Week of 2-20-2023

Inside this issue

• PSEA talks Black History Month on WITF
• PSEA UniServ rep Monet Reilly nominated for the City & State PA Above and Beyond Awards
• Thank you, CTE educators for everything you do!
• Upcoming Center for Professional Learning events and PEARL
• Member Benefits spotlight: Contact Fill contact lenses

This week, I joined PSEA Ethnic Minority Rep., PSEA Board of Directors member, and special education teacher in the State College Area School District Kizzy Nicholas for an interview with WITF’s “The Spark.” We discussed how Pennsylvania educators are teaching Black history not only through Black History Month but throughout the year.

It was a lively discussion that I was honored to be a part of and an important subject to address as we celebrate the amazing contributions of the Black community to our past, present, and future.

Click on the link below for a full article and to listen to the full interview.

We normally use this space to highlight the incredible things our members are doing. But this time I wanted to mention one of our own, PSEA UniServ representative in the Southeastern Region Monet Reilly, who was recently chosen as one of the 50 honorees for the City & State PA Above and Beyond Awards.

Monet has impacted her community in so many positive ways. She founded Mirrors in Education (MIE), a not-for-profit determined to increase the racial diversity of the commonwealth’s teacher workforce. She is also a director on the board of the Keystone Research Center, which fights to “achieve a more prosperous and equitable Pennsylvania economy.”

Locally, Monet serves as chair of the BIPOC Parents of Haverford, organizing popular events like the annual Halloween Drive-Thru Trunk or Treat. She is also co-director of Philadelphia’s New Leaders Council (NLC), training young, local leaders to “create lasting community impact.” Her achievements have earned her the Nelson Vecchione Award for Meritorious Service and recognition on Al Dia’s 40 Under 40 list. All of this is in addition to her tireless advocacy on behalf of PSEA members as a UniServ rep.

City & State PA will honor her and the 49 other nominees at its annual awards gala in Philadelphia on March 14 and in a special edition of the magazine.

Reilly had this to say about her nomination:

“It is gratifying to be in service to communities. It is a reminder that my assignment is to do good, impactful work that improves the conditions and experiences of people and families in the commonwealth. And, while I am honored to be recognized by City & State PA, the things that need to be done to build a robust and inclusive civic life are what drive me.”

As CTE Month comes to a close, we want to express a heartfelt thank you to all our wonderful Career and Technical Education professionals. Every day you empower your students with the skills and tools to succeed in the trades that inspire them.

You are an invaluable part of this Association and the fabric of public education in Pennsylvania. 

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:

• Re-Imagining Relationships
• Culturally Responsive Literature in the Classroom
• Incorporating Videos Into Your Lessons

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

• Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus
  • March 9, 6-7 p.m.
• Before the Ever After
  
  • April 18, 6-7 p.m.
• The New Classroom Instruction That Works: The Best Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement
  • April 25, 6-7 p.m.

Member Well-being

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

PSEA Member Benefits offers members and their families big savings on brand-name contact lenses through Contact Fill.

Program Benefits:

• Dependable service to your home, school, or office
• Free standard shipping and handling on all orders (use promotion code "PSEA")
• Convenient 24/7 online ordering
• Personable customer service
• No hidden charges
• PSEA members must log in to take advantage of this discount program
• NVA vision insurance accepted as a form of payment