Pennsylvania State Education Association

Week of 12-2-2024

Inside this issue

• PSEA House of Delegates - Tune in and join us!
• Universal Human Rights Month PSEA member spotlight: Jess Henry
• PSEA podcast: Building more resilient students and healthier schools
• Nomination deadline for 2025 Celebrating Excellence Awards approaching fast
• Member Benefits spotlight: Aetna Dental Access discount dental program
• Center for Professional Learning & PEARL

Next weekend (Dec. 13-14) we’ll be in Philadelphia holding our biannual House of Delegates, where members just like you come together to do the business of our Association. We would like to offer you the option to tune in and watch the proceedings.

Livestream Viewing

Beginning at 8 p.m. Friday night, visit www.psea.org/hod to watch. You will need to log in to watch (have your PSEA ID number handy).

We hope you can join in and watch the House of Delegates as we conduct the important business of our Association. Delegates will hear from the Education Support Professional of the Year, learn how members are helping update PSEA’s Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals statements, and consider New Business Items.

Thank you for everything you do for our schools, our students, and our professions.

Jess Henry allows the students in her Human Rights Club to follow their passion, which has led to several impactful outreach initiatives that have benefited communities both at home and abroad.

Universal Human Rights Month is celebrated in December to commemorate the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations General Assembly on Dec. 10, 1948.

So, right now seems like the perfect opportunity to spotlight Jess Henry, a gifted instructor in the Elizabethtown Area School District and member of Elizabethtown Area EA, who oversees the high school’s student-run Human Rights Club.

The club’s structure fosters a collaborative environment, with a research committee diving deep into each topic before presenting their findings to the rest of the group. These presentations are rooted in critical thinking and unbiased analysis. The students learn to view issues through multiple lenses, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of human rights violations worldwide.

“When we give youth the opportunity to actually be heard and to have their own agency, they are willing to do really amazing things,” Henry said.

Click below to keep reading the full profile on Jess Henry and her Human Rights Club in the September 2024 issue of Voice.

In the latest episode of “Duty Free Lunch,” Aaron and Jeff delve into student health and wellness with PSEA leaders Michelle Sholder and Adam Oldham. Michelle, president of PSEA’s Department of Pupil Services (DPS), and Adam, a school counselor, share their expertise on addressing issues like trauma, anxiety, and the impact of social media on students.

They share practical strategies and emphasize the need for more certified student service professionals. They also explore PSEA’s professional development opportunities and advocate for more empathetic, systemic solutions to help students thrive.

Nominations for the 2025 Celebrating Excellence Awards must be in by Dec. 31 at 4:30 p.m. Make your nominations at the link below.

The Adler Friend of Education award recognizes an individual who has made significant statewide contributions to public education.

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.

Read more about the awards and nominate someone today at the below link:

Smile brighter with savings at over 262,000* available dental practice locations nationwide. Use your card over and over again to keep your teeth sparkling clean!

For one flat household rate of just $8 per month, PSEA members and their legal dependents up to age 26 can access dental savings through Aetna Dental Access.

• In most instances, save 15% to 50% per visit.**
• Save on dental services such as cleanings, X-rays, crowns, root canals, and fillings.

Learn more about this new program below:

*As of April 2020.

**Actual costs and savings vary by provider, service, and geographical area. The discount program provides access to the Aetna Dental Access® network. This network is administered by Aetna Life Insurance Company (ALIC). Neither ALIC nor any of its affiliates offer or administer the discount program. Neither ALIC nor any of its affiliates is an affiliate, agent, representative, or employee of the discount program. Dental providers are independent contractors and not employees or agents of ALIC or its affiliates. ALIC does not provide dental care or treatment and is not responsible for outcomes.

(Not available to VT residents.)

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

• Tools, Strategies, and Resources to Help New & Early Career Educators
  
  • Jan. 22, 7-8 p.m.
• Cultivating Critical Thinking: A Toolbox of Routines & Strategies
  • Jan. 28, 7-8 p.m.
• Intro to the 3D Science Standards: Coming This Fall!
  • Feb. 5, 7-8:30 p.m.

Book Discussions

• Social and Emotional Learning with Dr. Seuss
  • Feb. 26, 7-8 p.m.
• Tech for Teacher Wellness: Strategies for a Healthy Life and Sustainable Career
  • March 25, 7-8 p.m.
• The Mindful Teacher’s Toolkit
  • April 2, 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.