TEACHERS GIVEN PANDEMIC MEMENTO TOKENS

As the chaotic school year comes to a close, a handful of administrators and nurses were awarded sizable bonuses for working through the pandemic, leaving teachers reeling over their thank you—a literal token.

Superintendent Scott Ziegler distributed challenge coins to all teachers as a memento for working through one of the most trying times in the district’s history. With an ever-changing distance learning plan, social justice upheaval, and the eventual return to classrooms, teachers confronted unanticipated challenges and uncertainty daily.

In a letter to teachers, Ziegler said the coin symbolizes this year’s work to bridge the gaps, caused by the effects of the pandemic, to educate our students in distance learning, and to transition to hybrid learning. It symbolizes our work rebuilding and reinventing systems to feed our students even when they were learning at home. It represents all of the ways we reinvented our school activities, clubs and sports, so students could continue to participate in a year of uncertainty.

On the coin is an image of the John G. Lewis Memorial Bridge on Featherbed Lane near Lovettsville.

Many teachers were left wondering why they didn’t receive COVID bonuses, as many members of the faculty did.

Had we given given a bonus like Prince William County is considering in addition to the coin, it would have made a meaningful impact, Corbo said to Ziegler.

It feels like a slap in the face that we were going in and working in the classrooms, and we didn’t get a bonus, said one county high school teacher.

Carla Wallace, a Loudoun elementary school teacher, said that some of the bonuses were inappropriate, but that the coin was a nice gesture from Ziegler.

To read the complete article, see:
Teachers Given Pandemic Memento Tokens, Administrators Get Bonuses (https://loudounnow.com/2021/06/16/teachers-given-pandemic-memento-tokens-administrators-get-bonuses/)

This weekend, Loudoun County educators can show Dirt Farm their challenge coins and get their first pint for just a penny.

"To have the community like Dirt Farm reach out and say that we appreciate it as well and we recognize your hard work and to have this means a lot," teacher Diane Taylor said.

Plato's Closet Dulles is a buy and sell clothing store that also wanted to help.

"Right now, if you bring in your challenge coin, you get $50 worth of free stuff, no matter what," Carmen Singer said.

Plato's Closet and Dirt Farm have already had several educators take advantage.

The Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority requires alcohol be sold, so Dirt Farm must charge something. But a member of the community heard about the deal and donated $100 to cover the penny charge. That will cover 10,000 beers. At one per person, that would cover almost every educator in Loudoun County Public Schools.

Dirt Farm’s penny for a pint deal ends Sunday but then Monday through Friday next week the brewery and its other businesses, including Bluemont Winery, are offering more teacher appreciation deals.

Plato’s Closet is running its deal through the end of the summer.

In total, 37 businesses are offering deals, and the list is growing.

To read the complete articles, see:
Businesses Offer Deals to Loudoun County Teachers With Commemorative ‘Challenge Coins' (https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/coronavirus/coronavirus-in-virginia/businesses-offer-deals-to-loudoun-county-teachers-with-commemorative-challenge-coins/2704751/)
TEACHER DISCOUNTS AND DEALS EXPLODE IN WAKE OF CHALLENGE COIN NEWS (https://www.theburn.com/2021/06/19/teacher-discounts-and-deals-explode-in-wake-of-challenge-coin-news/)

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web