Pennsylvania State Education Association

Week of 11-4-2024

Inside this issue

• A note about the election results
• PSEA podcast: Take three deep breaths - Managing stress in education
• Submit your Celebrating Excellence Award nominations today!
• PSEA Job Opportunity: Administrative Assistant Vacancy in Financial Management
• Member Benefits spotlight: Tele-therapy
• Center for Professional Learning & PEARL

On Tuesday, November 5, PSEA members along with their fellow Pennsylvanians, went to the polls to vote for the candidates of their choice. A near record number of voters made their choice and as of Friday, November 8, here is a snapshot of where things stand:

Presidential Race:
Donald Trump won the race for President. Here at home, Trump received roughly 139,000 more votes than NEA/PSEA-recommended candidate Kamala Harris.

US Senate:
NEA/PSEA-recommended candidate Bob Casey remains locked in a race that many news outlets continue to believe is too close to call. At the moment, Casey trails his opponent Dave McCormick by approximately 30,000 votes. There are many provisional ballots that have yet to be counted in the commonwealth, which, theoretically, could impact the outcome of this race. PSEA believes that all votes should be counted and will be monitoring developments in this race closely.

Row Offices:
Republican candidates for Attorney General, Auditor General, and Treasurer managed a clean sweep for the commonwealth’s row offices.

US Congress:
Three NEA/PSEA-recommended candidates have lost their bids for the United States House of Representatives: Rep. Matt Cartwright in the 8th Congressional District, Rep. Susan Wild in the 7th Congressional District, and Janelle Stelson in the 10th Congressional District.

PA State Senate:
Republicans in the Senate maintained a 28-seat majority and Democrats remain at 22 seats. State Rep. Patty Kim was successful in her bid for the open 15th Senate District in Dauphin County and incumbent Sen. Jimmy Dillon was unseated by Republican Joe Picozzi in the 5th Senate District in Northeast Philadelphia.

PA State House:
Democrats maintain their one seat majority in the House. When combined with our Republican allies in the chamber, PSEA will continue to rely on a strong pro-public education majority in that chamber.

A special thanks goes out to all PSEA members who volunteered or were otherwise actively involved in this year’s elections. Objectively, PSEA-recommended candidates at the top of the ticket did not fair well. That does not discount the effort and dedication that PSEA members put into this election. Thank you.

In this episode of “Duty Free Lunch,” Aaron and Jeff tackle a topic that hits close to home for educators: stress and how to effectively manage it. They are joined by Dorothy Morelli, a career educator with over 30 years of experience and co-founder of the non-profits CREATE and Bounceback, and Denine Goolsby, an SEL expert with 46 years as an educator, principal, and executive in social-emotional learning. Also joining in is Sandy Williams, PSEA’s wellness facilitator, who highlights wellness resources for members, offering quick techniques to find calm and joy in stressful moments.

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.

PSEA is seeking a detail-oriented Administrative Assistant in our Financial Management department. This in-person position (Harrisburg) mainly provides administrative support to the CFO, accounting specialist, payroll specialist, and facilities coordinator, as well as local association leaders and members.

This position requires a highly organized individual with strong executive functioning skill.

PSEA is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. PSEA actively seeks diverse candidates and those with the ability to work on a diverse team with a diverse range of people. 

Information on how to apply and the job description can be found at www.psea.org/jobs.

Enjoy convenient access to therapists and counselors from the comfort of home. Get support for anxiety, depression, stress/PTSD, panic disorder, grief, family and marriage issues, and more. Members, spouses, and any dependents age 18 years up to and including age 25 are covered under one membership. 

Only $25.79 per month for PSEA members

• Consults are always $0 for counseling
• Mental health consults are $25
• No insurance needed
• Designed for educators
• No contracts, cancel anytime
• 30-day money back guarantee

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

• Curriculum and Equity Audits: What Are They and How Can They Be Used to Create More Equitable and Excellent Schools?
  • Nov. 14, 7-8:30 p.m.
• Apps-olutely Engaged! Free Apps to Engage Students in Learning
  • Dec. 4, 7-8:30 p.m.

Book Discussions

• 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.