News from Locals - Fall 2009
Chambersburg teacher provides her students with a “sweet” history lesson
In this day and age of high-stakes testing, when educators are less and less able to follow a teachable moment down whichever road it leads, it is the rare teacher who finds the luxury of time for a very special project. This fall, however, one of those special moments occurred, and thanks to Deborah Culbertson, a third-grade teacher at the South Hamilton Elementary School in Chambersburg, her students gained a new understanding of our history – both past and present. More...
Landmark settlement is "just another step" for Dallastown Area EA
On September 17, 2009, Dallastown EA, Southern Region, settled a landmark contract. They became the first local association in Southern Region to achieve a $50,000 starting salary. And they did it as part of their fourth consecutive early bird settlement. More...
Southern Region launches service project for members activated by the military
For the past two years, Southern Region has remembered activated military personnel by sending them greeting cards on various holidays such as Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Christmas. More...
Reading community gathers "Together In Support Of Our Exceptional Children"
On October 31, the Reading Education Association Community Committee and several partnering organizations held a seminar titled “Together In Support Of Our Exceptional Children” at the Hopewell Mennonite Church in Reading, PA. Read more...
Riverside School District performs at PNC Park
Over 200 students from Riverside School District in Beaver County recently performed at PNC Park, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates. More...
Central Region Retired Leaders Passionate about PSEA
Retirement from the teaching profession has not diminished the passion of former PSEA leaders in Central Region. Several times a month, many of these former EA leaders can be found huddled together in the conference room of the State College PSEA office, sharing information, working on newsletters and discussing current public education events in the state. More...
Penns Valley EA Looks to Members for Answers
When Penns Valley EA President Angela Homan heard that there was a growing morale problem among some of her members, she decided to take action. The PVEA executive committee looked at several options and decided that a morale survey was the best fit for their needs. More...
Cocalico EA team raises money to fight cancer
The Cocalico Education Association in Southern Region raised nearly $4,000 dollars for this year’s American Cancer Society’s Annual Relay for Life. More...
NEA recognizes Southern Region Student PSEA with a CLASS grant
On February 20, 2010, the Sixth Annual Celebration of Reading will return to the York Galleria Mall with a new boost of support, thanks to a National Education Association (NEA) Student Program’s CLASS Grant. The future teachers in Southern Region learned abou the $1000 award at the beginning of October. More...
Moshannon Valley uses outreach and political action to achieve contract
“When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” That’s what Tom Marcinko’s cell phone yells when it rings. Marcinko, president of the Moshannon Valley Education Association (Central Region) and his members, take the “get tough” motto seriously and used it successfully this past year in their fight to secure a fair contract. More...
Central Region Members Ready to Tackle Bargaining
Facing uncertain economic conditions and changing demographics, Central Region leaders are making sure they are ready to face the difficult task of negotiating in the next two years. In August, more than 19 bargaining teams from Central Region EAs and ESPs attended all-day training sessions to prepare their teams for negotiations in 2010 and 2011. More...
Shippensburg teacher finds her 'destiny' through a love of history and community involvement
Each year during the last weekend in June, the little university town of Shippensburg enters a time warp. The population swells by several thousand; the smell of horses and the roar of cannon and musket fire permeates the air, and townspeople and visitors alike wake up in 1863. It’s March to Destiny weekend and Tamzen Butler, a fifth grade teacher in the Shippensburg Area School District and Southern Region President, couldn’t be any happier. Since 2004 when the event was just three years old and still a very small local celebration, Butler has played an integral role in recreating the town’s rich Civil War heritage each summer. More...
State College EA welcomes new members
SCAEA President Holli Jo Warner walks her new members through an induction program that focuses on getting them all of the facts they will need to get through the first month. One of the goals of the program is to ensure that the new members know who to call if they have questions. More...