Week of 1-2-2023

Inside this issue

• Armstrong EA members distribute hundreds of books to families for holidays
• Why do you think it’s important to reduce public education’s reliance on standardized testing?
• Starting off the year on the right retirement foot
• Upcoming Center for Professional Learning events and PEARL
• Member Benefits spotlight: Voluntary Vision Plan

(from left) Randy Cloak, Armstrong Education Association (AEA) vice president; Erin Kidder AEA secretary; Kevan Landstrom, AEA president; Lindsay Feitknecht, BSN RN, nurse manager 3A-OB; and Leslie Vandegrift, librarian, West Hills Primary School.

On Dec. 13, members of the Armstrong Education Association delivered nearly 150 bags of books, library cards, and information on community literacy programs to Armstrong County’s ACMH Hospital maternity unit. The bags were intended for families of newborns to promote the importance of reading to and with children as they grow.

“As educators, we understand the importance of students having access to books from an early age,” said AEA President Kevan Landstrom when delivering the books to representatives of the ACMH Maternity and Delivery Unit. “It is our hope having these books in the homes of our newest community members will foster a love of reading.”

The initiative was supported in part through a grant from the PSEA Education Foundation.

Share your thoughts at this link.

As we begin the new year, it’s comforting to know that PSERS, the institution that handles PSEA members' pensions, is on strong footing, and the officials in charge of PSERS’ investments are making sound decisions with your long-term financial interests in mind.

This has been the message PSEA has been spreading all along to combat some flawed analyses of PSERS’ performance that have been propagated in some media outlets. In November, PSEA Vice President Aaron Chapin clarified our position and dispelled some of the misconceptions about PSERS in this op ed that was sent to newspapers throughout the state.

Click on the link to learn more, but rest assured, PSERS is working as intended – for you.

PEARL

Looking for an easy way to earn Act 48 credits, Chapter 14 verification, or postgraduate credits? As a PSEA member, you have exclusive access to over 95 courses through PEARL.

Here are just three courses you have access to:

• Differentiating and Team Teaching: Distance Learning Edition
• Taking Seesaw to the Next Level
• Multi-Sensory Learning Using Arts Integration

Book Discussions

• They Called Us Enemy
  
  • Feb. 21, 6-7 p.m.
• Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus
  • March 9, 6-7 p.m.
• Lawn Boy
  
  • April 13, 6-7 p.m.

Member Well-being

• Mindful Mondays
  • Jan. 23, 4:45 p.m.
• Mindful Mondays
  • Feb. 13, 4:45 p.m.
• Mindful Mondays
  • March 13, 4:45 p.m.

The PSEA Voluntary Vision Plan offers low monthly payments, great frame and contact lenses allowances, exam coverage, fitting fee coverage for contact lenses, and the choice of 12-month or 24-month coverage. The plan is available to all PSEA members and eligible dependents to age 26. Enrollment opens the first of each month.

The 12-month plan highlights include a $300 frame allowance or $150 contact lenses allowance with monthly premiums of only $12 for single coverage, $24 for two-party, and $35 for family coverage.

The 24-month plan highlights include a $250 frame allowance or $175 contact lenses allowance with monthly premiums of only $8 for single coverage, $16 for two-party, and $23 for family coverage.

For more information on the vision program please visit https://pseahwf.org/voluntary_vision/ or call the PSEA Health & Welfare Fund at 800-944-7732 ext. 7024.