Week of 8-1-2022

Inside this issue

• PSEA recommends Josh Shapiro for governor because ...
• What Doug Mastriano said about defunding public education
• Celebrating Excellence Award recipients from 2020 honored at Gettysburg
• Center for Professional Learning and PEARL
• Member Benefits spotlight: URL life insurance

PSEA recommends Josh Shapiro for governor of Pennsylvania because Josh Shapiro respects PSEA members like us and he will listen to what we have to say about issues that impact our jobs, our salaries, our benefits, and our pensions.

One of the top priorities Josh Shapiro shares with PSEA is reducing Pennsylvania’s use of and reliance on standardized testing. Josh spoke during PSEA’s Summer Leadership Conference in Gettysburg this month, and he said this:

“I want to do away with our reliance on standardized testing. It’s not a measurement of how well kids learn, and it’s definitely not a measurement of how well you teach. And by the way, it holds kids back!”

– Josh Shapiro, PSEA Gettysburg Leadership Conference, July 26, 2022

Watch this space. Your vote is your voice. And your vote is yours alone. In the 13 weeks between today and Election Day on Nov. 8, we’ll be sharing facts about the governor’s race. Please have a look and listen to what the candidates have to say.

PSEA has one goal in this important election: electing a governor who will respect us, listen to us, and share our priorities. That’s why PSEA members decided to recommend Josh Shapiro for governor.

When it comes to their words and their records on public education, Josh Shapiro and Doug Mastriano could not be more different. Mastriano has outlined his plan to cut public school funding in half, which would mean billions in lost funding for our schools and students. It would also mean thousands fewer educators, support professionals, counselors, and nurses.

Cutting per-student funding in half would only be the beginning of Mastriano’s attack on public education. He also has said he:

• Believes public schools are overfunded and educators are overpaid
• Wants to make it harder for educators to collectively bargain for better salaries, benefits, and working conditions
• Thinks public education is “broken” and educators and support professionals are the problem

On the other hand, Josh Shapiro listens to and respects educators and support professionals like us. He will protect our pensions and our collective bargaining rights, and he believes we need to increase salaries for school employees like us to address the educator and support professional shortage. That’s why PSEA recommends Josh Shapiro for governor.

Your vote is your voice, and only you can decide how to cast it this November. But please consider what each of the candidates have said about their priorities for public education. Your jobs, your schools, and your students depend on it.

Gisele Fetterman

On July 23, PSEA held an awards reception at the Gettysburg Majestic Theater ahead of the Summer Leadership Conference to honor the 2020 recipients of the Celebrating Excellence Awards. The 2020 recipients had to wait an extra year due to COVID shutdowns to be honored at the dinner, but we were thrilled to finally be able to host the in-person event again.

PSEA launched the Celebrating Excellence Awards in 2005 to honor individuals and organizations that go the extra mile for our schools and communities. Past recipients of the Adler Award include Fred Rogers, Ambassador Walter H. Annenberg, Sen. Bob Casey Jr., Gov. George M. Leader, and Teresa Heinz Kerry. A selection committee meets each January to review the nominations submitted and select winners for the Adler Friend of Education Award and the Human and Civil Rights Awards.

The 2020 winners are:

• Gisele Fetterman, Second Lady of Pennsylvania (Community Leader Award – Individual)
• Jay Costa, State Legislator, 43rd Senatorial District (Adler Friend of Education Award)
• Marylou Stefanko, PSEA icon from North Hills School District (Presidential Award)
• Sue Mulvey, School Nurse, Crawford Central Education Association (Educational Leader)
• TeenWorks (Community Leader – Organization)
• Maeve Yanes, East Penn School District (Student Leader)

PEARL

Do you need help earning Act 48 credits, Chapter 14 verification, or postgraduate credits? As a PSEA member, you have exclusive access to easy-to-follow courses and progressions through PEARL.

Here are the types of courses you'll find on PEARL:

• Connect, Collaborate, Create with School-based Occupational Therapy
• Culturally Responsive Literature in the Classroom
• Can you Hear Us Now? Using Podcasts to Teach and Entertain

And on PSEA’s Center for Professional Learning ...

Webinars

• *NEW* Understanding Students and SEL
  • Aug. 10, 4-5:30 p.m.

Book Discussions

• All Learning is Social & Emotional (Part 2)
  • Aug. 11, 10-11 a.m. - Chapters 5-7

Member Well-being

• Mindful Mondays
  • Aug. 22, 8:30-9:15 a.m.

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