NEWSETTE: We can transform our schools

PRESIDENTS CORNER

LAST OPPORTUNITY

SIGN-UP FOR SICK LEAVE BANK

SICK LEAVE BANK

If you are not enrolled in the Sick Leave Bank (SLB) please do so by visiting the PGCEA website by clicking here to download the Sick Leave Bank Form. You do contribute 2.5 days of Sick Leave but if you are out sick beyond your accumulated leave, the SLB could save you from being on leave without pay. One member fell down the stairs at her home and was out of work for almost a year. With grants from the SLB her regular pay continued after she was out for 30 calendar days. Nothing breaks my heart more than the phone call from a member with cancer who is not in the bank. Take advantage of this benefit that PGCEA negotiated for you. The deadline for enrolling is September 30

CALENDAR CHANGE

At the September 5, Board of Education meeting there were changes to the Calendar. Please note the September 27, 2019, 3-hour early dismissal is now a full day of professional development. Schools will also be closed on Tuesday, April 28, 2020 for the 2020 Maryland Primary. The last day will move two days.

GET INVOLVED

JOIN A COMMITTEE

Welcome back! This school year will be great for educators, students and communities but only with your support. The union is only great when you are involved. Take a moment to let us know what committees you are potentially interested in joining or share this quick survey with a colleague.

TAKE THE SURVEY HERE

Transforming Struggling Schools into Thriving Schools: Proven Education Strategies That Change Outcomes in Urban, Suburban, and Rural Areas

On Thursday President Theresa Dudley participated in a robust discussion on the importance of community schools and how we can transform our public school system. The panel was hosted by NEA as a part of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Annual Legislative Conference. VIEW THE LIVE STREAM HERE

Participants Included:

• Moderator: Becky Pringle, VP NEA

• Kyle Serrette, NEA

• Theresa Mitchel Dudley, PGCEA, President

• Ingrid Walker Henry, MTEA, VP

• Cecily Cruz, UTLA, VP

• Jitu Brown, J4J, Executive Director

• Linda Darling-Hammond, LPI or Jessica Cardichon from LPI

VIEW LIVE STREAM HERE

Evaluation Workshop

Per last negotiations and work with Office of Employee Performance, there have been some evaluation changes. PGCEA Professional Development and Leadership Committee in conjunction with PGCPS Office of Employee Performance will offer Evaluation Workshop Sessions on Thursday, September 19 ^th . Sessions will be held at Prince George’s County Educators Association (PGCEA) Headquarters. Space Limited. Register now!

Choose one of the sessions listed below. Please search for the session date you would like to attend and register. Registration for courses should be made in the MyPPS PD Course Registration System .

Download Flyer

“Omg! How can I manage?” Classroom Management Strategies

Date: Thursday, October 10, 2019

Time: 5:00 pm- 7:00 pm

PGCEA Center

RSVP HERE

Savi Information Session

Savi is NEA’s Student Loan Forgiveness Navigator that offers a free online student loan evaluation tool to determine eligibility for federal programs to help you manage your student loan debt. Learn more click here.

Date: Thursday, 10/3/19

Time: 4:30 pm

PGCEA Center

RSVP HERE

View List of Community Schools Here

Prince George’s County Six pillars of community schools

Prince George's County Community Schools:

A community school is a community hub — both a place and a set of partnerships between the school and other community resources. Its integrated focus on academics, health and social services, youth and community development and community engagement leads to improved student learning, stronger families and healthier communities. Community schools offer a personalized curriculum that emphasizes real-world learning and community problem-solving. Schools become centers of the community and are open to everyone — all day, every day, evenings and weekends.

Educator Tips and Tools

Teaching is also learning; you learn about yourself, your students, system and even colleagues; teaching is also about honing your skillset.

Give some thought (action) to new skillset you will be learning or developing this year to improve your repertoire and delivery or rather facilitation of instruction and/or service to students.

From a tip a few weeks back, where it was asked that you ‘Find Five’ minutes for reflection on how things were going; do it again now on what if anything has changed and what still needs be tweaked or let go.

Again, I will urge you take care of yourself; watch the stress and hectic work pace that may not be that productive.

Focus and working smart using time wisely to accomplish work, my well serve you better than long hours of plodding through; consider doing a work task analysis on a task and the time it consumes.

"It's in the nature of the human being to face challenges. ... We're required to do these things just as salmon swim upstream."

-Neil Armstrong,

astronaut

Know Your Contract

We are excited to have a new contract, be sure thqt you know what the contract says:

ARTICLE 6 - WORK YEAR/WORK DAY

d. 6.2.D: Any Unit I member who volunteers or is assigned to cover or teach a class other than their regular scheduled class shall be compensated in addition to their regular pay at the hourly rate of eighteen dollars ($18.00) payable in no less than one (1) hour increments.

Visit Your Contract Here

PGCEA Health and Fitness

Reminder! Sick Leave Bank Open Enrollment is underway and will end on September 30 ^th . Click here to access the application. Please submit your completed form to [email protected] .

Questions? Contact: Melissa Robinson, 240-492-3360

Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools

Protecting our public schools is our responsibility. As such, we have joined a coalition of individuals and organizations committed to improving our schools. To find out more about the nine uniting principles click below.

FIND OUT MORE

What is ESSA?

The Every Student Succeeds Act, also known as ESSA, is the new federal education law, signed by President Barack Obama in December 2015. For 14 long years, students and educators lived under the deeply flawed No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. ESSA returns decision-making to where it belongs: in the hands of local educators, parents, and communities.

Three members of PGCEA participated in the re-authorization of ESSA and are looking for educator leaders to serve on the school based committees to represent PGCEA.

If you are interested CLICK HERE .