Mideastern Region PSEA
February 2022 Newsletter
Our region represents the 15,168 public school educators across the 35 school districts and two intermediate units of Bucks and Montgomery Counties. Your hard work and the power of collective bargaining help to bring an exceptional education to the 195,426 students in our buildings.
Get To Know Your Region Pace Director, Theresa Prato
Get to know your Mideastern Region PACE Director, Theresa Prato.
I always like to be busy and involved in many different things. The older I get the more I appreciate my down time, and I do everything I can to work smarter, not harder; but, I still need challenges. I am a product of great public schools on Long Island in NY, and I took advantage of as much as I could, including language, music and sports while in school. While in college as a chemistry major, I played varsity softball, continued with some of my music interests, worked for the Sports Information Department and fell in love with the study of philosophy. A few years after I started my professional career as a chemist I got involved in coaching travel softball and committed the next 15 years as coach, fundraiser, bookkeeper and mentor. It was my experiences as a coach that convinced me to become a teacher.
Teaching is my second career, but as I’m in my 22nd year as a science teacher at Bucks County Technical HS, I have no doubts or regrets about the move. I work with some incredible people. We share a camaraderie and we believe in what we do there for our students. There’s such a sense of fulfillment that comes from knowing you can make a difference through your work. I’ve been a local leader almost as long as I’ve been a public school teacher and I feel as strongly about my work as union member and leader, as I do as a teacher. As a teacher, my greatest impact is on the students I teach. As a union leader my work can have an impact on all of our students, our faculty, our school, our community and public school students and employees all over the region and state.
I first ran, and was elected, for Secretary of my local (BCTHSEA) at the end of my 3rd year of teaching. I was not yet a tenured teacher, but I felt I needed to be in the thick of things in order to make a difference. Since that time I’ve added many new roles – local President, region PACE Director, officer for the statewide PACE Board, and region Secretary. My role with PACE has really helped me grow to understand the importance of advocacy and political involvement. I’ve had the good fortune of learning from, and working with, some incredible PSEA Leaders and staff, and the members of the Mideastern Region help keep the standards for commitment and excellence high. Most importantly, I’ve gotten to do some of the most rewarding and impactful work of my life. I look forward to continuing my work for all of you.
Need Act 48? Check out PEARL! Virtual Courses you can take from your living room.
VIRTUAL ACT 48 EVENT-Minority Affairs Committee Announces Allyship Training for MER and SER Members-February 9
Our next region MAC (Minority Affairs Committee) meeting will be held on February 9th beginning at 5 pm. This joint meeting between MER and SER will be an Act 48 eligible training on allyship and cultural competency. This is the perfect opportunity for new members to get involed with our minority affairs committee, so please consider attending. During this two-hour training on Zoom, participants will be able to interact in small group breakout rooms with other PSEA members from the Mideastern Region (Bucks and Montgomery Counties) and the Southeastern Region (Chester and Delaware Counties.) Please sign up on the PSEA conference system as registration is now open.
VIRTUAL ACT 48 EVENT-Encore “Performance” on ZOOM-Current Drug Trends & What to Expect in The Future-Tuesday, March 1 at 7 pm (Note start time.)
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unique challenges for students, adolescents, and young adults. The on-going stress and uncertainty of COVID 19 has led to an increase in the number of individuals reporting feeling anxious and depressed. With isolation and reduced access to services, some individuals have turned to alcohol, nicotine, or cannabis to cope.
On Tuesday, March 1 at 7 pm, join a discussion led by The Council of Southeast PA, Inc. to learn the latest statistics of substance use during COVID 19, associated health risks & concerns, as well as what the future may hold for our communities. This is second opportunity to take the course that was offered in-person in January. This is a virtual presentation of the material.
Participants will gain knowledge regarding drug access, trends, purity, perceived level of harm and how these things changed during COVID-19. Participants will be able to implement learned knowledge into their roles as educational professionals. This is a VIRTUAL event presented on ZOOM. We are piloting a new later start time as well. Come home from work, finish dinner, sit down with a cup of coffee, and learn with us at 7 pm. Participants will earn 1 ½ hours of Act 48 or Chapter 14 credit.
The presenter: David Fialko is an Internationally Certified Prevention Specialist and a Nationally Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist with over 18 years’ experience working in the field of ATOD treatment and prevention. We thank David for his willingness to offer the program a second time to our members. The program is open to ANY PSEA member.
To register, please visit the Act 48/Chapter 14 page of our region website.
Union Leader Academy - Wednesday, February 16, 2022 at 4:30 pm-Building Power Beyond the Membership
The Mideastern Region would like to welcome all members to join in our new virtual Union Leader Academy. The Academy goals are to build a deeper, stronger, leadership knowledge base and skill set to support sustainable growth and deliver superior results. Shift focus from tactical managing with a focus on day-to-day problem solving to also leading with vision, inspiration and authenticity.
Wednesday, February 16, 2022 at 4:30 pm on ZOOM--Building Power Beyond the Membership
Our focus in this session will be on building local strength by engaging community organizations that have common interests and beliefs. Register Here Let's get powerful!
COVID 19-Positivity Rates Continue to Trend Downward
At the link below, you can view the PA Cornonavirus Dashboard. Use the dropdown menu to look at different counties. The Bucks County daily case rate has dropped from a high of 2,380 on January 6th to only 139 today. In Montgomery County, the high was 1,861 on New Year's Day to 227 today. This is good news and will help to inform our decisions regarding in-person events.
Federal and State Loan Forgiveness Programs No Longer Subject to State Taxes
Great news just in time for tax season!
Though participants in the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and the PA Student Loan Forgiveness programs were already exempt from paying federal taxes on their student loans that were forgiven, participants would still have to pay state taxes on that amount. Most other states already exempted participants from state taxes.
With the help of Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-Bucks) and several other Democratic senators, the Department of Revenue recently issued updated guidance and reissued a bulletin to clarify that student loan forgiveness through the two programs would not be subject to state taxes.
This is great news for teachers, nurses, and other public servants who participate in the programs!
“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.” -Martin Luther King, Jr.
PA Educator Evaluation: The REVISED Frameworks for Observation and Practice
Act 13 of 2020 and the Chapter 19 regulations revised the Pennsylvania Educator Effectiveness system beginning in the 2021-22 school year. With these revisions, PDE edited Charlotte Danielson’s Frameworks for Teaching by incorporating content related to trauma-informed practices, cultural relevance, remote teaching strategies, career readiness, equity and inclusion, and social and emotional wellness. These modified Frameworks should inform the Observation and Practice portion of the system.
The revised Frameworks for Observation and Practice include one Framework for classroom teachers and seven position-aligned Frameworks for non-teaching professionals. This Advisory addresses the revisions to the Frameworks; previous Advisories detail the Act 13 Educator Evaluation system and rating tools. The complete PDF advisory is posted below.
What Did The Union Ever Do For Me?
That's all very well, but what about inflation? Glad you asked. Adjusted for inflation, the amount looks better, but it is still only $40,736 in 2022 dollars. Our colleagues in Abington just negotiated a starting salary of over $50K in their most recent contract. That's 25% higher than the rate of inflation! Make no mistake. This increase didn't come from the largesse of our school districts. They were the result of hard work in each contract negotiations by union leaders who have served before us. To those locals entering bargaining, I wish you all the best for a productive round, securing a fair and equitable contract for the professional educators in your local.
Sign Up For ACE Training-Thursday, February 17th
Through legislative relationships and powerful stories, Advocates for Children and Education – ACEs – strengthen PSEA’s ability to persuade legislators to pass strong, pro-public education legislation and stop legislation that will negatively impact our children and our public schools. Step up with your PSEA colleagues from across the state to work together as we work to influence and educate elected officials on the policies and issues that impact our schools, our classrooms, and our students. ACEs are public school employees – experienced and early career teachers, bus drivers, school nurses, counselors, secretaries, paraprofessionals, aspiring educators, and retirees.
Join us, along with State Representative Napoleon Nelson (D-154), on Thursday, February 17th from 5-7:30pm at the region office. The training will be given by Jen Statler from PSEA Government Relations. Dinner will be ready at 5:00 p.m. and the training starts at 5:30 p.m. Questions and RSVP to Jennifer Statler or 717-255-7095 by Friday, February 11th.
This is an IN-PERSON event held at the MER Office in Montgomeryville. Individual dinners and desserts will be provided. Masking and social distancing required.
PSEA MER Spring Leadership Conference-Saturday, April 2, 2022 at the Alloy in KOP
We are excited to announce the scheduling of our first LDC in two years. Save the date for this in-person event and stay tuned for more details.
- Online registration will open in February.
- Keynote Speaker: NEA Secretary-Treasurer, Noel Candelaria.
- Act 48/ Chapter 14 Credit available for many sessions.
- No cost to locals or individuals.
- Sessions planned all day; both large group sessions, and breakouts.
- Breakfast and lunch will be provided
- Fabulous door prizes.
The following Act 48 Events are currently scheduled to be held IN-PERSON at the region office. Come join us for some interactive presentations and dinner. There will be some fabulous door prizes as well.
SPECIAL CAPS ACT 48 EVENT-"Wonder Women: The Importance of Strong Female Characters in Children's Books"-March 23
Join us in person at the MER Office in Montgomeryville on Wednesday, March 23rd at 5:00 pm for this interactive presentation sponsored by CAPS (Council for the Advancement of Public Schools.) Length of program: One and a half hours of Act 48
Presenter: Aimee Bissonette, Children's Author
Children’s books have always included spunky, feisty female characters like Ramona and Beezus Quimby, Matilda, and Harriet the Spy. But is spunky and feisty enough? The blockbuster success of the 2017 Wonder Woman movie and 2018’s Black Panther indicates there is room for much more - in movie theaters and children’s books. Female characters that overcome obstacles, solve problems, break stereotypes, and empower others have great appeal to both boys and girls.
This session will focus on choosing books for our classrooms and libraries that affirm positive roles for girls and boys. We’ll discuss the assumptions we make when we think in terms of “girl books” and “boy books”; the effect gender stereotypes have on young readers (and the publishing industry’s puzzling role in perpetuating those stereotypes); and the role children’s books have in developing empathy among young readers (which can lead to reduced bullying among other things). We’ll explore the evolving theory about children’s books as "mirrors, windows, and sliding doors" and how reading the right books helps students rehearse for and succeed in real life situations. And we'll talk about the reactions and responses I’ve gotten from girls and boys with whom I’ve shared my own “strong women” books.
This is an IN-PERSON event held at the MER Office in Montgomeryville. Individual dinners and desserts will be provided. Masking and social distancing required.
Register here on the PSEA conference system.
ACT 48 EVENT-"Recapture Your Purpose & Rediscover Your Joy!" on April 5th (Date change from February 15th.)
Tired? Overwhelmed? Feel like you are burning out? Join Meg Burke (learning coach from the North Penn School District) and Suzanne Dailey (professional developer from the Central Bucks School District) in this energizing and interactive session guaranteed to ignite, inspire, and reconnect you to your why. You will engage in collaborative and meaningful conversations, reflect and reconnect to your why, and leave with practical strategies that promote work/life satisfaction.
Tuesday, April 5th at 5:00 pm. (Please note the new date.) Length of program: Two hours of Act 48 or Chapter 14 credit. Join us for a teaser session at the Spring LDC in King of Prussia.
This is an IN-PERSON event held at the MER Office in Montgomeryville. Individual dinners and desserts will be provided. Masking and social distancing required.
Register here in the PSEA conference system.
ACT 48 EVENT-Transforming School Culture & Climate: The Servant Leadership Model in Schools and its Role in with Social Emotional Learning & Character Development in School Today-April 19
On Tuesday, April 19, 2022, at 5 pm, join PSEA Asst. Director of Education Services Dr. Chris Clayton for an in-person professional development program on transforming your school culture and climate. This session details how educators can implement and utilize the Servant Leadership Model advocated by Robert K. Greenleaf and based on the work of James C. Hunter within schools to foster more positive, safe, inclusive, and welcoming school climates and cultures. A culture of servant leadership within schools, for both the staff and students, can be truly transformative in changing the culture of a school and the community it serves, and participants will emerge from the session with understanding and framework for actualizing the Servant Leadership model in their school.
Length of program: Two hours of Act 48 or Chapter 14 credit
This is an IN-PERSON event held at the MER Office in Montgomeryville. Individual dinners and desserts will be provided. Masking and social distancing required.
Register here on the PSEA conference system.
California Casualty’s $10,000 Staycation Dream Giveaway
California Casualty, the provider of the NEA Auto and Home Insurance Program, wants to help you escape the everyday with $10,000 to spend your way! Get that hot tub you’ve always wanted, create your dream kitchen, turn your backyard into an oasis, add a media room the whole family can enjoy – the possibilities are endless, but only if you enter to win. You give back every day… now it’s time to take care of yourself!
The winner for the $10,000 prize will be randomly selected in October. No obligation, click here to enter today: www.membergiveaway.com/NEA
Susan K. Castle Memorial Scholarship for Montco Future Educators
Sue Castle was a member of Colonial EA and president of our region from 1995-1997. Each year the Montgomery County/PSEA Retired Educators group offers a scholarship to a college junior or senior enrolled in the field of education. The individual needs to be a graduate of a Montgomery County high school. The application is linked below. Be sure to submit it by the deadline of June 15, 2022. Please share the document with anyone who may be interested in applying!
If you are interested in donating to this scholarship fund, please make checks payable to "Montco PSEA-Retired" and send it to Montco Retired Treasurer, Anne Pass: 2 Withers Lane;
Blue Bell, PA 19422. Please include a message that it is for the Susan K Castle Memorial Scholarship fund. If you include an address, they will gladly send out an acknowledgment of the donation.
ExcitED: Authentic & Transformative Learning Partnership at William Tennent
William Tennent High School, located in the Centennial School District, is proud to announce a partnership with the Bucks County Department of Workforce & Economic Development, the Wistar Institute, and the Pennsylvania Society for Biomedical Research (PSBR) aimed at offering high school students a pathway to real-world work experiences via mentorship, internships, workplace visits, job shadowing, and employment opportunities. Through the generous support of Pennsylvania’s Department of Labor and Industry, this partnership has been awarded a two-year, $250,000 Schools-to-Work grant, to develop a pre-apprenticeship program focused on creating workforce development partnerships between school districts, higher education institutions, and local businesses to increase learning and training opportunities for Bucks County youth. This novel program, called ExcitED, will provide both students and teachers in Bucks County the opportunity to participate in authentic professional experiences within the disciplines of user design, entrepreneurship, and biotechnology.
For more information, please visit the ExcitED website.
"Teaching is the one profession that creates all other professions." —Unknown
Member Benefits Spotlight: Aetna Dental Access Discount Program
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.
*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 offers or administers the discount program. Neither ALIC nor any of its affiliates is an affiliate, agent, representative, or employee of 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.
PSEA MER "Touch the Future' Student Art Show Opens on February 27th
For the 35th year, the “Touch the Future” art show will honor participants from throughout Bucks and Montgomery counties’ public high schools as it kicks off its nearly four-week run with a reception and awards ceremony on Sunday, February 27th from 1 to 3 pm at Montgomery County Community College in Blue Bell. The college sponsored a virtual show last year and we are thrilled that they are hosting an in-person gallery this year. The event is free and open to the public through March during gallery hours. It is sponsored by the Pennsylvania State Education Association, Mideastern Region (PSEA/MER), and the Council for the Advancement of Public Schools (CAPS) to provide an opportunity for students to participate in a juried exhibition and showcase the wide-ranging art opportunities available to students in the region.
The name of the annual juried show hails from the sponsors’ desire to pay tribute to Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher in space who perished aboard the space shuttle Challenger and was known to have said, “I touch the future. I teach.”
The show will be juried by Shawn Sabourin, Admissions Counselor at the Tyler School of Art, Temple University. For more information about the show and/or how to have your school participate, contact the show organizer and chairperson, Mike Werner.
Registration is Now OPEN-PSEA Special Education Board Conference on March 4-5, 2022
PSEA Membership Doesn't Cost, It Pays!
There are a lot of benefits to being a PSEA member, and one of them is that your membership saves you money. Did you know your PSEA membership can help you save money on things such as contact lenses, Verizon Fios, and even college?
The PSEA Member Benefits program offers you thousands of discount and savings opportunities on mortgages, mobile service, insurance, investment and retirement planning, restaurants, hotels, and more.
Check out the full line up here and start saving today!
FINAL VIRTUAL MER Pre-Retirement Workshop-- Thursday, February 10th
As your retirement nears, it’s time to consider which PSERS monthly income options to choose, as well as how to handle your contributions and interest account. Our workshops are designed for members who are within five years of their retirement date.
Due to the popularity of these events, only the virtual presentations have availability at this point. These ZOOM presentations are free, but registration is required. The last virtual pre-retirement workshops is on Thursday, February 10th. You can sign up for the workshop here.
"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." –William Butler Yeats
The 2021-2022 MER Directory Is Here.
To access the directory, you must log in with your PSEA username and password. This information is for PSEA member use ONLY. Please do not post this information publicly.
Contract Ratifications
Special Program: PSEA Personal Legal Services
PSEA has a Personal Legal Services Program for members and their families. The program provides discounted rates and two 30-minute consultation sessions free during each membership year with the designated law firms below. The areas of concentration are:
- Personal Injury (Cordisco & Saile)
- Workers' Compensation (Cordisco & Saile)
- Domestic Relations (Susan Levy Eisenberg, Esq)
- Criminal Law (Neff & Sedecca)
- Wills & Estates (Martin Herring)
Please take advantage of this special program.
Calling all members! We need your stories!
We know that there are amazing things happening in your school buildings every day, but they aren’t covered by the local media or talked about beyond your own building. We’d love to help spread the word on our PSEA CAPS social media channels! It is so important to tell your story about the great things going on every day in your school, especially now.
If you have something neat, newsworthy or funny that you think our community members should know about, can you let us know? You can email it to Danielle who helps with our PSEA-CAPS communications efforts.
Save The Date
As we move into the springtime, we hope to continue to see the retreat of the virus. Maybe now is a good time to consider attending a PSEA conference. It was just announced that Gettysburg is a "go" for this summer.
Special Education Conference-March 4-5, Penn Stater
PSEA Spring Leadership Conference-March 11-12, Lancaster Marriot
MER Spring Leadership Conference-April 2, Alloy Hotel, King of Prussia
Student Conference-April 8-9, Bayfront Landing,-Erie
ESP House of Delegates - April 22-23, Lancaster Marriot at Penn Square
Region House of Delegates - April 28, Spring Mill Manor, Ivyland
PSEA House of Delegates - May 13-14, Sheraton Downtown, Philadephia
PSEA Summer Leadership Conference - July 24-28, Gettysburg College
For a complete list of PSEA statewide events, please click here.
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Mideastern Region PSEA
Alan Malachowski, President (North Penn EA)
Bill Senavaitis, President-Elect (Central Bucks EA)
Debbie Lee, Vice President (Abington EA)
Sue Brown, Treasurer (Wissahickon EA)
Jen Dan LoStracco, Interim Secretary (Bucks County IU EA)
Theresa Prato, PACE Director (BCTHS EA)
Maria Bennett, NEA Director (New Hope-Solebury ESPA)
Website: www.psea.org/mer
Location: 601 Bethlehem Pike, Building C, Montgomerville, PA 18936
Phone: 215.853.2100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PSEAMER