Pennsylvania State Education Association

Week of 6-23-2025

Inside this issue

• Critical Alert: Oppose cuts to key safety net programs
• Delaware Valley educators give back in a big way
• Penn College of Tech. welding team creates gift for PSEA
• PSEA Member Spotlight: Lindsey Graney
• Thank you for celebrating Pride Month with us
• PEARL & Center for Professional Learning – summer series
• Member Benefits spotlight: PSEA Visa Signature card

On Wednesday, we alerted our members and the public to the disastrous federal budget reconciliation bill that the U.S. House narrowly passed in May and could be VOTED ON AGAIN AT ANY TIME, because President Trump has said that he wants to sign it into law by July 4.

In response, PSEA members sent out more than 2,500 emails to U.S. representatives asking them to oppose this awful bill, which would pay for $3.75 trillion in tax cuts for the wealthy by slashing funding for programs that millions of Pennsylvanians need to cover their health care and nutritious meals. And it would divert $20 billion from public school funding to pay for tax-credit vouchers for private and religious schools.

Cuts to these critical safety net programs run against the core values of PSEA members and the key, pro-public education goals of our Association.

Your U.S. representative needs to know how painful these unprecedented funding cuts will be to their constituents. Contact your U.S. representative RIGHT NOW and tell them to oppose the U.S. House budget reconciliation bill.

This past school year, the Delaware Valley Education Association raised $17,865, and the Delaware Valley ESP added $3,671 through their long-running “Jeans for a Cause” campaign. Staff voluntarily donate money for the chance to wear jeans to work, turning a casual dress day into meaningful community impact.

The purpose is simple: Support local charities and families in need. From helping food pantries and shelters to backing medical fundraisers and youth programs, the donations go directly to causes that matter in Pike County and beyond.

Even during the pandemic, this effort didn’t stop. Educators and support staff rallied together and gave nearly $40,000 to the community at a time when it was needed most. That spirit of giving remains just as strong today.

PSEA Vice President Jeff Ney, Treasurer Rachael West, and President Aaron Chapin stand with the sculpture where it is permanently displayed in the PSEA headquarters lobby.

Welding instructor Timothy Turnbach and two students from Pennsylvania College of Technology created a striking metal artwork as a gift for PSEA. Inspired during a visit to PSEA’s Harrisburg headquarters, Turnbach envisioned filling a bare marble wall with a piece that honored the organization’s mission.

With the help of welding instructor Allan Meck and student volunteers Samuel Metz and Noah Friel, Turnbach brought his idea to life. The team built a 3D version of the PSEA crest – an arrow intersecting the pi symbol – crafted from 304 stainless steel and mounted on a triangular metal background.

Metz handled design work in AutoCAD and made the key call to raise the crest off the base for a dramatic visual effect. Friel used a blowtorch to oxidize the metal, creating rich, copper-like tones. Six layers of clearcoat sealed the final piece.

“When I first saw a picture of it, I could not believe the material was stainless steel. I really thought it was copper,” said PSEA Vice President Jeff Ney. “It’s absolutely fantastic.”

Turnbach, who serves on PSEA’s Central Region Board of Directors, said the project was personal.

“PSEA is like my family. They care about education. They care about people.”

The crest is now prominently displayed at PSEA headquarters.

At the May House of Delegates in Pittsburgh, we shined the spotlight on PSEA member Lindsey Graney, who started an American Sign Language club in the Baldwin-Whitehall School District that has become an incredible success with her students. 

Click the thumbnail above to watch the video we showed of Lindsey discussing the program.

You can also read our full story on her and her program in the March 2025 issue of Voice Magazine here.

When educators stand up for inclusion and respect, we send a powerful message to every student: You belong. 

Supporting LGBTQ+ rights isn’t ust the right thing to do, it’s essential to helping young minds grow in safe, affirming environments. 

Your commitment helps make our schools stronger, more compassionate places for everyone. 

PEARL

Visit the new, improved 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

Webinars

• Understanding Autism: Supporting Student Behavior with Compassion and Strategy
  • June 26, 7-8:30 p.m.
• Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) in the Classroom Today: What Is It and What Does It Look Like in the Classroom?
  • July 8, 10-11:30 a.m.
• Effective Classroom Management for Today’s Teacher: What Does the Research Tell Us Works?
  • July 15, 7-8:30 p.m.

Book Discussions

• The Missing Link to Help Them Think: Connecting Executive Function and SEL Skills to Boost Student Achievement
  • July 10, 7-8 p.m.
• Beautiful Child
  • July 17, 7-8 p.m.
• The Body Keeps the Score
  • Aug. 7, 10-11:30 a.m.

Postgraduate Credits

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.

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.