Presentation from the Nov. 30, 2015 session presented by original co-founders of Fairfax FLAGS, Sandy Knox and Tina Meek. In addition to current information, this presentation includes helpful historical slides from our November and December 2009 presentations.

1. Kickoff Session
November 30, 2015

2. Welcome and Overview

3. Tips for Success: Coordination
• Designate overall leaders and task leads as needed
– Recommend co-leaders
– Task areas include communications, budget analysis/tracking,
school liaison outreach, public hearing speakers, etc.
• Identify 1-2 liaisons per school to drive advocacy and
increase engagement and information sharing

4. Tips for Success: Coordination
●Budget (SK)
o Analysis of FCPS & County
o Grant/Alternative funding
o Research & identify cost-savings
possibilities
o Stay current with latest news
●Media & Publicity (TM)
o Organize rallies
o Letters to editors
o Create & distribute business or “promo
cards”
o Press releases & packets
o Video productions
●Political Outreach (SK)
o School Board
o County Board of Supervisors
o State, Federal, PACs
o Embassies
●Community Outreach (TM)
o Businesses
o Government Agencies
o Influential Organizations
o Community & Associations
o University Outreach
●Public Hearings & Meetings (SK)
o Prepare for public hearings & solicit variety
of speakers
o Organize & publicize district meetings
●Advocacy Communications (TM)
o Discussion groups
o Facebook monitoring
o News & info scouring
o Letter campaign tracking
o Gather testimonials

5. Tips for Success: Strategy & Relationships
• Develop strategy for SB budget public hearings
– Start identifying speakers now. Get representation across
various schools, languages, topics
– Timing is after Dr. Garza releases budget in January
• Develop talking points to help ensure one voice
• Contact and build relations with elected officials
– Meetings and letter writing to county exec and BOS to
encourage advertised tax rate be set for flexibility
• Organize for BOS budget public hearings
• Form strategic alliances with similar advocacy groups
and FCCPTA

6. Tips for Success: Timing

7. Tips for Success: Communication
One-voice messaging deployed via multi-channels….
• Email: Build a contact database and establish email
distro capability to provide talking points, regular updates
and action items
– Email address: fairfaxflags@gmail.com
• Website: Update website with latest news, information
and resources -- drive traffic!
• Social: Facebook (many more options since 2009!)
• Face-to-Face: FLAGS sessions to provide latest news,
discussion forum, feature guest speakers. Speak at school
meetings as invited/permitted
• Media/PR: Pitch stories / engage as appropriate

8. Tips for Success: Campaigns
Suggestions for letter writing campaigns:
• Personal letters better than form letters
• Generate talking points
• Encourage some personal note within message if form
letter is used
• Request letters be cc’d to the tracking address
fairfaxflagsaction@gmail.com to gauge activity and
report on progress

9. Tips for Success: Code of Conduct
Fairfax FLAGS Advocacy Code of Conduct
• Respectful, courteous and professional behavior
• Informed and intelligent arguments
• Big picture view of preserving overall quality of FCPS,
not just considering one specific program

10. Kickoff Session
November 2009
NOTE: The following slides are historical content

11. Since we last met…
●Meetings
oFairfax Education Foundation
 Corporate funding not optimistic
oSchools hosted meetings with School Board & County
reps
 Kent Gardens, Lake Anne, Great Falls, anyone else?
●Community dialogues
oHuge turnout from early foreign language
oMost stayed on message to not attack other programs &
advocate for FCPS funding

12. Since we last met…
●Continue to establish liaisons & streamline
oPlease check out our liaison list on the website
oLet us know of contacts at “vacant” schools
●Various discussion & advocacy groups
oLake Anne, Great Falls, Laurel Ridge, Cunningham Park
discussion & info sites
oFACE: Elementary Band & Strings Advocacy
oAny others?

13. Check out www.fairfaxflags.org

14. Check out www.fairfaxflags.org

15. Fan “Fairfax FLAGS”

16. Facebook & www.fairfaxflags.org
●Content will build & evolve
oSchools can feed latest events & information by emailing
fairfaxflags@gmail.com with “website” as subject line
oPost discussion topics on FB
oWill continue to upload relevant links & videos
oAlways seeking feedback & ideas for sites

17. Moving forward…
"The core issue is not one program vs. another
program, but rather the level of funding we receive.
We have only three options as we prepare for FY’11:
additional State funding, additional county funding, or
cutting programs.”
– FCPS Superintendent Jack Dale

18. Facing issues
●How to get more funding for FCPS?
oEducate the community this is a BIG issue for FCPS not
just foreign language
oSpread the word to all stakeholders (website) not just
FCPS parents
oWhen talking about solutions say…
 “Fairfax County must increase funding for FCPS to preserve its
programs that make it a world-class school system.”
oState funding is improbable

19. Taking Action
●Attend community dialogues: Dec. 2
●Organize rally for community dialogues?
●Submit online budget feedback forms
●Highly active schools should…
oSet up meetings w/ district county supervisor
oInvite all FCPS schools under that supervisor
●Letter writing now – spread the word
oCounty supervisors & Chairman Sharon Bulova
oState officials to voice concerns & take action to advocate for FCPS
●Must involve PTAs: Issue is FCPS
oContact Fairfax County Council PTA (FCCPTA)

20. Fairfax FLAGS Role
●Serve as the platform to unite & promote advocacy
efforts to maximize impact
oWebsite & Facebook provide centralized resource for
information, ideas & strategies
oConnecting schools to share best practices & ideas for
advocacy success
oCommunicate with & through liaisons
oProvide support & guidance to liaisons, schools,
committees when requested

21. Role of Liaisons
●Set up advocacy team in school
●Communicate & publicize advocacy
oReach parents by using or building email distribution list
oUpdate FLAGS on latest efforts in your schools &
successes to share with other schools
oSolicit help with committees as needed
oTalk it up & get others to help motivate parents to TAKE
ACTION
oPublicize website & Facebook as a source of information
& action items

22. Organization of Committees
●Prefer two leaders per committee
oProvide us with contact information for website
oEnsure committee is on track & making progress
toward advocacy goals
oProvide updates to FLAGS leadership
oCommunicate any pertinent findings to other FLAGS
committees
oRequest support from leadership & other committees
when needed
oSolicit more committee members if needed
oSolicit experts or specialists for guidance or as
resource if needed

23. Committees
●Budget (SK)
o Analysis of FCPS & County
o Grant/Alternative funding
o Research & identify cost-savings
possibilities
o Stay current with latest news
●Media & Publicity (TM)
o Organize rallies
o Letters to editors
o Create & distribute business or “promo
cards”
o Press releases & packets
o Video productions
●Political Outreach (SK)
o School Board
o County Board of Supervisors
o State, Federal, PACs
o Embassies
●Community Outreach (TM)
o Businesses
o Government Agencies
o Influential Organizations
o Community & Associations
o University Outreach
●Public Hearings & Meetings (SK)
o Prepare for public hearings & solicit variety
of speakers
o Organize & publicize district meetings
●Advocacy Communications (TM)
o Discussion groups
o Facebook monitoring
o News & info scouring
o Letter campaign tracking
o Gather testimonials

24. Budget
●Analysis of FCPS & County
oFollow online budget questions submitted by School
Board & Board of Supervisors
oIdentify potential cost savings & suggestions
oResearch & answer budget questions by group
members
oStay current with budget changes & issues
●Grant/Alternative funding
oResearch grant possibilities
oExplore corporate funding options
oEndowments
oFees for services

25. Political Outreach
●Ensure relationship-building, calls to action &
constant communications with:
oSchool Board
oCounty Board of Supervisors
oState officials
oFederal officials
oPolitical Action Committees
oEmbassies
●Keep FLAGS community informed

26. Media & Publicity
●Organize rallies or public demonstrations
oFigure out venue & timeline
●Letters to editors
●Create & distribute “promo cards”
●Press releases & packets
●Provide necessary responses to articles
●Provide talking points when needed
●Video productions
●Gather video clips & photos for promotions
oMust have permission from parents

27. Organizational Outreach
●Ensure relationship-building, calls to action & constant
communications with:
oBusinesses: local & global
 Volkswagen, Hilton, Deutsche Bank, etc.
oGovernment Agencies
 CIA, State Department, Military, Homeland Security
oInfluential Organizations
 ACTFL, CAL, The Language Flagship, NNEL, Japan Foundation Los
Angeles, French-American Foundation
oCommunity & Associations
 Chambers of Commerce, FCCPTA,
oUniversity Outreach
 Area universities, internat’l studies, business schools, etc.

28. Public Hearings & Meetings
●Prepare for public hearings
oWork on public hearing strategy
oStart identifying potential speakers by working with
organizational & political outreach committees
oOrganize online registrations for speakers
●Support & organize district meetings
oMotivate & schools host cluster-wide meetings with County
Supervisor & FCPS Board Member
oEnsure all concerned school are invited when possible
●FLAGS leadership will be involved

29. Advocacy Communications
●Daily monitoring & tracking of information
oDiscussion groups
oFacebook
oNews & info scouring
oLetter campaign tracking
oGather testimonials
●Report new findings or inappropriate postings
●Keep group & leadership informed
●Make recommendations for improvement

30. Let’s Get to Work!
●Break into your committee of interest
●Those serving on multiple committees, be sure
they have your contact info
●Before leaving, provide committee contact info to
Sandy or Tina
●Before leaving, committees report their initial
ideas of how they will move forward

31. Work Session & Update
Dec. 14, 2009

32. ●Speakers: It’s about quality not quantity
●Three-minute limit
oLive speakers, video speeches, read speeches
●Variety of speakers to argue benefits
oAcademic, cognitive, cultural, narrows achievement
gap, increasing demand for global professionals,
need for immersion & FLES, etc.
●Help encourage huge foreign language turn out
for show of support
oFairfax FLAGS signs (logo)
Fairfax FLAGS Public Hearing Strategy

33. Identify Speakers & Supporters
●One student per grades 2, 5, 8, 10, 12
●FCPS alumni: Current college student
●FCPS alumni: 10-year graduate
oWith early foreign language
oWithout foreign language/cultural skills
●FCPS parents
oImmersion, FLES, two-way immersion
●Committee on Economic Development*
●ACTFL*
*Set to testify

34. ●Business community
oEspecially in county (Volkswagen, Hilton, etc.)
●Economic Development Authority
●Universities
oGeorge Washington University
 Center for International Business Studies*
oAnyone with insight?
*Set to testify
Identify Speakers & Supporters

35. Identify Speakers & Supporters
●Government agencies
oCIA, Homeland Security, State Department
●Embassies
oFrance, Germany, Japan, Spain, China, Mexico,
Canada, Saudi Arabia, UAE, etc.
●Politicians?
oState, federal
oMay avoid local-level politics

36. Volunteers Needed
●Public Hearing Registration Team
oMust follow through to register for speakers
when list opens online at 6 a.m. on Jan. 8
oOnly one registration per email address (?)
oIf plans change & you cannot register, notify
Sandy or Tina immediately so we do not lose an
early time slot
oFill out form to let us know

37. Role of Liaisons
●Success in some schools, not in others
●Petitions signatures needed for reach
●Hold school meetings & request support
●Copy fairfaxflags@gmail.com
oHelps us share great ideas & events
oDe-conflict meeting dates
●Help unify & publicize efforts & message

38. Since We Last Met…
●Meetings
oACTFL
oSuperintendent’s PAC meeting
oSchool Board & Supervisors
 Herndon, Aldrin, Kent Gardens, Lake Anne, Cunningham Park,
Laurel Ridge, anyone else?
oSupervisor meetings
 Jeff McKay, John Foust
oSupporting schools
 Great Falls & Aldrin ES examples

39. Since We Last Met…
●Established mass-mail distro
oMore than 1,800 contacts & growing
oSigning petition automatically subscribes you
oUnsubscribe feature available
oThank you Jerry Johnston of Laurel Ridge!

40. ●Concentrated at Herndon HS
●Excellent foreign language turnout
●Supporters stayed on message
●Press releases effective
●Media coverage
oNBC: Promo’d event that morning
oWUSA9: Live 7 & 11 p.m. story; online
oFox 5: Present
oNHK: Doing extensive story as well
oConnection papers
Demonstration at Budget Dialogue

41. Facebook: Join Our Fairfax FLAGS Group

42. In Progress
●FCCPTA (Fairfax Council of PTAs)
●ACTFL (American Council on Teaching Foreign
Languages)
●FCEDA (Fairfax County Economic Development
Authority)
●University outreach
●Meeting with school board & supervisors
●Supporting schools
●Video production for public hearings (?)

43. ●Send holiday cards to:
oSuperintendent Dr. Jack Dale
oYour School Board Member
oThree Members at Large
 Tina Hone, Ilryong Moon, James Raney
●Wish them the best this season & give thanks for
early foreign language
●Kids write greetings in language of study
●Does not replace emails/letters
Holiday Campaign Launched:
“The Gift of Early Foreign Language”

44. Car Magnet Concept
The World is Not Monolingual
www.fairfaxflags.org
www.fairfaxflags.org

45. You Can Make a Difference
●Talk it up & share links with…
oCommunity members without current FCPS
students to send emails/budget feedback form
oLanguage & “non-language” schools
●Contact school board & supervisors
●Fill out online budget feedback form
oEncourage County to diversify revenue stream
oSupport increased funding to FCPS & key
programs like early foreign language
●Participate in holiday campaign

46. You Can Make a Difference
●Join us on Facebook & encourage others
oPost discussion topics on FB
oPost links, videos, pics & events
oOutreach to middle & high school students
oOutreach to alumni
●Website
oProvide latest events & information to
fairfaxflags@gmail.com
oProvide links to share
oGet testimonials for website & public hearings

47. Email/Letter Writing Campaign
●Ongoing since October
●Determine “big push” timeline
oCounty Supervisors & Chairman Sharon Bulova
oSchool Board Member, three members at large &
Superintendent Jack Dale
oState officials (additional)
●Will blast Fairfax FLAGS distro
oSample letters, further talking points, etc
oSet “maximum impact date”
●Get kids involved if interested
●Copy fairfaxflagsaction@gmail.com

48. Hot Topics & Issues
●Implement efficiencies
●Diversify county revenue stream
oMeals tax proposal -- referendum shot down
oReal estate taxes
oVehicle registration fees

49. ●Coordinate meetings with Supervisors
oConstituents & Fairfax FLAGS reps
oTimeline: Schedule meeting by Dec. 21
Volunteers Needed
Left to right: Catherine M. Hudgins (Hunter Mill); Michael R. Frey (Sully); John C. Cook
(Braddock); Gerald W. Hyland (Mt. Vernon); Sharon Bulova (Chairman); Penelope A. Gross
(Mason); John W. Foust (Dranesville); Jeffrey C. McKay (Lee); Pat Herrity (Springfield); Linda Q.
Smyth (Providence)

50. ●Set up meetings with School Board
oTo include constituents & Fairfax FLAGS reps
oTimeline: Schedule meetings by Dec. 21
Volunteers Needed
First Row: Elizabeth Bradsher, Springfield; Tessie Wilson, Vice Chairman and Braddock; Jane
Strauss, Dranesville; Ilryong Moon, At Large; Kathy Smith, Chairman and Sully; and Kaye Kory,
Mason
Second Row: Dan Storck, Mount Vernon; Stuart Gibson, Hunter Mill; James Raney, At Large; Tina
Hone, At Large; Patty Reed, Providence; and Brad Center, Lee

51. State-Level Advocacy Volunteers
●Jan. 8 public hearings in Fairfax County
oNeed immediate help to research
●Possible FCPS-wide Coalition: FCCPTA
●Help coordinate Richmond demonstration
oMeeting tomorrow, Dec. 15, at 7 p.m. at
Stratford Landing Library
oParents lobbying day planned for Feb. 5