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 15,339 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!

Join us on Tuesday, April 29th at 5pm at our office in Montgomeryville for this special event for EA and ESP members in the special education space:

This session aims to provide a comprehensive overview of sensory systems and their impact on students. We will take a close look at the relationship between behavior and sensory dysfunction, and how this can manifest across different settings. The training explores a variety of best practices, targeted strategies, and other helpful resources to support student sensory and behavioral needs. Participants will be provided with Act 48 hours and FREE registration includes dinner.

Presenter: Eleni Burd, Include Me

Click here to register: psea.org/regions/mideastern-region/sensory-systems/

Congratulations to Maia Methai, a sixth grader from Keith Vally Middle School, who is the champion of the Scripps Bucks-Mont regional spelling bee! Maia bested 35 competitors from Bucks and Montgomery County schools in 18 rounds of spelling on Saturday, March 22. It took ten rounds to determine the first and second place finishers! Maia's winning word was "umbelliferous."

Maia now advances to compete in the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee this summer near Washington, D.C. from May 27-29.

In addition to qualifying for the national competition, Maia also wins these prizes:

• A six-night, expense-paid trip for themselves and one parent/guardian to Scripps National Spelling Bee in Maryland
• The Samuel Louis Sugarman Award, a 2025 United States Mint Proof Set provided by Jay Sugarman, chairman and CEO of iStar Financial, in honor of his father. [Last name] will receive the prize in the summer.
• Britannica Online Premium, a one-year subscription for the premier online resource from Encyclopædia Britannica.
• Merriam-Webster Unabridged Online, a one-year subscription for the official word source for all levels of competition for the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
• A first-place trophy

Congratulations to our second place finisher Natalie Paul from Corpus Christi School, and our third place winner, Thomas Picard from Welsh Valley Middle School.

Celebrate Spring at this fun, FREE professional development opportunity for educators of all grade levels and content areas! On Thursday, April 24 from 4-7pm experience the Michener Museum and learn more about Museum resources available to you. Participants will enjoy free access to all Museum galleries, and may choose to join one of two Curators, each exploring an exciting special exhibition. Later in the evening, 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!

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.

On Tuesday, March 25th PSEA held an ESP Living Wage rally in Harrisburg urging lawmakers to raise the minimum wage for support staff personnel in schools to at least $20/hour. THANK YOU to all members who were in attendance (including featured speaker Katie Long, Pennsbury ESP) and all of the hardworking PSEA staff that made this event possible! More details can be found in the PSEA press release here.

Our photographer was recently on hand for an awesome Science Explorers assembly at Durham Nockamixon Elementary School in Palisades! CAPS is proud to sponsor these learning opportunities for 18 different schools in our region this school year.

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.

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.

It's time to make your plans for the Mideastern Region House of Delegates at Pinecrest Country Club on May 8 and the PSEA House of Delegates in Pittsburgh on May 16-17! Information about our region house can be found on the region website, while the information for Pittsburgh can be found at www.psea.org/HOD.

National Library Week, April 6-12, 2025, is a celebration highlighting the valuable role libraries, librarians, and library workers play in transforming lives and strengthening our communities. If you are a librarian, library aide, or a general lover of libraries and you'd like a pack of these bookmarks, please stop by our office any weekday between 9am and 4:45pm.

Author Laurie Halse Anderson will be the keynote speaker at this year’s Bucks County Book Festival! She will be in conversation with author Nisha Sharma at Salem Church in Doylestown on Sunday, May 4 at 4PM for a discussion about her new book. It is a ticketed event, and the ticket includes a copy of her new book, Rebellion 1776, a middle grade novel. Even though the protagonist is a 13-year old, educators of ALL grades would enjoy her event. This event is for all ages (and there are options for adult + child tickets). The Book Fest organizers are hoping that the event will sell out, and teachers could play a role in achieving that goal. If you have seen her speak, you know that Laurie always makes educators feel seen and loved!

The Book Fest is also looking for volunteers to help us staff events taking place the weekend of May 2-4. Volunteer Co-Chair and PSEA member Christy Venters says, "I have been a Book Fest volunteer every year it has taken place in person. I’ve been an author liaison, a book seller, and an author guide for Books N Brew (a fan favorite event). Volunteering at Book Fest is something I look forward to all year.” Volunteer information can be found here.

As the weather warms and CTE students across the state begin finalizing arrangements for life after high school, many who are attending a post-secondary school are reaching out and searching for a little financial assistance to lighten the burden. Through partnerships with business, industry and a variety of accreditation and certification organizations, CTE instructors are able to guide students through this sometimes confusing and intensive process. Many of these scholarships are competitive in nature, some come merely from a CTE instructor's industry relationship with them and can offer students this well needed and deserved financial help. Just another example of the partnership with industry embedded in the CTE school environment.

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. Click here for upcoming virtual information sessions on this program to help you decide if it's right for your household.

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.

If you are a member of the Bucks and Montgomery County Schools Healthcare Consortium, check out their website and social media for up-to-date information about benefits for you and your family! The also have a brand new wellness guide featuring all the resources available to you and your dependents.

Spend the day in Harrisburg advocating for public education! Members may choose to drive out just for the day or have accommodations on the 23rd in Harrisburg. We will meet at PSEA headquarters in the morning of the 24th and learn about the legislative issues of the week, receive talking points, and then attend scheduled meetings with our senators and representatives. After the meetings, we provide feedback on how they went and then we are done for the day! It's a great opportunity to begin or strengthen relationships with those making decisions about our schools. And, with the PA state budget due at the end of June, it is always a busy, busy time in Harrisburg as various groups try to bring their ideas across the finish line with legislators.

We would like everyone from Mideast Region and Division (EA and ESP) who plans on doing this to attend on June 24th and not one of the other dates. Our officials from Bucks and Montgomery Counties do not want to have four different meetings in June that are all about the same thing. Also, if you and three other people attending on the 24th happen to have the same legislators, you will attend your meetings together in a group. We can also send someone with you if you don't want to have the meeting by yourself!

It truly is a great experience - I hope you'll consider joining us to establish or strengthen your relationships with those who are making decisions about our jobs and livelihoods.

To register: https://www.psea.org/news--events/conferences/lobby-day---june-24/

Spring is all about fresh starts—so why not refresh your insurance too? 🌷🏡🚗 Whether you’re tackling spring cleaning, planning road trips, or just enjoying the soon-to-be warmer weather, it’s a great time to make sure your coverage is up to date and saving you money. 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.

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

Do you know a PSEA Mideastern EA Region or ESP Division member who will retire in the 2024-25 school year? If so, we’d love to recognize their years of service and honor them on our social media accounts. Simply complete this form and we will do the rest!

We also have yard signs available at the region office to recognize an EA or ESP member on their retirement and service to our public school. They are a nice surprise for your retiree to find in their yard! Contact the Mideastern Region Office at 215-853-2100 for information on pick up.

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).

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.

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, April 7 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.

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! And, hot off the press, our calendar for the 2025-2026 school year is ready to go, too.

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, Secretary, 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.