NEWSETTE
Information is Power
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Inside this Newsette:
- Rally to Reduce Workloads
- Special Education and Student Support Announcement
- Women & Money Workshop
- Need PRAXIS Prep Support?
- Parent Involvment
- Mental Health Assistance
- MSEA Merchandise
- Upcoming Events
- Blueprint Chat & Chew
- Join a Committee
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Concurrent Instruction Important Pay Dates From PGCPS
First Bi-weekly Concurrent Payment - Friday, October 29, 2021
Retro payment for bi-weekly Unit I - Friday, November 5, 2021
First Semester Lump Sum Payment - Friday, December 10, 2021
Second Semester Lump Sum Payment - Friday, June 10, 2022
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Special Education & Student/Related Services Committee Announcement
The Special Education & Student/Related Services Committee meets monthly with Special Education and Student Services leadership to collaborate and support the needs of Unit 1 members and students. The following are responses to issues that have been raised:
1) The ClearMask was purchased for staff who work with students that rely on visual mouth cues, such as D/HoH, SLPs, Early Childhood, etc. The mask was approved for use by PGCPS Health Services. It is disposable, so you should be receiving a daily supply if you are required to wear one for work. If you are required but are not receiving your daily supply, Early Childhood staff should contact Diane Bonanni ([email protected]) and D/HoH staff should contact Keith Blackson ([email protected]). Staff are able to purchase their own mask if they dislike the ClearMask, and they may also choose to pair the ClearMask with a Face Shield.
2) Contact your school administrator if you need access to PPE. Area Offices have provided school administrators with information about how to access PPE and other health-related items (sanitizer, wipes) for their schools. Itinerant teaching staff can access PPE through the schools they serve, as they are considered when allocations are made. Central Office Unit 1 Members (PPWs, School Psychologists, etc.) should contact their supervisors if they need access to PPE. If you need PPE related to the provision of special education services and are experiencing difficulty, contact Trinell Bowman ([email protected]).
4) The Department of Special Education recognizes that some staff may have questions after watching the special education modules in SafeSchools. Weekly office hours have been established and are communicated through the department’s monthly newsletter. For October, the Professional Learning Office Hours are Wednesday from 9-10 am. Technical assistance can be provided during the Monthly Chairpersons Meetings. The Department of Special Education is also working on other means of support, such as a Q&A document that can be accessed within the SafeSchools module and a synchronous training option.
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ESP PRAXIS SUPPORT SESSIONS NOW AVAILABLE
Are there education support professionals in your local preparing for the ParaPro assessment or working toward ParaPro certification? They are invited to join these new ESP sessions and learn more about these assessments, what is covered on the test, test strategies, and what resources are available to MSEA members. The next session will be held virtually on December 2.
Learn more at marylandeducators.org/parapro.
2022 MSEA ELECTIONS NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN
Nominations for NEA Director (2 seats), state delegates to the NEA Representative Assembly, and the Retired Advisory Council (3 seats) as well as for retired delegate to the NEA Representative Assembly are open. Click here for the link to the nomination form. The deadline to submit nomination forms with all required documents for the general election is November 19, 2021, at 5:00 p.m.
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION UPDATE
STATE BOARD MEETING OCTOBER 26, 2021
The State Board of Education met in-person Tuesday, October 26. They provided updated Reopening Logistics and Transmission Rates in Schools data along with updates on Local School System Virtual Programs. In addition, there were two comprehensive informational items explaining Maryland’s Community Schools and the Concentration of Poverty Grant and Spotlight on Students with Disabilities. Finally, there was a partial waiver of the September 30 student count regulation. All of the exhibits can be found linked to the meeting agenda.
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PD SNAP: SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL LEARNING AND TRAUMA INFORMED APPROACHES FOR EDUCATION SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS: DEADLINE NOVEMBER 8
Have you heard that the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future requires all school staff to use Social/Emotional Learning (SEL) and Trauma Informed approaches in working with students? Did you know that 67% of students have experienced at least two seriously traumatic events in their lives? Are you unsure what that means for you as an Education Support Professional (ESP)? MSEA’s Center for Education Policy and Practice has got you covered. Register to join us at 5:00 pm on November 10 to learn how-- no matter your job description-- you can make SEL and Trauma Informed approaches a part of your professional work. Understanding how students are affected by trauma and how their emotional needs must be met in order to cope as it touches every part of what we do, from riding a bus, to going to the health room, to eating lunch, and playing on the playground. Even walking in the hallway can prove to be a trigger for some students. And of course, traumatic experiences can deeply impact a student’s ability to learn in a classroom setting.
So come get a snapshot of how you can be more aware of our role in helping students cope so they can learn.
DATE: Wednesday, November 10, 2021
TIME: 5:00pm - 6:00pm
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Monday, November 8, 2021
THE MSEA 2021-2022 GRANT BOOK IS READY!
The 2021-22 MSEA Grant Book is now available. Please remember that most grants require that your local strategic plan is filed with MSEA, and all grants require receipts or specific documents. All grants and plans should be submitted to [email protected].
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Petition to Reduce Crushing Workloads for Educators |
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Educator workload intensification is a primary factor in educators’ choosing to leave the profession early, contributing to workforce shortages that are reaching a critical tipping point. Many educators are buckling under workloads that cause high levels of stress and burnout. Educators experience a lack of definition or boundaries around the workday. Decisions to pile onto educators’ workloads are being made without educator input and without regard to how it impacts them, their students, and their families. What we are asking for are manageable workloads that let us focus on our students and their success while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. |
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Get Valuable Educator Perks Just for Union Members
Whether you’ve joined your education association at the local, state or national level, you belong to the NEA and have access to educator perks through NEA Member Benefits. Watch this video to see how it works.
Why NEA Member Benefits Is Dedicated to Serving Educators
NEA members are at the core of everything we do – from negotiating on your behalf to offer valuable benefits with trusted partners, to supporting your personal needs in each stage of your life and career. Find out more about why you inspire us and how we can help you.
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2021-2022 NECC GENERAL SELF NOMINATION FORM
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2021 EARLY CAREER EDUCATOR'S (ECE) CONFERENCE: SKILLS & RELATIONSHIPS FOR ANY NORMAL
For our new educators, these “unusual” times have been a large part of their career. That’s why this year’s ECE conference focuses on skills and relationship building for ANY normal with two tracks. Track one is for educators with three or fewer years of experience in the profession with an emphasis on helping transition their skills from the virtual/hybrid world they have inhabited to their in-person classroom. Track two is designed for educators four through six years of experience and will focus on higher level skills for challenges they may be facing around equitably engaging their students, lesson planning, and parent communication. That’s not all, during the keynote session we will hear the student perspective on racial justice from student scholars taking part in the Minority Scholars Program.
Audience: MSEA members with six years or less in the profession
Date: October 30, 2021
Where: Virtually (link will be sent out)
Times: 9:00 am-12:00 pm
Registration Closes: Wednesday, October 27, 2021
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Do You Know Any Parent Leaders at Your School? |
We have some great initiatives and sessions lined up for parents this year, but to be successful we need your support!
Help PGCEA increase our parent engagement efforts this year by identifying people who are involved in Parent Teacher Associations and Organizations at your schools or individual parent leaders who are not affiliated with a formal organization. We greatly appreciate your support!
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For immediate mental health assistance:
PGCPS Employee Assistance Program:
By phone: 1-800-346-0110 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Username: PGCPS
Password: PRINCE
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Get your MSEA Merchandise Today! |
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Big Year and Lots of Ways to Get Involved!
As most of you know, this is a big year for PGCEA because we have the opportunity to renegotiate our contract with the county, while members of the school board and county council are up for re-election! Let’s demonstrate our power by winning big improvements in our contract on safety, workplace benefits, and pay scale while simultaneously putting people in public office who will work accountably with us on education policy and resource allocation. #TeachingConditionsAreLearningConditions
It’s time for us all to officially GET. IN. FORMATION. Throughout this fall, PGCEA members all have the opportunity to join one of our Contract Action Team (CAT) committees or our Political Action Go Team. To read more and sign up now for one of the CAT committees or the Go Team, click here. Once we have a critical mass of members signed up, we will follow up with upcoming committee meetings and action dates for this fall.
We will be offering a series of virtual information sessions about how open negotiations work, aka Bargaining for the Common Good (B4CG), where members will have the opportunity to dialogue directly and ask questions with experienced PGCEA organizers and contract negotiators. These information sessions are open and available both to PGCEA members who definitely know they want to join a CAT committee and to those who are curious and questioning the right role for them. Click on one of the following dates and time links to register for that virtual information and discussion session:
If you have questions about any of the trainings or committee sign up form, please email PGCEA Uniserv Director Nikki Cole at [email protected]. Sign up today and tell a colleague to do the same. We are powerful when we come together.
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Do you know your UniServ Director?
Our UniServ directors (UD's) are here to assist you with any of your school-based issues or contract compliance needs. To find out what UD is assigned to your school click the button to see their school assignments.
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Maryland Blueprint Chat & Chew
PGCEA will be teaming up with MSEA’s CEPP and inviting our members to monthly sessions on the MD Blueprint (Blueprint for Maryland’s Future).
MD Blueprint Chat & Chews:
Tuesday, November 9, 2021, 130 – 2:00 pm
This repeat session will focus on MD Blueprint Standards and Assessments
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EARLY CAREER EDUCATORS COMMITTEE!
PGCEA Early Career Educators Committee is recruiting new members. Join the ECE Committee every first Thursday of the month at 5:00 pm. Scan the QR code or join the meeting at https://bit.ly/3ahVbN9
If you have any further questions please contact the Committee Chair at [email protected]
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Nominations Elections and Credentials Committee (NECC) upcoming election calendar for members to review in case you want to run for office. |
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PGCEA Member Appreciation Days and Online Retirement Planning and Investment Sessions
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PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY EDUCATORS' ASSOCIATION| WWW.PGCEA.ORG
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