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Week of 1-12-2026
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Inside this issue
- PSEA vice president testifies for a state-funded school lunch program
- Drawing strength from Dr. King’s legacy
- New art gallery gives Beaver County CTC students a place to be seen
- You’re invited to NEA Legislative Committee listening sessions
- Member Benefits spotlight: PSEA Visa Signature card
- PEARL & Center for Professional Learning
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PSEA vice president testifies for a state-funded school lunch program
PSEA Vice President Jeff Ney told lawmakers this week that hunger is still holding too many Pennsylvania students back.
In testimony before the PA House Majority Policy Committee on Wednesday, Ney urged support for House Bill 180, which would create a state fund to guarantee access to school lunch for all students. Drawing on his years as a teacher and coach, Ney said hungry students struggle to focus and are often unfairly disciplined for unmet basic needs. With federal SNAP benefits cut and more families falling just outside income thresholds, he argued that universal school meals are a practical, proven solution.
“During my years teaching and coaching in the Wilkes-Barre Area School District, I saw firsthand how profoundly hunger affects learning,” Ney said. “I also saw the opposite — how transformative it is when students are fed, focused, and ready to learn. That’s why school meals matter.”
Ney praised Gov. Shapiro’s expansion of free school breakfast and said a state-funded lunch program is the next essential step to ensure students are fed, focused, and ready to learn.
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Drawing strength from Dr. King’s legacy
As we approach Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we reflect on the values that unite us as PSEA members. Dr. King’s commitment to fairness, justice, peace, and nonviolent action mirrors the principles that guide our work every day. At a time when our communities face exceptional challenges, his example proves that progress is built through courage, compassion, and collective action.
As PSEA President Aaron Chapin reminds us, “In these difficult times, we can draw inspiration from Dr. King’s work for nonviolence. We continue his legacy by working for a world where injustice ceases and love prevails.”
Honoring Dr. King means more than remembering his words. It means living our shared values and standing up, together, for dignity and justice for all people all the time.
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New art gallery gives Beaver County CTC students a place to be seen
The Fran Mano Gallery opened in late November at the Beaver Valley Mall, giving Beaver County CTC art students a professional space to show their work and connect with the wider community.
The gallery grew out of a simple need for wall space after longtime, beloved art teacher Fran Mano retired, and it quickly turned into something bigger. Working with mall management eager to generate foot traffic in a fading commercial space, educators transformed an empty storefront into a student-run gallery at almost no cost, using donated fixtures and plenty of hands-on work from students themselves.
“We want the kids to have experiences with working artists, so that they too can learn about the ins and outs of what it takes to do this professionally and that they can do it,” said commercial art instructor Nicki DeMark, who oversees the unmanned space.
DeMark said the plan is to swap out art pieces that include both paintings and sculptures once a month until their one-year agreement with mall management is up. Hopefully, said DeMark, the space can remain in their control going forward.
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You’re invited to NEA Legislative Committee listening sessions
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Member Benefits spotlight: PSEA Visa Signature card
PSEA has partnered with Commerce Bank to bring members the PSEA Visa Signature credit card offer. With this card, members can earn cash back rewards with every purchase, with no point cap or opt-in required.
- Earn 3 percent cash back on streaming, cable, and ride-sharing services
- Earn 2 percent cash back on gas and restaurants
- Earn 1 percent cash back on all other purchases
Enroll in the toggle feature and add more flexibility to your PSEA Visa Signature credit card. With the toggle feature, you can:
- Choose to Pay Now by a specific category or purchase amount,
- Choose to Pay Later by a specific category or purchase amount or unwind a transaction.
Check it out and get the card that rewards you and supports Pennsylvania educators with every purchase.
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PEARL & Center for Professional Learning
Visit PEARL today and choose from more than 95 asynchronous courses available for Act 48 credit and Chapter 14 verification.
You can find multiple courses that interest you in any of these tracks:
- Book Studies
- Educational Equity
- Pedagogy
- Policy
- Pupil Services
- Special Populations
- Technology in Education
- SEL & Wellness
- Elementary Behavior Reboot: From Chaos to Calm
- Understanding and Implementing Behavior Support Plans
- Tools, Strategies, and Resources to Help New and Early Career Educators
- Learning by Mistake: 12 Strategies to Turn Student Errors into Opportunities
- Americanized: Rebel Without a Green Card
- See Me After Class: Advice for Teachers by Teachers (2024 edition)
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 (micro-credentials) 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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400 N. 3rd Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101
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This content is intended for PSEA members and their immediate families.
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