Mideastern Region PSEA

Welcome to the Mideastern Region newsletter! Each month we will be featuring information to help our members stay informed, get involved, and advocate for our profession.

Our region represents 15,219 public school educators across the 35 school districts, two intermediate units, one comprehensive technical high school, healthcare worksites, and a virtual charter school. Thank you for being a member!

Thank you to Patrick Rodgers at Montgomery County Community College, Joanne Carrick in North Penn, Bill Raab in North Penn, and Terry O'Neil in Neshaminy for all their hard work organizing the show AND all of our member volunteers who spent time hanging student work in the gallery. We appreciate you! This is our 38th show and it features 324 student artworks by artists from 28 local public high schools. The winners of the juried show have been selected by Em Kleaver, Admissions Counselor at Temple University’s Tyler School of Art and Architecture. The 2025 show will award up to 24 prizes totaling more than $3,500.

March 2, 1:00-3:00pm: Opening Ceremony - Awards Presentation at 2:00 PM, open to students, parents, teachers and the public. Location: Montgomery County Community College - Fine Arts Center Gallery 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell, PA. Google Map Link

March 2 – 27: Show is open to public (note: Gallery Closed March 8-16 due to Spring Break)

All educators in the region are invited to our age 21+ closing reception on March 28th at Montco after school. Please RSVP here!

We all have unsung heroes at our jobsites - let's take a few minutes to highlight their great work! If you know of a member who deserves kudos for their contributions to our public schools, please take a minute to submit their information here. CAPS congrats will be featured on our CAPS social media platforms.

Join us for an unforgettable evening of baseball action as the Lehigh Valley IronPigs go head-to-head with the Buffalo Bisons! Mark your calendars for Thursday, May 22nd, and get ready for an electrifying game night at the iconic Coca-Cola Park in Allentown. Tickets are only $13 each! Click here to purchase.

Please join us for our Spring CTE Networking Meeting on April 10!

4:00-4:30pm - Light Dinner, Welcome & Introduction

4:30-5:30pm - Compensation Awareness Presentation

5:30-6:00pm - Open Discussion

CTE members of the Mideastern Region will be able to collaborate with one another in a small group setting. PSEA’s James Henninger-Voss will facilitate a discussion on Salary Schedules. All EA members of Mideastern Region CTE Schools are welcome to attend. Registration is required.

On Wednesday, April 2nd please join us in our office in Montgomeryville at 5pm for this special event:

In researching her new book, “Slavery, Friends, and Freedom in Bucks County,” author/educator Patricia L. Mervine uncovered dozens of untold stories about Bucks County people and places involved with slavery, the abolition movement, and the Underground Railroad. She has been able to link Bucks County to daring escapes, challenges to the Fugitive Slave Act, and even an infamous Supreme Court decision, all of which made national headlines. The stories she will share will take you back to the time when slavery and bounty-hunting were legal, and when people of both races found the courage, compassion, and conviction needed to make Pennsylvania a free state and Bucks County a safe haven for freedom seekers who traveled the Underground Railroad. Learning will include the political, economic, and ethnic influences that first supported the practice of slavery in colonial times, the slow but dramatic change in Quaker beliefs that resulted in Pennsylvania being the first free state, how the strong abolitionist influence on the Pennsylvania legislature resulted in laws that made kidnapping of African Americans much more difficult, and how the rising tensions between the free state of Pennsylvania and the border states that practiced slavery contributed to the Civil War.

Click here to register: psea.org/regions/mideastern-region/mac-committee/

PSEA President Aaron Chapin issued a statement in response to a recent vote in the U.S. House of Representatives to adopt a budget blueprint that will slash funding for health care, education, nutrition, and school lunch programs that benefit millions of Pennsylvania’s children and their families. Read PSEA's full statement.

As CTE students across the state prepare for their graduation and entry into post-secondary education opportunities, the work force, the military, or a combination of all three, these accomplishments are celebrated and recognized with a CTE signing day. On May 6th these students will participate in a signing ceremony at the local CTE's with their teachers, mentors, parents, employers, college representatives and the military. This is a great way to recognize all these students have accomplished and will accomplish in the future. Yet another example of the bright futures awaiting students in the CTE world!

The Health Options Program operates for the sole benefit of participants of the Pennsylvania Public School Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS), their dependents and survivors. Under the Health Options Program, you have access to comprehensive medical and prescription drug coverage before and after you become eligible for Medicare.

https://www.hopbenefits.com/eligibility-and-enrolling/information-sessions

Thank you to school counselors Stacia Hang at Skippack Elementary, Perk Valley EA and Eileen Bruchak at Quakertown Elementary, Quakertown EA for helping to feature the work of our student services personnel across the region. View the full story here!

Registration for the PSEA Special Education Conference is now open! This year is the 50th anniversary of the authorization of IDEA. The conference will be held April 25-26 in Lancaster. For more information and to register, please visit this website.

Calling all high school and post-secondary students! Our 2025 essay Contest is a chance to explore the incredible contributions of the Labor Movement to our nation’s social, economic, and political progress. It also reminds students – the next generation of workers – about the importance of protecting the Labor Movement’s gains, for their own wellbeing in current and future workplaces. Submissions must be received by April 15, 2025, to monica@paaflcio.org

Essays will be judged in May 2025, and awards will be made in June 2025. Click here for additional details!

The retired educators in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania (PSEA-Retired) offer scholarships to rising college juniors or incoming seniors who have graduated from a Montgomery County public high school and are planning to work towards an education degree for teaching.

For additional information and application instructions, please view this document. The deadline for submission is June 15, 2025.

Let Comparion Insurance Agency help you stay covered so you can focus on what matters most. As part of your PSEA Member Benefit, Liz will make sure you have the best auto and home insurance protection at the best price. Share your current insurance coverage securely: https://app.usecanopy.com/c/comparion-comparion-newtown-elizabeth-gillman. You may also call her directly on her mobile phone: 267-278-1432.

Thank you to all of our schools and staff that have worked to make our CAPS Science Explorers events a success this year! 📸: Dylan Eddinger Photography

The NEA Legislative Committee invites NEA members to attend the committee’s 2025 listening sessions as the 119th Congress begins! There is one remaining session for the year on Monday, March 24 at 8pm via Zoom. Click here to register.

There are tons of opportunities available through PSEA's Center for Professional Learning! Details below. If you are looking for a book discussion, webinar, or other activity for Act 48, Chapter 14, or even graduate credit, you've come to the right place!

https://www.psea.org/webinars

https://www.psea.org/act48bookdiscussions

https://www.psea.org/prolearning

https://www.psea.org/collegecredit

The Bucks IU W.O.W. (We're Outstanding Workers) Program can convert your older media to DVDs or thumb drives!

Students participating in this Bucks IU Life Skills Transition Program receive job training by providing various services throughout the school year. All services are provided under supervision as part of the student being able to learn and practice employment skills they can use in the future.

Save your memories and get your old photos and materials transferred to DVD or thumb drive!

✔ Photographs or slides - $10 per 100

✔ Documents - $10 per 100 1-sided pages

✔ VHS, 8mm film, mini tapes - $5 per tape/film

To order, please email the program at WOW@bucksIU.org or call 215.529.2601.

All orders will be available for drop off/pick up at the Bucks IU Perkasie Square, near Landis Market (529 Constitution Ave, Perkasie, PA).

The "Dolores McCracken PSEA ESP Member of the Year" Award is presented to a PSEA member who demonstrates outstanding accomplishments and reflects the contributions of Education Support Professionals to public education. The recipient of the award will then be nominated for the National Education Association ESP of the Year Award. Nominations are due April 1! For additional information and to make a nomination, please review this document: SKM_C360i24090911560

Two-thirds of active PSERS members do not have a named beneficiary. (Yes, you read that correctly!!) What does that mean? Aside from possible additional uncertainty of your survivors, they could also have a significant state tax liability where there would have otherwise been none. From the PSERS website:

"You should keep your beneficiary information up to date to ensure that benefits are paid according to your wishes. If you do not name a beneficiary or if your named beneficiary predeceases you, your benefit is paid to your estate. PSERS benefits paid to your beneficiary are exempt from state and local taxes if the beneficiary resides in Pennsylvania. Benefits paid to your estate are taxable for state and local purposes upon being distributed from the estate. Both direct payments to your beneficiary and payments to your estate are subject to federal taxes."

There are lots of resources on the PSERS website to assist members with this task.

Celebrate Spring at this fun professional development opportunity for regional educators of all grade levels and content areas. Experience the Museum with fellow teachers and learn more about Museum resources available to you. Participants enjoy free access to all Museum galleries, and may choose to join one of two Curator, each exploring an exciting special exhibition. Later on, enjoy creating communal painted papers in an optional studio workshop inspired by the work of artist and educator Barbara Bullock, whose collages are featured in Yesterday’s Dreams Are Real. Participants will leave with their own portfolio of unique papers and ideas for using them with K-12 students. Refreshments provided. Click here to register!

These reporting guidelines have been prepared by the PSEA Legal Division and are current as of June 5, 2015. Please review the information in this critical alert to ensure you are properly following the reporting guidelines for the following four laws:

• Child Protective Services, 23 Pa.C.S. § 6301 - § 6386
• Educator Discipline Act, 24 P.S. § 2070.1a - § 2070.18a
• Criminal Conduct, 24 P.S. § 1-111.1(e), (f.1)
• Employment History Review Act (Act 168 of 2014), 24 P.S. § 1-111.1

Each of the guidelines includes a description of the law and definitions of terms appearing within the reporting obligations to ensure complete understanding. If you have any questions about a reporting obligation, please call your PSEA UniServ representative, who will refer you to the appropriate PSEA attorney.

For a complete list of Legal Alerts from PSEA, please visit this website (member login required).

Now is the time to start preparing! As part the PSERS Countdown to Retirement Series, view the checklist below to ensure you stay on track to retire.

• Purchase Service
• Submit A Domestic Relations Order (DRO), if applicable
• Foundations for Your Future (FFYF)
• Research
• Set Aside Living Expenses

Learn more:

Retirement Checklist | Public School Employees' Retirement System | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Stretch your dollars with the MyDeals app from PSEA Member Benefits! You can use the program to search by location - take a look at the deals currently available:

• Save $10 at Sherwin-Williams

• Save $10 on an oil change at Valvoline

• Save up to $90 per night on hotels in Orlando

• Up to $60 off gate price at Walt Disney World

• 20% off TurboTax

• 10% off at Jos. A. Bank

...and much more!

To access savings, download the MyDeals app on your mobile device, or visit the website below. To register, use 8875 + your PSEA member number (found on the back of your membership card). If you don’t know your member number, contact your local president or call 1-800-944-7732 x3001.

https://psea.accessdevelopment.com/home

CAPS wants to thank YOU for your work in our public schools! Provide your information here by 8am on Monday, March 10 and you may be randomly chosen as a winner. What do you get if you win? You and all PSEA members at your jobsite will have pizza for lunch later this month from a local establishment delivered by our region president, Bill Senavaitis.

Through the NEA Foundation Global Learning Fellowship, public school educators develop the knowledge and skills to integrate global competency into their daily classroom instruction, advocate for global competency in their schools and districts, and help students to thrive in our increasingly interconnected world. Fellows transform their classrooms to give students a global perspective.

For more information and to apply: https://www.neafoundation.org/educator-grants-and-fellowships/global-learning-fellowship/

Our region calendar has been updated for the second half of the school year - take a look for details on region, state, and national Association events!

Calling all ESP members! PSEA will be hosting ESP Lobby Day on Tuesday, March 25th in Harrisburg to advocate for support staff wages, benefits, and working conditions. To register for this event please visit this website.

Is it time to update your PSEA profile? Consider taking a minute to provide your updated information if:

• PSEA emails are going to your school email and not your personal email (huge )

• PSEA emails are going to an old email address that you no longer check regularly

• Issues of The Voice magazine are going to your parent's house or a former apartment because that's where you lived when you first began working for a public school

• The landline you got rid of six years ago is still listed as your primary phone number

• You're at a different school or teaching in a different subject area than you were when you began working

To update your profile, go to www.psea.org and follow these steps:

• Click on "My PSEA Log In"
• Log in using your credentials
• Scroll down and click "My PSEA"
• Click "Edit" on your profile and confirm it's you
• Update anything that is need of an update
• Click "Update"

Thanks for taking the time to make sure your information is accurate and up-to-date!

The PSEA Education Foundation provides financial assistance to PSEA members who are experiencing dire hardship through illness, disability, and/or financial need. Applications are submitted to the PSEA Retirement & Welfare Committee, which reviews the applications and makes recommendations to the PSEA Education Foundation.

For more information or to apply, please scroll to the bottom of this page.

Save the Date for PSEA Mideastern Region Pre-Retirement Workshops in the 2025-2026 school year:

October 14 – virtual

November 12 – in person

Dec 11 – virtual

Jan 12 – in-person

Feb 10 – virtual

March 11 – in person

In-person workshops are held at our office in Montgomeryville and virtual sessions are held via Zoom. Each format begins at 5pm on the dates listed above.

In the meantime, you may want to attend these sessions:

PSERS Health Options Program (HOP)

PSERS Foundations for your Future (FFYF)

PSEA Member Benefits help save you a significant amount of money on everything from a rental car to a new refrigerator. If you haven't been on their website in a while, take some time to check it out!

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)

There are multiple ways to stay connected to our organization. If you're not yet a member of our private Facebook group, please consider joining (be sure to answer the question and let us know the name of your local). Our website is also a great place to get information about upcoming events. Please also like and follow the CAPS (Council for the Advancement of Public Schools) public Facebook page!

Bill Senavaitis, President, Central Bucks EA

Bill McGill, President-Elect, Perkiomen Valley EA

Debbie Lee, Vice President, Abington EA

Sue Brown, Treasurer, Wissahickon EA

Nicole Peirce, Pennsbury EA

Alan Malachowski, Past President, Montco Retired

Theresa Prato, PACE Director, Bucks County Technical High School EA

Maria Bennett, NEA Director, New Hope-Solebury ESPA

Colleen Brodbeck, NEA Director, Pennsbury EA

Website: www.psea.org/mer
Location: 601 Bethlehem Pike, Building C, Montgomeryville, PA 18936
Phone: 215.853.2100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PSEAMER

This message is intended for PSEA members and members of their immediate households.