Week of 9-12-2022

Inside this issue

• Local press conferences shine light on Mastriano education cuts plan
• Sign up now to attend next year’s NEA-RA as a delegate
• Cardona and Pringle tout Public Service Loan Forgiveness at Lancaster Clinic
• How are you celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month?
• PEARL and Center for Professional Learning
• Member Benefits spotlight: UBenefit grants

This week, PSEA held a series of 12 press conferences throughout the state where we teamed up with concerned educators to highlight the negative impact Doug Mastriano’s proposed spending cuts would have on their districts and communities.

The turnout for each of the events was excellent, showing the depth of concern educators have about Sen. Mastriano’s plan, which would cut public education funding by $12.75 billion.

You can read about several of these events at the links below:

• Abington Heights School District
  
  

• Central York School District
  
  

• Erie County School District
  
  

• North Penn School District
  
  

• Richland School District
  
  

• Rose Tree Media School District
  
  

• Seneca Valley School District
  
  

• Trinity Area School District

For more on Doug Mastriano’s plan to gut public education funding, visit www.psea.org/mastrianocuts or click on the link below:

Have you declared your candidacy as a delegate to the NEA Representative Assembly yet? You can declare your candidacy for the 2023 NEA-RA by either filling out the form included in the September issue of Voice and mailing it in or by filling out and submitting the form online at PSEA.org/nomination.

PSEA will be accepting candidates until the Oct. 21, 4:30 p.m. deadline.

If you have questions regarding the voting process, email NEABallot@psea.org or call Kelby Waltman at (800) 944-7732, ext. 7105.

On Wednesday, PSEA hosted a Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Clinic at McCaskey High School in Lancaster. Staff from NEA walked our members through the process of applying for PSLF, a program which expires in its current form on Oct. 31.

So far, more than 7,600 Pennsylvanians have received nearly $500 million in forgiveness. Each educator may be eligible for up to $10,000 in loan forgiveness.

NEA President Becky Pringle and U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona also attended the event, both of whom reiterated the importance of loan forgiveness for our educators.

To find more information and check your eligibility, text STUDENTDEBT to 48744.

This week marked the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. Each year we celebrate the history and culture of Latinx and Hispanic communities and recognize how these communities have contributed to our society.

Do you have something planned with your students to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month? Let us know on Facebook.

PEARL

Earn Act 48 credits, Chapter 14 verification, or postgraduate credits on PEARL, PSEA’s member exclusive online learning system with more than 95 courses and counting.

Here are just a few of the courses you have access to:

• Understanding Students and Anger
• Taking Seesaw to the Next Level
• Multi-Sensory Learning Using Arts Integration

Webinars

• SLO’s 2.0: Student Performance Measures
  • Sept. 22, 5:30-7 p.m.
• Danielson Revised: Observation & Practice Under Act 13
  • Sept. 27, 5:30-7 p.m.
• Effective Classroom Management: Current Research & Best Practices for Today’s Teacher
  • Oct. 4, 5:30-7 p.m.

Book Discussions

• Gender Queer: A Memoir
  • Oct. 25, 6-7 p.m.
• Improve Every Lesson Plan with SEL
  • Nov. 3, 6-7 p.m.
• Poison for Breakfast
  
  • Nov. 15, 6-7 p.m.

Member Well-being

• Mindful Mondays
  • Sept. 19, 4:45 p.m.
• Mindful Mondays
  • Oct. 17, 4:45 p.m.
• Mindful Mondays
  • Nov. 14, 4:45 p.m.

Kades-Margolis and Security Benefits are excited to once again bring the UBenefit program to educators and support professionals all across Pennsylvania. Last year they provided over 65 UBenefit grants!

This year, they are offering 66 $200 grants! It’s just one way of recognizing how much you give. Simply fill out the form in the link below between Aug. 15 and Sept. 30 to enroll and you’ll be notified if you’re a recipient.