Pennsylvania State Education Association

Week of 10-16-2023

Inside this issue

• Help PSEA push for COLA legislation
• Our voice matters - make sure it counts
• Now accepting nominations for the 2024 Celebrating Excellence awards
• PEARL and upcoming Center for Professional Learning events
• Member Benefits spotlight: PSEA Visa Signature card

On Tuesday, PSEA was joined by a group of lawmakers in the state Capitol to urge action on pending COLA legislation. It’s been 20 years since pre-Act 9 retirees have seen a cost-of-living adjustment, and it’s high time our lawmakers righted that wrong.

“We are talking about people in their 80s and 90s, many with health issues,” said pre-Act 9 PSEA-Retired math teacher Scott Brown. “Nobody should be in a position where they have to decide between buying groceries or medicine in any given week.”

Now is the time to make your voice heard. Contact your state senator and state representative today at the link below and ask them to support a COLA for pre-Act 9 retirees, and pass House Bills 1415 and 1416.

Champions of public schools are determined by public school educators, nurses, school counselors, higher education employees, retired school employees, support professionals, and public health care workers throughout Pennsylvania who volunteer their time to meet candidates, study their positions, and discuss those who are best for students and educators.

The process to become a champion of public schools is thorough, fair, and based purely on a candidate’s positions. Political affiliation is not considered.

Policy decisions made by elected officials have a direct impact on the ability to deliver a quality education for the 1.5 million students in Pennsylvania. Candidates for local offices, the state Legislature, and other statewide Pennsylvania races are invited to fill out a questionnaire and attend an interview hosted by local members of PSEA-PACE in their area. These PSEA-PACE members discuss the candidates and their positions on key issues such as school funding, student safety and well-being, testing, and employee rights and working conditions before voting on a recommendation.

Click the button to learn more.

We have resumed the nomination and selection process for 2024 Celebrating Excellence Awards. Make your nominations at the link below.

The Adler Friend of Education award recognizes an individual who has made significant statewide contributions to public education.

The Human and Civil Rights awards are intended to applaud the outstanding work occurring every day in Pennsylvania’s public schools and in our communities.

A selection committee meets each January to review the nominations submitted and select winners in four categories: Student Leader, Educational Leader, Community Leader, and Local Association, along with the Adler Friend of Education Award.

Read more about the awards and nominate someone today at the below link:

PEARL

Visit the new, improved PEARL today and choose from more than 95 asynchronous courses available for Act 48 credit and Chapter 14 verification.

Here are just three of the courses you have access to: 

• Building and Maintaining a Humanized Classroom
• Let’s Get Digital: Digital Reading Strategies
• Understanding Students and Trauma

Webinars

• Effective Classroom Management for Today’s Early Career Educator: What does the research tell us works?
  • Oct. 24, 7-8 p.m.
• What to Expect/Anticipate When You Are Involved With the Office for Dispute Resolution
  • Nov. 1, 7-8 p.m.
• Early Career Educator: Behavior
  • No. 7, 7-8 p.m.

Book Discussions

• The Introverted Educator
  
  • Oct. 26, 7-8 p.m.
• The New Classroom Instruction That Works: The Best Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement, Part 1, Chapters 1-4
  
  • Nov. 8, 7-8 p.m.
• Premeditated Myrtle
  • Nov. 16, 7-8 p.m. 

Postgraduate Credits

Earn postgraduate credits from PennWest University for $70 each!

More than 150 postgraduate credits are available across a wide range of teaching and learning topics.

These postgraduate credits (microcredentials) can count toward the 24 credits required for a Level II certificate and also may count toward salary advancement.*

For support professionals, these courses may meet Chapter 14 requirements.**

*Check your contract to determine if you can apply standalone postgraduate credits for column movement.
**Seek approval from your employer prior to completing hours to apply toward Chapter 14 requirements.

PSEA has partnered with Commerce Bank to bring members the PSEA Visa Signature credit card offer. With this card, members can earn cash back rewards with every purchase, with no point cap or opt-in required.

• Earn 3 percent cash back on streaming, cable, and ride-sharing services
• Earn 2 percent cash back on gas and restaurants
• Earn 1 percent cash back on all other purchases

Enroll in the toggle feature and add more flexibility to your PSEA Visa Signature credit card. With the toggle feature, you can:

• Choose to Pay Now by a specific category or purchase amount,
• Choose to Pay Later by a specific category or purchase amount, or unwind a transaction.

Check it out and get the card that rewards you and supports Pennsylvania educators with every purchase.