Dear families,

March is upon us and our annual Day on the Hill is not too far behind it.  Although we have not finalized the date, we are looking at the first or second week in May for our big rally in Harrisburg.  Last year's event brought hundreds of cyber families to steps of the Capitol and into the offices of their legislators.  It was quite a show of force and commitment, and we hope to top those efforts this May!

So mark your calendars and make plans to attend.  This is going to be a critical year for the future and security of public cyber schools. 

Through your dedicated efforts, the coalition has made itself known and it has helped keep our schools funded and open.  It is difficult for legislators to support anti-cyber school legislation when they see the depth of our commitment to our children's education!

A firm date will be set very soon, so stay tuned.

New board members

I am very pleased to announce the addition of four new members to the coalition's board of directors. They come from across Pennsylvania and are from a number of different cyber schools.  This is another example of the tremendous dedication shown by members of this coalition.  We have a great group in place and I am certain they will help make us stronger and more effective in our fight to protect our schools!  I would like to welcome Linda Dupes, MaryAnne Motter Cullen, Lisa Martin, and Diana Moninger.

Contact your legislators!

Letting our legislators in Harrisburg how we feel about our school will be our primary focus this year.  House Bill 446, which would cut funding for our schools, now sits in the House Appropriations Committee.

This anti-cyber school legislation must not pass!

Please contact your legislators anyway you are able.  They need to know, and in many cases be reminded, how much damage this bill will do to our children's right to "free and fair" public education.  You can find full details of the bill on our website: http://www.pacyberfamilies.org/.

We know powerful interests, including the Pennsylvania School Board Association, have been making the rounds in support of HB 446. We need to respond! 

We need to contact the members of the Appropriation Committee. If you are one of their constituents, it is imperative to make yourself known.  This is critical!

Call, e-mail, or schedule an appointment when they are back home in the district.  You could also invite them to your home to see how public cyber schools work.  Another way to reach them is to attend one of the many open houses legislators hold in their home districts.

Follow this link to see which state House representative is on the committee: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/representatives_sc.cfm. This is a great site.  All the necessary contact information is available by just clicking on their name.

If you're a bit uncomfortable and don't feel adequately prepared to address the issue, you can download our "mythbusters " http://www.pacyberfamilies.org/uploads/Cyber%20School%20Myth%20Busters.pdf. Please take the time to study the material. With all the facts in hand, it is virtually impossible to deny that our schools are legitimate, successful and viable!  

Help with "Ten for the T"

As you know, we are a non-profit, grassroots parents' organization.  We certainly will not beat the resources of our big institutional detractors, but we can outdo them when it comes to effort, commitment and passion.  However, we do need funds to operate.

Please participate in our "Ten for the T" fundraising.  For every $10 you contribute to the coalition, we'll send a T-shirt emblazoned with our logo on the front and our motto "Many Families ... One Voice" on the back.  We've got them in all sizes, and they will be great to wear when we gather at the Capitol!

So please, buy a shirt and support the cause!

Thank you all your time and effort.  You are helping to make a difference!

Stay energized!

Jenny Bradmon, president