Pennsylvania State Education Association

Week of 11-18-2024

Inside this issue

• Member Benefits spotlight: GE Appliance Store BLACK FRIDAY SALE!
• American Education Week wrap-up
• Congratulations to Becky Marszalek, ESP of the Year!
• Help us celebrate excellence in public education!
• Center for Professional Learning & PEARL

The Black Friday Sale has launched on the GE Appliances Store. Also, there is a one-time opportunity for PSEA members to receive a 5 percent off coupon code (THANKS5) for a limited time only. This code can be used in conjunction with the Black Friday savings promo prices.

Black Friday Sale

• Up to 43 percent off select appliances
• Plus, get FREE DELIVERY on orders over $399. Offer valid 11/6/24–12/11/24. See Store for details.
• PSEA members simply enter the coupon code THANKS5 at the My Cart page to receive an extra 5 percent discount on appliance orders. Note, the discount excludes Monogram and Clearance products.*

*Coupon code valid on the GE Appliances Store only. Limit of one coupon code per order. Cannot be combined with other offers or rebates. Limited time offer. Offer subject to change without notice. Non-transferable and non-redeemable for cash. Excludes Monogram® and clearance products.

As we wrap up another American Education Week, we want to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude for everything you do to educate, inspire, and support Pennsylvania’s students.

Every day, your dedication helps shape brighter futures. Whether you’re a teacher sparking curiosity, a counselor offering guidance, a support professional ensuring schools run smoothly, or a community advocate championing students’ success, you make an immeasurable impact, and we are so proud to stand beside you.

Here are some of the ways we celebrated you this past week:

AEW in the news:

President Aaron Chapin's letter to the editor celebrating American Education Week appeared in 13 newspapers statewide, and PSEA was featured in six WGAL-TV reports throughout the day Tuesday discussing American Education Week, the role of parents, guardians and families in public education, and Education Support Professionals Day.

Here’s one of the placements of that letter to the editor.

Member giveaways:

To show our appreciation for our members, PSEA is giving away PSEAWear items and pints of ice cream from the Penn State Berkey Creamery to members in each of our 11 geographic regions, ESP Region, PSEA-Retired, and Student PSEA. Here are the winners of these contests:

PSEAWear giveaway winners

• Central: Amanda Orban, Juniata Valley EA
• Central-Western: Barbara Stile, River Valley EA
• Eastern: Amy Negley, Palmerton EA
• Mideastern: Daniel Lonsdale, Souderton EA
• Midwestern: Ian Babb, Knoch EA
• Northeastern: Susan Gabrielson, Wallenpaupack EA
• Northwestern: Rachel Pituch, General McLane EA
• Southern: Samantha Miller, Central Dauphin EA
• Southeastern: James Lingman, Downingtown EA
• Southwestern: Danielle Hoge, Hempfield Area EA
• Western: Emily Brill, Keystone Oaks EA
• ESP: Yadaris Mojica-Diaz, Bethlehem Aides ESP
• Student PSEA: Madalyn Helfer, Shippensburg University Student EA
• PSEA-Retired: Bradley Siegfried, Mountain Ridges PSEA-Retired

Ice cream giveaway winners

• Amanda Recchiuti of Reading EA
• Matthew Connolly of Carlynton Custodial ESP
• Shawn Bierman of Jim Thorpe EA
• Lynn Kondash of IU #19 Northeast Teaching Assistants ESP
• Tracy Petzuk of Burrell EA

Congrats to Avonworth Elementary paraprofessional Becky Marszalek, who has been named PSEA’s Dolores McCracken Education Support Professional of the Year for 2024-25! This well-deserved recognition highlights Marszalek’s dedication to ensuring every student feels supported and valued, both in and out of the classroom.

“I am honored to be named PSEA’s Dolores McCracken Education Support Professional of the Year,” Marszalek said. “I am so proud of the support professionals that I represent and my PSEA colleagues across Pennsylvania who work every day to ensure students have the support they need to thrive and succeed.”

From her tireless advocacy as president of the Avonworth Education Support Professionals Association to her unwavering commitment to students as a classroom paraprofessional and one-on-one aide, Marszalek’s outsized impact has resonated throughout the Avonworth community during her 18 years in education.

Click here to read the PSEA press release on Becky Marszalek’s win.

Click here to listen to our recent episode of PSEA’s podcast, “Duty Free Lunch,” featuring Becky Marszalek.

Do you know someone who’s making a powerful impact on public education in Pennsylvania? Now’s your chance to shine a spotlight on them!

We’re excited to announce that nominations are open for PSEA’s Celebrating Excellence Awards, including the Adler Friend of Education and Human & Civil Rights categories.

Why nominate?
This is your opportunity to honor a friend, colleague, or organization that’s going above and beyond for our schools and communities. Each year, we come together at the Celebrating Excellence Awards Dinner to celebrate the incredible individuals and groups who are making a difference in public education. We want you to help us celebrate bigger than ever.

Who we’re looking for

• Adler Friend of Education Award: Recognizes someone who has made a statewide impact on public education – whether a dedicated PSEA leader, a committed public official, or an inspiring advocate for our schools.
• Human & Civil Rights Awards: Honors the everyday heroes who promote equity, justice, and positive change in our public schools and communities. Nominees can be students, educators, community leaders, or local associations making a real difference.

How it works

A selection committee reviews all nominations in January and selects winners across four categories:

1. Student Leader
2. Educational Leader
3. Community Leader
4. Local Association

So, who’s it gonna be?

Think of that person or organization who deserves recognition. Ready to honor their efforts?

Click here to learn more and submit your nomination.

Let’s celebrate the champions of public education together. Nominate someone who’s making an impact – you could be their reason to be celebrated this year!

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

• Apps-olutely Engaged! Free Apps to Engage Students in Learning
  • Dec. 4, 7-8:30 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.