begins at 4 p.m. at Charlottesville City Hall, 605 E. Main St. on the Downtown Mall. Public comment takes place during the general business portion of the meeting, which begins at 6:30 p.m. If you’d like to sign up to comment, fill out an online form, email or call the Clerk of Council up until 9 a.m. on March 5. (courtesy Charlottesville Tomorrow)

Budget Update and Messaging Tips to Advocate for Investing in Charlottesville Public Schools

February 15, 2024 — CUPE representatives attended the joint Charlottesville City Council School Board Budget Work Session last week. We were pleased with the thoughtful questions and conversation, and we thank Council and School Board members along with community members who attended – and especially to the teachers who spoke during public comment to express their lived reality in our schools and the dire need for additional funding.

Action Item: Ask City Council to fully fund CCS’s amended request for $9M.

To send comments to City Council, email council@charlottesville.gov

To send comments to the School Board, email schoolboard@charlottesvilleschools.org. Call out to the School Board anything you think deserves priority consideration in their budget decisions.

Here are some messaging points to consider based on last week’s budget meeting (click below to access).

Statement in Support of Increased Funding for Charlottesville City Schools in FY25 Budget

February 6, 2024 — As we enter the decision stages of the budget season for the City of Charlottesville and Charlottesville City Schools (CCS), Charlottesville United for Public Education (CUPE) wishes to highlight the pivotal role that our public schools play in shaping the lives of our children and the future of our community. Funding is one key mechanism used to underscore this role.

This is a moment of significant transition for our public schools. Charlottesville High School is looking for a new principal. Buford is transitioning into Charlottesville Middle School, and our elementary schools expanding to 5th grade. There is a real probability that a comprehensive Early Childhood Education Center will actualize at Walker. Meanwhile, more and more students are taking the opportunity to engage with our education system: projections indicate steadily rising enrollment with increases in students who are identified as English Language Learners. All of this while, nationwide and here at home, schools are working to overcome pandemic learning setbacks and address heightened mental health concerns.

CUPE asserts that this is a moment when our schools, our teachers, and our children need MORE.

2023-2024 School Year Reflections

As we reflect on the 2023-2024 school year, Charlottesville United for Public Education is heartened by the significant strides made in fulfilling our mission, vision, and core values. Our unwavering commitment to advocating for and investing in public education that meets the needs of every child and family, while centering Black, Brown, and traditionally marginalized voices, has been the guiding force behind our work and accomplishments this past year

Charlottesville United for Public Education was formed two years ago when a group of parents, caregivers and community members recognized a void: we needed more vocal support in Charlottesville for our public schools. At the time this was centered around securing funding for the reconfiguration and renovation of Walker and Buford.

We have continued to evolve and work to serve as a conduit for the community. During the 2023-2024 school year that took many different shapes.

7 Actionable Steps for Supporting Charlottesville High School and All Charlottesville City Schools

Dear Charlottesville United Community,

We hope this message finds you well. We are writing to follow up on the CHS Listening Session held on Monday evening and organized by Charlottesville United for Public Education. Your active participation and support have been critical in advancing our shared goals for lifting community voice and ensuring that people are seen and heard.

If you missed the Listening Session, you can view it online. 

Feedback

Your input is crucial to progress. If you did not get a chance to speak on Monday night, or have a point to reiterate, please take a moment to provide your feedback through a Google Form. 

Your insights are invaluable and will be shared with the School Board and Charlottesville High School leadership. The form is also shared on all Charlottesville United’s social media channels, so feel free to share widely.

Next Steps

Many people asked about tangible actions that they can take to support students, teachers, and the wider school community. We have compiled a list of 7 Actionable Steps for Supporting Charlottesville City Schools.

CHS Listening Session: Monday Nov. 20 6pm

Charlottesville United for Public Education is working to elevate community voices by providing support for a Listening Session Monday at 6pm in the Martin Luther King Performing Arts Center. School Board members Lisa Larson Torres and Dom Morse will be in attendance to listen to the community's concerns.

Get the updated details: https://www.charlottesvilleunited.org/chs-listening-update

Statement on Charlottesville High School

November 17, 2023 — Charlottesville United for Public Education stands with the entire Charlottesville High School (CHS) community. We are deeply saddened by recent events. We believe this is an opportunity to have conversations about how to improve the culture of CHS – to ensure it is a safe and welcoming place for ALL students and staff.

We support the teachers’ requests to be heard in making CHS a better learning space. And if students are in the building next week, Charlottesville United, in partnership with the CHS PTO, will be on campus Tuesday, November 21 to support students on Mr. Pitt’s last day. We will be handing out snacks as we show our support and, as appropriate, listening to concerns and ideas as we all consider how we can individually and collectively contribute to the success of our schools and students.

This will be a difficult transition, AND we will be part of the solution. We will work to UNITE our community. We are here to support all students thriving.

Yours in Partnership,

Charlottesville United for Public Education

Charlottesville School Board Candidate Forum: October 18

Charlottesville United for Public Education and Charlottesville Tomorrow are pleased to co-sponsor the 2023 Charlottesville School Board Candidate Forum with support from Vinegar Hill and In My Humble Opinion. The event will be held in person at the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center and streamed live online the evening of October 18. Facilitated by Tamica Jean-Charles of Charlottesville Tomorrow.

This is your chance to engage with the candidates and learn more about their visions for our schools. Childcare and translation available. Don't miss out on this opportunity to have your voice heard and make an informed decision.

School Transportation Recommendations

August 10, 2023 — Charlottesville United has spent time this summer working with partner organizations on the overarching transportation issue, including a study and community focus groups. We’ve captured these high level recommendations (and you can download them here).

School Transportation Webinar August 10

Last fall we launched our Public School Matters event series with a focus on the Buford renovation project and transportation. Construction crews broke ground at Buford last month to officially set that long-awaited project in motion, but school transportation continues to be a concern families share.

So we've teamed up with Livable Cville to host the next Public School Matters webinar on August 10 at 6:30pm.

This webinar will feature Ben Chambers, the City of Charlottesville's Transportation Manager, and Amanda Korman, Community Relations Liaison for Charlottesville City Schools. They will provide updates on the Safe Routes to School program for the 2023-24 school year and address audience questions.

Join Our Transportation Focus Groups July 10 + 11

We invite you to take part in a focus group to better understand the experience of Charlottesville City Schools families in managing ongoing school transportation challenges. We will be conducting small, guided conversations on July 10th from 9:30-11am, July 10th from 1-2:30pm and July 11th from 1:30-3:00pm. Last fall, Charlottesville United for Public Education conducted a webinar to better understand the transportation changes and challenges in Charlottesville City Schools. Now we want to check in and see how things are going! The focus group will be short, lasting no longer than 90 minutes, and conducted by Charlottesville United staff and board members.

Huge Day for Charlottesville Public Schools: Buford Renovation Groundbreaking

June 9, 2023 — This is a huge day for Charlottesville -- for our kids, families, educators and entire community. Breaking ground on the renovation of Buford Middle School as the first step in the reconfiguration of Charlottesville City Schools (CCS) is something that was dreamed about and debated for nearly two decades and is finally coming to fruition. We applaud everyone who worked tirelessly, creatively and collaboratively to make this day possible, with special thanks to: Dr. Gurley, Kim Powell and CCS staff, Lisa Larson Torres and the entire School Board, City Council, and VMDO.

And YOU.

School Board 101: Q&A with Lisa Larson-Torres and Emily Dooley

May 16, 2023 — You can’t talk about the future of public education in Charlottesville without considering the Charlottesville School Board. But as we spend more time out in the community talking with families about our schools, it’s clear to us that there isn’t enough visibility into all the ways — big and small, in public and behind the scenes — these local leaders are impacting our schools and community. And with an election this fall for four of the seven seats, now is the time to get to know the School Board more intimately…and help us track down some more good folks to step up!

Comprised of seven elected leaders along with student representatives, the School Board’s duties include:

• Setting policy for the school division

• Hiring and evaluating the superintendent

• Approving a budget to meet the financial needs of the school division

• Approving the annual school calendar and school operating times

• Determining school boundaries

Members are elected at-large in the General Election to a four-year term. In this November’s election, there are four seats up for election with the terms of James Bryant, Lashundra Bryson Morsberger, Sherry Kraft and Jennifer McKeever expiring. As of today, none of the incumbents have filed to run for reelection and only one candidate (Amanda Burns) has officially announced. June 20 is the deadline for candidates to file; only residents of the City of Charlottesville are eligible. Learn more about our current members here.

We asked Lisa Larson-Torres, former Chair of the School Board who joined in 2018, and Emily Dooley, one of the newest members who joined the Board in 2022, t share their perspectives on the role of School Board members, our schools’ biggest challenges and opportunities, and why YOU might consider joining their ranks.

Thank you to Lisa and Emily for taking the time for this Q&A and to all of our School Board members for their service to our public schools and community!

Where City Council Candidates Stand on Education, Charlottesville Public Schools

May 10, 2023 — In late April, Charlottesville United for Public Education send all five candidates for Charlottesville City Council a brief survey about public education and our schools. We appreciate their timely responses, support for public education, and their willingness to serve our community. The candidates’ full, unedited responses can be found below. We wanted to share these observations:

• All candidates stated that they believe one of the biggest improvements to Charlottesville City School is more efforts towards equity. Specifically in supporting trades for students who are not college-bound. Not every child has the same goals post-graduation, and we really need to rethink how we are approaching each student's individual needs. This could include making sure students who are interested in participating in CATEC are set up to have enough credits to enroll.

• All candidates support an early education center at Walker. Some thoughts about funding for this project include getting the authority from the state to implement a 1% sales tax allocated to school construction and ensuring upcoming investments are already incorporated into the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget.

• Different suggestions have been made in terms of finding solutions for transportation. Some candidates have suggested the use of smaller buses

that don't require a CDL to operate; others see an opportunity for community organizations to come together and join resources to ease some of the stress at least as a short term solution. Most candidates believe that increasing bus driver salaries to be competitive with the regional market and investing in more recruitment efforts for school bus drivers are crucial to a long term solution.

• There were many suggested approaches to safety in our community and schools. Some ways to start supporting healthy environments for our students include:

o Establishing a collaborative task force that includes representatives from city council, CCS, law enforcement agencies, and community organizations. This task force could work together to identify the root causes of safety concerns in the community, develop strategies to address those concerns, and ensure that the needs of students are being met. The task force could also work to establish programs for the youth such as mentoring and after-school programs and mental health counseling services.

o Funding for youth and community programs in neighborhoods as well as having more community youth activities targeted specifically at teenagers.

o Invest in addressing the underlying causes of instability, like housing and food insecurity, that affect the safety and success of students and their families. Our students deserve a safe space and a safety net.

• All candidates believe there is plenty of room for improvement when it comes to centering the voices of our community members that haven't been traditionally centered. Some approaches include creating youth-led forums or creating advisory committees that include student representatives to receive feedback within our school to hear from students within these demographics. Other ideas include:

o Hosting events that are held in different neighborhoods or schools to ensure a range of voices are heard

o Reducing barriers for the voices who are not being heard

o Engaging with community organizations who are already in the works of creating the groundwork for community input.

Statement in Support of Full Funding for Buford Renovation - Including Auditorium

March 29, 2023 — As Charlottesville City Council wraps up its deliberations around the FY2024 budget, Charlottesville United for Public Education is urging community members to voice their support for *fully* funding the Buford Middle School renovation – including additional dollars to update the auditorium. City Council has approved $78M to fund the renovation of Buford and the reconfiguration of all schools (where elementary schools will house K-5th and Walker will transition to a citywide preschool). Bids for the project were recently submitted to the City, with the option for updating the auditorium at Buford for an additional $8M (approx).

City Council will host a work session this Thursday at 6pm focusing on the Capital Improvement Program (CIP), which includes reconfiguration funding. You can register to speak via Zoom here or attend in person at City Space. You can also write them an email at council@charlottesville.gov

The following is the statement of Sandra Aviles-Poe, Charlottesville United for Public Education’s Community Organizer:

“Our community and City Council have rallied together to approve $78M to fund the renovation and reconfiguration of Buford Middle School. Together we have breathed a sigh of relief and stood proud having finally realized a decade-long vision for investing in the modernization and reconfiguration of Charlottesville City Schools.

“But decades of underinvestment in our schools, including infrastructure, are hard to fix in a single stroke. It will take many more years of intentional, inclusive planning and robust funding to get our schools to a place where we are providing all Charlottesville students with a high-quality education that meets their physical, social and emotional needs in a 21st century learning environment.

“We thank City and Charlottesville City School leaders for standing firm in their commitment to the initial funding, and we now ask that they tap back into their creative energies and shared priority of our public school kids to find additional funding – up to $8M – to remodel the Buford auditorium during the overall renovation.

Charlottesville United for Public Education Statement on CCS FY24 Budget, Gun Violence

February 23, 2023

The following is the statement of Charlottesville United for Public Education as the Charlottesville City School Board considers the FY2024 budget. More information about the CCS FY2024 budget can be found here: https://charlottesvilleschools.org/budget

“Charlottesville United for Public Education is committed to ensuring every child in our public schools is successful – including mental health supports, safety, transportation, middle school reconfiguration and infrastructure improvements, and more. The role of our public schools in shaping our children’s lives and our community’s future cannot be understated.

When immigrant and refugee families arrive in Charlottesville, our public schools welcome them. When kids go to bed hungry, don’t know where they will sleep that night, or are exposed to gun violence, our public schools provide a safe place for them. For kids who need additional academic, social emotional or other support, our public schools provide those services.

Charlottesville City Schools are a critical pillar of our community, and funding must match that.

Charlottesville United for Public Education Statement on City Council Vacancy

Community members encouraged to push for strong public education supporter to fill seat vacated by Councilor Magill

January 30, 2023 — Last month Sena Magill resigned from Charlottesville City Council, and the current four members will appoint a replacement to serve through this November’s election. While there may be additional opportunities for the community to share their opinions and/or meet the candidates, the next City Council meeting is 6:30 on Monday, February 6 and will include the standard public comment option. Charlottesville Tomorrow has more on the process and the 8 applicants.

The following is the statement of Sandra Aviles-Poe, Community Organizer for Charlottesville United for Public Education:

Charlottesville United for Public Education Welcomes Community Organizer as First Hire

Sandra Aviles Poe to lead local nonprofit advocating for stronger public schools

October 23, 2022 — Charlottesville, VA – Charlottesville United for Public Education (CUPE) is pleased to welcome Sandra Aviles Poe as Community Organizer, the organization’s first staff hire. Sandra will lead the new nonprofit’s community outreach and engagement efforts as well as serving as an advocate for strengthening and fully resourcing our public schools.

Born in Mexico, Sandra moved to Charlottesville with her family when she was five and graduated from Monticello High School. She has most recently worked in banking and as mother to three children.

“I look forward to serving the communities that welcomed my family and became our home. Having gone through public schools and as mother of young children, I bring a lived experience and strong passion for public education as a critical tool for success,” said Sandra. “I’m grateful to be able to work at an organization that embodies everything I believe in. I have full faith that through community engagement and open ears and minds we will be able to create a movement that positively impacts Charlottesville youth and future generations.”

CUPE officially launched in January of this year and was focused primarily on getting City Council to fund the renovation of Buford Middle School as the first step in the decades-long push for the reconfiguration of Buford and Walker Upper Elementary. After the success of that initial effort, the organization has been focused on attending community events in the summer and securing funding for an organizer. This next phase will include a much more active and public role reaching out to local elected officials, school board members and CCS staff, partner organizations and – most importantly – community members and current and future CCS families.

“Sandra is the right person to take Charlottesville United for Education to the next level, from a committed group of volunteer parents and community leaders to a forceful, respected voice fighting for better, more equitable education opportunities for Charlottesville kids from preschool through graduation,” said Mary Coleman, Executive Director of City of Promise and founding member of the CUPE Advisory Committee. “We’ve shown that when families and community stakeholders come together to support our schools, we can get results, and we look forward to Sandra building on the energy and momentum that we’ve generated so far.”

CUPE recently hosted a webinar to update the community on transportation issues and the Buford renovation. A partial recording of the webinar is available online.

CUPE is served by an Advisory Committee of volunteers, and is a joint plan of work partner with Virginia Organizing. If you are interested in getting more involved, email charlottesvilleunited@gmail.com.

New “Public School Matters” Event Series Kicks Off Oct. 12 with Webinar on Transportation, Reconfiguration

UPDATE: You can view the recording of the webinar here.

September 20, 2022 — Charlottesville United for Public Education (CUPE) is excited to announce a new event series, "Public School Matters,” focusing on the education topics that are top of mind for Charlottesville families. The first event will be a webinar at 7:30pm on October 12th with presentations and discussions about transportation issues and the Buford renovation project.

What's the latest on transportation issues, and what are possible next steps? How will the "reconfiguration" timeline impact your student? What do the plans for Buford's renovation include? And how can we as families and community members committed to strong public schools weigh in on these issues? We’ll discuss these and more questions together!

RSVP here. We will send out Zoom webinar details a few days in advance to everyone who has registered.

Invited speakers include:

Kim Powell, Chief Operations Officer, Charlottesville City Schools

Lisa Larson Torres, Chair, Charlottesville School Board

Wyck Knox, VMDO Architects, project lead for reconfiguration project

Facilitated by Daniel Fairley, City of Charlottesville Youth Opportunity Coordinator

Email charlottesvilleunited@gmail.com to submit questions in advance.

Charlottesville United for Public Education is a coalition of parents, grandparents, and community members committed to ensuring every child in Charlottesville City Schools receives a quality education. We advocate for student success from preschool to graduation through community engagement, family support, and civic participation. As champions united for healthy students and schools, we center community voices and welcome all who are invested in making public education better in Charlottesville. Charlottesville United for Public Education is a non-partisan grassroots effort operating as a joint plan of work with Virginia Organizing.

Statement on School Renovation Update

September 1, 2022 — The following statement was shared by Charlottesville United for Public Education (CUPE) Advisory Committee member Nancy Deutsch during public comment at tonight’s Charlottesville City School Board meeting. The update on the Buford renovation project shared during that meeting is available on the CCS website.

“It has been almost 5 months since Charlottesville City Council approved the FY2023 budget, with $68.8M to fund the renovation and reconfiguration of Buford Middle School. After more than a decade of debate and dashed hopes, Charlottesville was and IS ready for this project to move forward.

At the time of the budget vote in April, Charlottesville United for Public Education (CUPE) praised it as ‘pivotal moment’ and ‘part of a renewed promise to give Charlottesville children a high-quality education in a 21st century learning environment.’ We noted that ‘a solid, functioning, and thriving community is one that invests in its children through the public school system.’ That remains true today.

We all know the harsh realities of inflation, and we would expect the same to be true of school construction costs. Should the costs of this vital renovation and reconfiguration project increase, we expect that the City will fully support keeping the project moving, to be completed on schedule, and with the funding required. Postponing will only ensure that costs will continue to mount, and we know that we cannot delay the much-needed upgrades to our middle school.

It bears repeating who Charlottesville City Schools – in particular Buford and Walker – serve. There are 4,200+ students currently enrolled in CCS, nearly half (46%) of whom are “economically disadvantaged” – that number jumps to 56% of students at Walker Upper Elementary and Buford Middle. About one-third of Charlottesville residents are people of color; 84% of CCS Pre-K students are, and 62% of 5th-8th graders.

Last year’s budget cycle had the added benefit of bringing together advocates for affordable housing and public education, uniting the community behind the notion that these two issues go hand-in-hand to help break the cycle of generational poverty in Charlottesville.

The trajectory of the educational journey for students in our community depends on how we invest in and show up for them. We showed up for them last spring, and from transportation to school safety to building renovations, we’ll keep showing up for them. Thank you to Dr. Gurley, the School Board and CCS staff for their continued dedication to our schools and community.”

We’re Hiring an Organizer

July 18, 2022 — Charlottesville United for Public Education is a coalition of parents, grandparents, and community members committed to ensuring every child in Charlottesville City Schools receives a quality education. We advocate for student success from preschool to graduation through community engagement, family support, and civic participation. As champions united for healthy students and schools, we center community voices and welcome all who are invested in making public education better in Charlottesville. Charlottesville United for Public Education is a non-partisan grassroots effort operating as a joint plan of work with Virginia Organizing.

Job Responsibilities

As a community organizer, you will build power for long-term change. Day to day, you will recruit parents and stakeholders committed to strengthening Charlottesville City Schools. Specifically, your work will include:

• Recruit individuals and organizations to join CUPE and advocate for public education

• Conduct face-to-face meetings with CCS parents, youth, teachers, and community stakeholders;

• Develop parents into leaders by sharing new skills

  • Center Black and Brown parents in organizing efforts and support the formation of the Black Parents Association and other affinity groups as requested

• Build partnerships with organizations serving CCS students and engage them in CUPE activities

• Based on input from parents, caregivers, and stakeholders, strategize and build on issues of concern, and move people to action (including at the School Board or City Council level)

• Maintain relationships with new contacts, members, and leaders through phone calls, texts, and in-person visits;

• Elevate the issue of investing in public education

  • Listening sessions, town halls, or candidate forums for future City Council elections

  • Securing organizational endorsements, local government resolutions, letters to the editor, and media coverage when needed

  • Joining similar organizations across the state in advocating for public education at the General Assembly

• Prepare leaders for meetings, public speaking, and media interviews

• Complete administrative tasks—including monthly work plans and weekly activity reports—thoroughly and promptly

CUPE Campaign Goals

• Support investments in CCS infrastructure:

  • Renovating outdated schools, starting with Buford

  • Moving 5th grade back to Elementary schools

  • Building a high-quality preschool center at Walker Upper Elementary

  • A long term facilities plan for CCS

  • Adding aftercare and wraparound services

• Support investments in CCS education and services. responding to the needs of parents, caregivers, stakeholders, and teachers. While topics will be determined based on future input, recent topics of concern have included:

  • Mental health and social-emotional supports

  • “Learning loss”

  • Adequate transportation to and from school

  • Special Education services, specifically additional help to navigate the IEP process

  • LGBTQ representation in curricula

• Ensuring adequate investments at the local and state level during annual budget cycles

Qualifications

You are driven by a commitment to strengthen CCS so that every child thrives. This includes strengthening local investment in Charlottesville City Schools. You believe that people who are most directly affected by how well our public schools serve our students — or don’t — should have a seat at the table. You are passionate about developing leaders who speak for the organization and make decisions about local campaigns. You want to use your critical thinking and interpersonal skills to build a powerful local movement for engagement around issues that strengthen our local schools and center students and their families.

Successful applicants will also have:

• Experience in community organizing, either as a staff member or volunteer leader

• Experience working in low-income communities and communities of color across racial and cultural lines

• Experience with the public education system

• Ability to work independently, which includes managing your own work schedule, setting priorities, and accomplishing long-term goals

• Ability to participate in regular evening and weekend activities

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Strong personal organizational skills

• Basic computer skills (Google Suite, Microsoft Office).

Compensation

The salary range for the Full Time (40 hours a week) CUPE Organizer is $46,000 to $55,000 depending on experience. Full-time employees receive generous benefits, including full health, dental, vision, and childcare benefits, in addition to paid vacation, sick, parental, and family leave.

We strongly encourage women, people of color, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ community to apply. Knowledge and experience with Charlottesville City Schools preferred.

How to Apply

Please send a resume and cover letter to charlottesvilleunited@gmail.com by August 15, 2022.

Statement on Charlottesville City Council’s Budget Vote

(Source: Charlottesville United for Public Education)

April 13, 2022 — On Tuesday, April 12, 2022, Charlottesville City Council approved the FY 2023 budget, including $68.8M to fund the renovation and reconfiguration of Buford MIddle School.

A one cent increase in the real estate tax (from $.95 to $.96 per $100 of assessed value) will go to the capital improvement fund. An additional vote to increase the meals tax from 6% to 6.5% will happen at the April 18 Council meeting.

Statement of Charlottesville United for Public Education:

“A solid, functioning, and thriving community is one that invests in its children through the public school system. The decision to fund $68.8M of the Buford Middle School renovation and reconfiguration and fully fund City Schools’ FY23 operating budget is part of a renewed promise to give Charlottesville students a high-quality education in a 21st century learning environment. This is a pivotal moment, and we thank City Council for doing right by our students and our community.

We appreciate that, with many critically important priorities competing for funding and limited palatable options for raising new revenue, this budget process was extremely complicated and required a significant amount of time and creative thinking. Thank you to Charlottesville City Council, City Staff, the Charlottesville School Board and Superintendent and many others — including the countless community members who rallied in vocal support of public schools — who worked tirelessly to make this work. Together we have taken an important step to set up our students — and our community — for success.

Today we savor this important moment, but we also know it’s just a first step. The needs of Charlottesville City Schools and our students didn’t start with — and won’t end with — funding renovations for Buford.

Charlottesville City Council taking FY 2023 budget to a vote

(Source: Daily Progress)

April 9, 2022 — Charlottesville City Council will make a decision on how millions of dollars will be used for the city during a special meeting Tuesday when they vote whether to approve the Fiscal Year 2023 budget…

Councilors have been less than enthusiastic about raising the real estate tax rate due to rising real estate assessments in the city at an average of 11.69%. However, a 10-cent increase was originally thought to be one of the only ways to fund the renovation and expansion of Buford Middle School, a project known as reconfiguration. Recent funding scenarios the city is considering could allow the city to fund the project without the 10-cent increase…

The $76 million price tag has been controversial. Councilors seem to be moving toward support of a $68.8 million model of the project that would be funded over the next several years through the city’s capital improvement program and bonds.

City officials talk path forward for funding schools project at budget work session

(Source: Daily Progress)

April 1, 2022 — Charlottesville City Council is looking at ways to fund the renovation and expansion of Buford Middle School after debating whether it is even possible to pay for it.

Interim City Manager Michael C. Rogers made a recommendation to delay funding of the schools reconfiguration project at a City Council meeting last month. But at Thursday’s meeting, the city’s senior budget analyst provided a potential budget amendment that could allow the city to fund up to $68.8 million of the project.

Exasperated community members ask: Why must Charlottesville choose between a new middle school and public housing?

(Source: Charlottesville Tomorrow)

March 29, 2022 — As Buford Middle School students hustled between their third and fourth period classes last week, rain fell fast from the sky over Charlottesville. The weather picked up just before the bell rang, and the students who hurried outside for their class change found their sneakers caked in mud and their sweatshirts and backpacks damp: The covered sidewalks connecting the various school buildings are leaking. Students and teachers inside weren’t faring much better. The school roof leaks in multiple places, and it’s often just as dreary inside the school — some classrooms have no windows at all.

Less than a mile away, at Westhaven, residents of Charlottesville’s oldest public housing community propped their inefficient windows open to deal with the humidity while preparing lunch on outdated stovetops. All the while they prayed that their ceilings wouldn’t start leaking again. In front of one apartment, an orange and black plastic yard sign swayed back and forth in the weather, announcing a young Westhaven resident’s graduation from Charlottesville High School.

Both Westhaven and Buford were built in the mid-1960s and are in desperate need not just of repairs and renovations, but reconstruction and redevelopment. For decades, community members have asked city officials to fund these two reconstruction projects, among others. City councilors have acknowledged repeatedly that these housing and school improvement projects are a priority for the broader community’s wellbeing, and have said that they want to support them financially. These conversations aren’t just theoretical. The city hired a local architecture firm last year to draw up plans to rebuild Buford. And in late January, Westhaven residents met for a workshop to plan for the upcoming redevelopment of their homes. “Redevelopment is coming! Let your voices be heard,” the event flier read.

Column: City should invest in schools and housing (By Shymora Cooper and Joy Johnson)

(Source: The Daily Progress)

March 11, 2022 — The city of Charlottesville is at the very bottom of a proverbial hole it has been digging itself and only now realizing what changes will be necessary to get itself out of it. For decades, the city declined to tax itself appropriately nor make the investments in housing and public school systems necessary to provide a level playing field for its residents—especially those in the lower-income brackets.

A community that invests in its children through the public school system and housing builds a strong, functional, and thriving community. Regardless of where a child lives or their family or their family’s income, every child has the right to a high-quality education in a 21st-century learning environment and housing. Charlottesville will not be able to address its historic inequities unless equitable financial investments are made in these areas. Long-term disparities in health, wealth, housing, and well-being must be addressed with a solid education and affordable housing program. City Council must ensure that all students, regardless of socioeconomic status, have a positive learning experience and outcomes by investing not only in infrastructure but also in resources and wrap-around services to help families thrive.

Letter: Renovate and Reconfigure Schools (By Nancy Deutsch)

(Source: The Daily Progress)

March 7, 2002 — As a parent of a CCS 4th grader and a researcher helping lead a national initiative around remaking middle schools for educational equity, I appreciated the recent articles on Charlottesville City Schools’ reconfiguration/renovation and the difficult fiscal priorities City Council is weighing. Although the trade-offs are tough, I believe we must prioritize school reconfiguration and renovation.

Charlottesville has the opportunity before us to invest in modernizing our school system to better align with the needs of middle school students while simultaneously addressing long-standing equity issues. These are not competing priorities – they are deeply entwined.