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Week of 8-21-2023
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Inside this issue
- New poll shows strong support for public schools
- Enter to win the 2023 UBenefit grant giveaway
- A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...
- Join our School Safety Task Force
- Upcoming Center for Professional Learning events and PEARL
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New poll shows strong support for public schools
A new PDK poll shows support for public schools and teachers remains encouragingly high. The poll, now in its 55th year, randomly sampled 1,000 adults, and has a 3.2% margin of error. Here are some of the highlights:
Americans believe that teachers are overworked, underpaid, and undervalued
- 58% of respondents feel that teachers are overworked, 66% believe they are underpaid, and 78% feel they are undervalued
The belief that teacher salaries are too low has grown over time
- More Americans than ever feel that salaries are too low
A majority of respondents (67%) support raising teacher salaries, even if it means higher taxes
- 24% strongly support raising salaries; 11% strongly oppose raising salaries
- 48% of conservatives and 86% of liberals support raising salaries through higher taxes
- 85% of people who see shortages as a crisis also support raising salaries
Americans want teachers to have the most influence over what’s taught
- When asked how much influence respondents thought each of the following groups should have in deciding what’s taught in the public schools in your community, respondents said the following groups should have more influence…
- 66% public school teachers
- 56% the local school board
- 33% the governor and state Legislature
- 41% local residents
A majority of respondents support mental health screenings, but prefer they be optional
- 39% assess all students
- 45% assess when requested
- 14% no assessment
- 84% support some kind of screening
- 47% of Democrats support screening for all vs. 40% of Independents and 29% of Republicans
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Member Benefits spotlight: Enter to win the 2023 UBenefit grant giveaway
As a “thank you” to all educators, support professionals, and administrators who dedicate their careers to Pennsylvania’s students, Kades-Margolis and Security Benefit Group have partnered for the fifth year to offer 66, $200 UBenefit grants.
Entries will be accepted through Sept. 30, 2023. To apply for the grant, you will need to provide your contact information, PSEA member number and region, and an estimate of your own money spent on supplies and materials annually (if applicable).
Visit the website at www.ubenefit.org to apply today.
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A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...
Central York School District English teacher Patricia Jackson is one of 40 writers featured in a book commemorating the 40th anniversary of “Return of the Jedi,” which debuted May 25, 1983.
Her task was simple: watch “Return of the Jedi,” choose a no-name character with no backstory, and tell that character’s story from their point of view.
The anthology is called “From A Certain Point of View” and will come out Aug. 29.
For her story, Jackson chose the Scout Trooper who knocked Luke Skywalker off his speeder bike during the Endor chase scene. The rest came easily to her.
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Join our School Safety task force
Keeping our schools safe is always a top priority for PSEA. We are forming a School Safety Task Force so that PSEA members can identify ways to make our schools as safe as they can be.
At the PSEA May House of Delegates, NBI #4 was passed to create a Task Force to investigate school violence and threats of violence within the school setting. You can access the complete NBI at www.psea.org/hod The Task Force will be comprised of approximately 20-25 members and is expected to meet three or four times a year with a three-year commitment.
Would you like to serve on the School Safety Task Force?
To submit your name for consideration, please send an email to plein@psea.org.
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Upcoming Center for Professional Learning events and 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:
- Assessment and Treatment of Anxiety Across the Developmental Spectrum
- Tobacco, Nicotine, and Vaping: Prevention and Treatment
- Educator Evaluation in 2021 & Beyond
- Student Performance Measures (SLOs 2.0)
- Toolkit and Resources to Help Early Career Educators
- Educator Evaluation: Navigating the Policy
- Time to Roll
- The Introverted Educator
- The New Classroom Instruction That Works: The Best Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement, Part 1, Chapters 1-4
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.
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This content is intended for PSEA members and their immediate families.
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