Pennsylvania State Education Association

Week of 2-13-2023

Inside this issue

• Don’t miss your chance to be an NEA Global Learning Fellow
• U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders joins push for $60K base teacher salary
• Why is Black History Month important to you?
• Upcoming Center for Professional Learning events and PEARL
• Member Benefits spotlight: AmeriServ mortgage and home equity loans

Applications for the 2024 NEA Global Learning Fellowship are open until April 1. This unique opportunity allows a select number of public school educators across the country to collaborate on curriculum throughout the year, and then embark on a 10-day field study excursion abroad that allows them to become immersed in the cultural and historical context of the country they visit.

2022 Fellow Darla Romberger (pictured above), a high school agricultural science teacher in the Cumberland Valley School District, visited Peru last summer for her field study work. She said the experience was a game changer, and she wants to encourage more Pennsylvania educators to apply.

“The world is more interconnected than it”s ever been. So, for me as an educator to get the opportunity to go and see different countries, different cultures across the globe, I think it really helped me to see the bigger picture and where my content can fit into preparing students for a world that”s going to continuously change,” Romberger said. “I”d say there”s value in every educator trying to globalize their curriculum and broaden their students” perspectives.”

Learn more about the program and how to apply at the link below.

At a town hall meeting on Monday that also featured NEA and AFT presidents, Sen. Bernie Sanders announced his plan to introduce legislation to raise teacher pay and address the nationwide teacher shortage. Sanders’ Pay Teachers Act would raise the minimum teachers’ salary to $60,000, a proposal that was recently introduced in the U.S. House. Sanders’ proposal also aims to triple Title 1 funding for low-income schools and increase salaries for veteran teachers.

“I want the day to come, sooner than later, when we are going to attract the best and brightest young people in our country into teaching,” Sanders said. “I want those young people to be proud of the profession they have chosen ... In order to accomplish those goals, we have got to pay teachers in America what they deserve.

“Let’s be clear: If we can provide over a trillion dollars in tax breaks to the top 1 percent and large corporations, please don’t tell me that we cannot afford to make sure that every teacher in America is paid at least $60,000 a year.”

Why is Black History Month important to you? Share your thoughts with us at psea.org/bhm

PEARL

Looking for a convenient and flexible 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 of the courses you have access to:

• Let’s Get Digital: Digital Reading Strategies
• Maximizing Google Classroom
• Time Management and Organization for Online Learning

Webinars

• Fostering a “Growth Mindset” in the Classroom Today: Shifting the Focus to Growth and Development with Assessment & Grades Rather than Measurement for Sorting & Classification
  
  • March 2, 6-7:30 p.m.
• SPM Workshop: Hands-On Best Practices
  • March 9, 6-7:30 p.m.
• NEA Webinar: Put on Your Own Oxygen Mask First: Cultivating Healing and Wellbeing in Ourselves
  • March 14, 6-7:30 p.m.

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.
• Before the Ever After
  
  • April 18, 6-7 p.m.

Member Well-being

• Mindful Mondays
  • March 13, 4:45 p.m.
• Mindful Mondays
  • April 17, 4:45 p.m.

Looking to buy a house?

Interest rates have been dropping. Now is a great time to start looking for the home of your dreams, whether it be a starter, vacation, or your next home. Enjoy these PSEA exclusive mortgage benefits with our preferred partner, AmeriServ:

• Market leading rates
• No origination fee (savings of $695)
• One FREE rate re-lock opportunity ($400 value)
• $250 credit on interest rate buy-down options

Already own a home? Take advantage of your home’s equity.

AmeriServ offers a home equity product we call Loan in a Line. Use it as a home equity credit line while also having the capability to take out fixed-rate term loans at the same time.  Enjoy the flexibility this product offers to do home improvements, debt consolidation, tuition, vacations, or simply to have the peace of mind to know it’s there when you need it. Your benefits include market leading rates, along with waiving annual and other fees. 

Many members took advantage of historic low mortgage interest rates in the past couple of years. Now is a great time to establish a home equity loan and obtain low fixed-rate options. These products and benefits are available to PSEA members and their families (parents, children, and siblings). 

To learn more and to view current rates visit us at www.ameriserv.com/psea