Pennsylvania State Education Association

Week of 9-9-2024

Inside this issue

• PSEA and NEA presidents celebrate Gateway High School’s Teacher Academy
• Ever thought of becoming a UniServ Representative?
• Now accepting nominations for Celebrating Excellence Awards!
• Center for Professional Learning & PEARL
• Member Benefits spotlight: Contact Fill

NEA President Becky Pringle and PSEA President Aaron Chapin joined teachers, students, and district administrators at Gateway High School last Friday to learn more about the Gateway Teacher Academy.

(left to right) Dr. Guy Rossi, superintendent of the Gateway School District; Grant Sample, president of the Gateway Education Association; Mark Spinola, high school social studies teacher and PSEA member who launched the Gateway Teacher Academy; NEA President Becky Pringle; and PSEA President Aaron Chapin.

The program, which was created by PSEA member and social studies teacher Mark Spinola, in partnership with Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Carlow University, is entering its third year. The Gateway Teacher Academy is also now a part of Educators Rising, a new national network that provides an in-school educational program for high school students who are interested in becoming teachers.

PSEA President Aaron Chapin and NEA President Becky Pringle talk to students, along with high school social studies teacher and PSEA member Mark Spinola.

PSEA is the Pennsylvania state coordinator for Educators Rising. This “grow your own” teacher program, which started in Pennsylvania during the 2023-24 school year, is now available to students in more than 30 schools across the state.

In addition to addressing teacher shortages, programs like the Gateway Teacher Academy and Educators Rising are designed to foster more diversity in the field of education by encouraging more students of color to consider possible career paths in the teaching profession.

PSEA will be holding a virtual UniServ Information Session on September 19 at 5 p.m. This session will provide the opportunity to learn more about the nature and demands of this position and how PSEA’s UniServ Selection Process works.

Intended for individuals considering a career as a UniServ Representative.

To learn more about this session and how to RSVP (by September 17), visit www.psea.org/jobs

Do you know a friend, colleague, or community member or organization who you think deserves special recognition for their contribution to public education? Right now, we’re accepting nominations for the Celebrating Excellence “Adler Friend of Education” and “Human & Civil Rights” Awards.

Click here to learn more and find out how to submit a nomination.

PSEA's Celebrating Excellence Awards Dinner honors winners of the PSEA Adler Friend of Education Award and the PSEA Human and Civil Rights Awards.

PSEA hosts the dinner each May to provide a special opportunity to recognize individuals, local associations, and organizations going the extra mile for our schools and communities.

The Adler Friend of Education award recognizes an individual who has made significant statewide contributions to public education. Adler Award recipients have included PSEA leaders, public officials, and others whose work has improved public education in Pennsylvania.

The Human and Civil Rights Awards are intended to applaud the outstanding work occurring every day in Pennsylvania's public schools and in our communities.

A selection committee meets each January to review the nominations submitted and select winners in four categories: Student Leader, Educational Leader, Community Leader, and Local Association, along with the Adler Friend of Education Award.

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

• Certification, Tenure, Induction, and Act 48
  
  • Sept. 24, 7-8 p.m.
• Effective Instruction: What Does the Research Tell Us Are the Most Effective Instructional Approaches, Strategies, and Techniques?
  
  • Oct. 1, 7-8:30 p.m.
• Your AI Assistant: Using AI in Planning & Preparation
  • Oct. 9, 7-8:30 p.m.

Book Discussions

• Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers Who Helped Win World War II (Young Readers Edition)
  
  • Sept. 25, 7-8 p.m.
• The Classroom Community Collection by Shannon Olsen
  
  • Oct. 17, 7-8 p.m.
• Every Connection Matters: How to Build, Maintain, and Restore Relationships Inside the Classroom and Out
  
  • Nov. 19, 7-8 p.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 Member benefits offers members and their families big savings on brand-name contact lenses through Contact Fill.

Program Benefits:

• Dependable service to your home, school, or office
• Free standard shipping and handling on all orders (use promotion code "PSEA")
• Convenient 24/7 online ordering
• Personable customer service
• No hidden charges
• PSEA members must log in to take advantage of this discount program
• NVA vision insurance accepted as a form of payment