Southeastern Region PSEA
4th Edition
"My name is Caitlin Merto. I am beyond excited to be serving all of you as the Southeastern Region Treasurer. I started out my teaching career teaching Kindergarten, before transitioning to teaching high schoolers. I am a Career & Technical Education (CTE) Communications Technology Teacher in Chester-Upland School District, my school home, for my entire teaching career. I am the President of Chester-Upland Education Association, and love advocating not only for our membership, but also our students.
I am the proud mother to a strong-willed, 13-year-old daughter, Madison, and animal Mama to our dog, Apollo, and cat, Zeus. I am a graphic/website designer who loves all things art, and am so excited to launch our latest business venture (opening on 12/31 - a breakfast + lunch cafe in our neighborhood - Coterie Cafe + Kitchen) with my amazing life and business partner, Soufiane.
I am all about building relationships and look forward to getting the opportunity to build new relationships, or upon those already built, with all of you! Thank you for allowing me to serve you, and our region!"
"I’ve been part of Southeastern Region since I was hired at PSEA in January of 2013. 2025 begins year 13 and my third as the UniServ for my cluster. My cluster includes, DCIU and CCIU, SE Delco, Avon Grove, Oxford and Coatesville. It’s a mix of ESP and EA locals. I have great local leaders and really believe they do so much in their locals in terms of day-to-day member issues, advocating with worksite supervisors, explaining contractual issues that only the really head scratching stuff comes my way.
The first nine years of my PSEA career I was the Region Advocacy Coordinator (RAC) and I enjoyed that work. It really helped me build relationships with members in all parts of the region. I started as a UniServ on special assignment in Feb of 2022 and the work of a UniServ is much more direct in terms of one-to-one member advocacy, but I believe my ability to build relationships through my prior position is an advantage in my current job. Being a UniServ is a people job. When I talk to a member and they are dealing with a work issue, the biggest thing I believe I can do is make them feel heard and validated. It doesn’t mean the problem is solvable or we’re going to win the day, but we’re going to try. Sometimes at the end of the call a member will say you’re the first person that’s made me feel heard on this issue—when that happens, I feel like I’m doing what I’m supposed to do in this job.
Outside of work I have a wife and two daughters that are closer to leaving the house (the daughters) than staying in it and that keeps things in perspective for me. I love to cook and enjoy when we have staff potluck days. I take pride in my work whether its in my personal life or here at PSEA. I try to coach my younger daughter with her softball travel team. While it’s nowhere near what happens daily in a school building, trying to teach 12/13 year old young women, the ins and outs of a sport and working collectively to accomplish goals, overcoming adversity and getting peppered with dozens of questions in short periods of time gives me a bit of what it must feel like to work as an educator. That helps keep me grounded."
Per the PSEA Local Treasurer’s Manual, PSEA offers a yearly Membership Rebate in the form of a credit at the end of the year to all locals who:
• Adhere to their approved Dues Remittance Agreement
• Submit their Financial Data Sheet
• Submit a Certification of Local Audit Committee form
The amount that is offered to locals is dependent upon the date in which the above listed documentation is submitted to PSEA. A local that satisfies these requirements by:
• January 31st – will receive a rebate of $3.50/member of their local
• March 15th – will receive a rebate of $3.00/member of their local
• August 31st – will receive a rebate of $2.50/member of their local
"The region is excited to offer ACT 48 professional development sessions that are free of charge to members. In addition to ACT 48 credits that everyone can use - and these are more interesting than your run of the mill district offered ACT 48 sessions - we will have a dinner and the opportunity for networking so members in different locals can get to know each other a bit better.
We have two sessions, and you can find details below. New this year, we are also holding a book club. Led by two local leaders, Noelle Ackland of Interboro EA and Tricia O’Loughlin of Kennett EA, book club participants will read Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt (the region will supply the book). After reading sections of the book, the group will get together for discussion over zoom. More information to come about the book club!
Here is what you need to know for the two ACT 48 RCPE sessions this winter:
1. Jan. 14, 2025 | 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. BEYOND THE SCREEN: THE IMPACT OF CELL PHONES AND SOCIAL MEDIA ON OUR STUDENTS. Presenter: Michael Bogdan, PSEA Ed. Services
This session will delve into the complex interplay between phones, social media, academic achievement, and mental health in today’s youth. (1.5 ACT 48 Hours)
Register at: www.psea.org/ser/rcpe1-14
2. February 11, 2025 | 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. ANXIETY! Presented by PSEA’s Director of Special Education, PSEA Ed. Services
This session shares information about anxiety, examines how it is impacting school-aged children and discusses some practices and strategies to work with your students. (1.5 ACT 48 Hours)
Register at: www.psea.org/ser/rcpe2-11
· Registrations links are open, and you can share this with coworkers and come as a group. Space is limited to the capacity of our meeting room.
· All sessions are at PSEA’s SE Region Office (1516 McDaniel Drive, West Chester Pa). If there is inclement weather, we have a plan in place.
· You will be charged $10 upon registration that will be returned to you upon attendance.
The region executive team hopes to see you there!"
