February 23, 2020
PGCEA NEWSETTE
Information is Power
Inside this Newsette:

  • Upcoming Events
  • Read Across Prince George's County
  • MAC Scholarship Application
  • Know Your Contract: Teacher Assignment
  • Graduate Programs for Teachers
  • Why the 2020 Census Matters
  • Join Us for Education Day in Annapolis
  • Free Classroom Posters
  • Assault Leave
  • Know Your Contract: Sick Leave
Education Lobby Day in Annapolis
WHEN: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2020

WHERE: PGCEA CENTER
8008 MARLBORO PIKE
FORESTVILLE, MD 20747

TIME: 4:30 PM

SPEAKERS INCLUDE:
PGEA President Theresa Mitchell Dudley
CEO Dr. Monica Goldson
Board Chair Dr. Alvin Thornton
Board of Education Members
Labor Partners
State Senators and Delegates
SLO Closeout Session
WHEN: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2020

WHERE: PGCEA CENTER
8008 MARLBORO PIKE
FORESTVILLE, MD 20747

TIME: 4:30 PM
Read Across District Heights
WHEN: MARCH 7, 2020

WHERE: 2000 Marbury Dr.
DISTRICT HEIGHTS, MD

TIME: 8:00 AM
Co-Teaching In a Middle School RELA Classroom
During this interactive presentation, participants will apply collaborative pra ctices to lesson planning and delivery of the RELA curriculum and spe cially designed instruction. In addition, participants will experience a model lesson from the RELA curriculum in the context of multiple co-teaching approaches.   
MyPPS PD Course Number: 12772   

WHEN: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2020

WHERE: PGCEA CENTER
8008 MARLBORO PIKE
FORESTVILLE, MD 20747

TIME: 4:30 PM

Savi Information Session
WHEN: THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020

WHERE: PGCEA CENTER
8008 MARLBORO PIKE
FORESTVILLE, MD 20747

TIME: 4:30 PM

Education Roundtable
Prince George’s County Education Community Roundtable is a group of residents, teachers, and community leaders created to form an alliance to support education in our county.

The group meets monthly to discuss issues surrounding education in our community. Together, we can find solutions and get results on how to address these issues.
Read Across Prince George's County
Read Across America

Is Your School Hosting an event for Read Across America Week? Let us know by emailing contacts@pgcea.org with the subject: "Read Across Prince George's County". We want to send some of our committed leadership to your school to participate.

Join us as we celebrate a nation of diverse readers with these recommended books, authors, and teaching resources that represent an array of experiences and cultures.

FOr more information on Read Across American and a tool kit click here .
Prince George’s County Educators’ Association Foundation and Minority Affairs Scholarship
Prince George’s County Educators’ Association Foundation and Minority Affairs Scholarship

The Minority Affairs Committee of the Prince George's County Educators' Association has established a scholarship fund. Scholarships will be awarded to senior students who will graduate from Prince George's County public high schools in the 2019-2020 school year. Scholarships are a minimum of $500.00 and will be given in recognition of outstanding academic performance, leadership qualities, and financial need.

Know Your Contract

ARTICLE 7- TEACHER ASSIGNMENT
M.   Special Education teachers will be released from teaching and other duties at least five (5) days per school year to work on paperwork/IEP compliance at their work location. These days will be scheduled through agreement between the teacher and principal with no more than two (2) occurring in any one quarter. Teacher requests for the placement of these days will not be unreasonably denied. Substitutes shall be provided to cover any teaching or co-teaching assignments .
1.                  Agreed upon release time shall be in addition to any other school district provided leave or preparation time.

2.                  To the extent possible, employees shall have access to computers, printers, software and all other appropriate materials necessary to complete IEP’s.

What is the 2020 Census and
Why Does it Matter to Educators?
NEA #WeCount Campaign$
We recognize the importance of an accurate census count to ensuring that all our students and their families get the federal support they need. Every 10 years, the federal government aims to provide a complete count of EVERY person residing in the United States. Census numbers help determine the formulas for critical funding for our public schools, social programs, and infrastructure that make our communities thrive.
Join Us for a Lobby Day at the State Capitol February 24

Join other PGCEA members from across the county for our grassroots Lobby Day in Annapolis Feb. 24! We will discuss priority issues for education in the 2020 legislative session. You will have a chance to meet your senators and delegates.


Get FREE Posters for the 2020 Census

NEA partnered with artist Marka27 to create special edition “I Count” posters to help educators increase awareness of the 2020 Census and encourage students and their families to participate in the safe and easy process.


Special Education Announcement

If you are a special education teacher in a co-teaching assignment, please take a moment to complete the attached brief survey. This survey is to solicit input on how these co-teaching assignments are working, and what issues can be identified with these assignments that need to be addressed. The information you provide will be very important as we look at what is working well with this service model and what challenges remain with this model. We thank you for your time in completing this short survey and providing your valuable feedback on this important teaching model.



Are you in PTA or PTO?
Help us to identify people who are involved in Parent Teacher Associations and Organizations. Complete this brief form .
 


What to do if you are accused of abusing a student?
Here is a document for your reference should you or a colleague be accused of abusing a student.

Here is a second document that explains what being placed on administrative leave means.
 


Assault Leave
What is Assault Leave:
PGCEA/Unit I Members “may be entitled to receive paid leave time for employees for an assault occurring within the scope of employment. Employees of the Board of Education of Prince George’s County whose absence is due to a physical disability resulting from an unprovoked assault occurring within the scope of their employment, may be entitled to full pay status, instead of sick leave or Sick Leave Bank participation, provided they comply with all of the procedures cited hereafter.”
https://www.pgcps.org/risk-management/cards/Disability-and-Assault-Leave-(For-Employees)/ 

If you are assaulted while working by a student, parent, etc., you can apply for Assault Leave. In addition to contacting your principal or immediate supervisor immediately, please be certain to do the following:

• File a Workers Compensation Claim by contacting the Injured Employee Hotline / 1-800-774-2447 prior to seeking medical attention (if possible). Be certain to obtain a Workers Comp Claim Number.
• Seek medical attention within twenty-four (24) hours of the incident. Be certain to report it as a Workers Comp Injury and provide the Workers Comp Claim Number during intake.
• Complete a Security Incident Report Form (available at your school).
• Complete the Request for Assault Leave Form (available at your school). You have the option of stating “See Security Incident Report Form” in the fields that ask for duplicate information.
• Ensure the initial report of injury or physician’s statement has been sent to Risk Management/Workers Compensation (this will be done when you provide the Workers Comp Claim number when seeking medical attention).

When complete, submit the forms to your school for processing. The Assault Leave Administrative Procedure has changed, and it is no longer required to contact a law enforcement agency and file a complaint or warrant against the accused. If you have questions after completing these steps, please feel free to contact PGCEA and ask for a UniServ Director, and someone will provide assistance.


GET INVOLVED
JOIN A COMMITTEE

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.



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.
Know Your Contract

ARTICLE 9- TEACHER EVALUATION AND RATING
a. 9.B: Whenever it appears that any aspect of a tenured teacher’s classroom performance is less than effective the principal shall notify the teacher in writing, shall follow such notification with a conference to suggest necessary improvement, and shall make at least one classroom observation which shall be announced to the teacher at least two days in advance. Additional classroom observations may be made without advance notice. No less than an effective evaluation may be given
to a teacher without prior notification and conference. All evaluations which are less than effective must be given to the teacher on or before June 10th and all other evaluations must be given to the
teacher before the last duty day for teachers.
Get involved! Join a committee.