Week of 10-11-2021

Inside this issue

• Art teacher honors fallen U.S. soldiers with original portraits
• Check out schoolhouseballot.com for election recommendations
• Stories of your students’ success
• PSEA’s Center for Professional Learning schedule
• PSEA Member Benefits spotlight: Student debt relief

When the deadly suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, claimed the lives of 13 U.S. soldiers on Aug. 26, Elizabeth Forward High School art teacher Kristy Dubinsky knew what she had to do.

“I immediately knew I needed to complete one portrait each day for 13 consecutive days for the 13 fallen heroes on 13 separate canvases. I just needed to honor them in that way – I didn’t have a choice,” Dubinsky told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The reason for the rush? The ArtPrize 2021 show in Grand Rapids, Michigan, was 13 days away, and she was determined to have the portraits featured there.

Dubinsky, who specializes in military art, was able to make the show and display her portraits. This fall she plans to give the family of each fallen soldier a hand-painted giclée replica of their loved one’s portrait.

Wondering who the friends of public education are in the upcoming municpal elections in your local community? You can find local and statewide PACE-recommended candidates right now at schoolhouseballot.com. 

We asked you to share stories of your students who have gone on to do amazing things. We got some excellent responses, like this one from PSEA-Retired member Michael J. DiSandro:

Join the conversation and share more of the career and life accomplishments your students have achieved.

Share here

See the full schedule and see how you can earn Act 48/Chapter 14 credits at psea.org/prolearning

Webinars

• Racing Up!: Talking About Race in the Classroom
  • Oct. 19, 7-8:30 p.m.
• Understanding Students and Anger
  • Oct. 27, 7-8:30 p.m.
• Selecting Picture Books
  • Oct. 28, 6-7:30 p.m.
• Multi-Sensory Learning Using Arts Integration
  • Nov. 3, 5-6:30 p.m.

Book Discussions

• “Boy 21”
  • Oct. 20, 5-6 p.m.
• Solving for Literature: "It's A Numberful World" + 5 Choice Books
  • Oct. 26, 4-5 p.m.

Member Well-being

• Mindful Mondays
  • Oct. 18, 5-5:45 p.m.
• Mindful Mondays
  • Nov. 1, 5-5:45 p.m.
• Mindful Mondays
  • Nov. 15, 5-5:45 p.m.
• Mindful Mondays
  
  • Dec. 6, 5-5:45 p.m.

Student debt is a financial challenge faced by many educators. You may be looking for ways to better manage that debt. But, you don’t have to face it alone. PSEA members have access to programs and tools that can help you manage or reduce your student debt, like the NEA Student Debt Navigator powered by Savi.

Use the start of the school year to sign up for the NEA Student Debt Navigator and get a personalized assessment of your loan situation — including how to take advantage of the extra months that you have in forbearance through the CARES Act.

Average Payment Reduction

$156

Reduce your monthly payment and optimize your repayment plan.

Average Lifetime Savings

$28,308

You could save thousands by using free federal loan repayment and forgiveness programs.

Learn more about these benefit at the link below.