January 26, 2020
PGCEA NEWSETTE
Information is Power
This Week in Annapolis

President Dudley testified In front of the house appropriations committee on HB1 built to learn. This legislation will allow for the 3 PM private public participation program to build 18 new schools in Prince George's county in the next 7 years. President Dudley raise some concerns about the extensive residential development that continues to go on in the county.
Please stay abreast with news coming from Annapolis by signing up for the MSEA Newsfeed .

2020 Endorsement Process for
Open School Board Seats
Below is an overview of our process for candidates to solicit PGCEA Endorsement
During the next several months leading up to the Primary election we will be very involved in the races for board of education seats in District 1, District 4, District 5, District 7 and District 8. All filed candidates have received our endorsement questionnaire which begins the process to seek a PGCEA endorsement. Our goal is to ensure that the candidates who have the best comprehensive vision and plan for improving PGCPS are put in a position to be successful.

Because we place a high value on transparency throughout our organization, we'd like to share an FAQ on the endorsement process. Should you have any questions, please email us.

What does an endorsement by PGCEA mean?

  • Endorsed candidates receive a special designation in our forthcoming voter guide

  • Endorsed candidates & their events are a priority in our communications to members

  • Endorsed campaigns are welcomed at our meetings to recruit and signup volunteers

What will constitute an endorsement?

  • Votes by members who are apart of the endorsement committee, in conjunction with an evaluation through completion of the PGCEA Endorsement Questionnaire and an in-person interview. The candidates who align most with PGCEA values will result in an endorsement.

How were candidates evaluated?

Over the past 18 months, PGCEA endorsement committee members have voted to establish a set of values which informed the creation of our questionnaire. A team of 7 volunteers from PGCEA will compare the candidates' stances on these key issues to our vision of these values and ranked each on a scale of 0-2.

0 = Does not align at all

1 = Somewhat aligns

2 = Aligns

Have You Emailed Your Legislators?

In efforts to gain support of legislators and let them know that we are engaged and paying close attention to the issues that will impact our classrooms, we have launched a letter writing campaign. The campaign is a pre-drafted email that you can apply edits to personalize it. The letter congratulated legislators on the beginning of the 2020 legislative session and ask for their support of legislation that improves education outcomes.
As educators we have to be involved politically.
Our Elected representatives pay attention when we contact them.
NEA MEMBER BENEFITS: JANUARY DEALS

Included in this January 2020 Communications Update are:
·        Monthly Hot Deals & Discounts article
·        Featured Content on NEAMB.com beginning January 1, 2020
·        Score the Hottest Deals with the New Limited Time Offers Program—Flyer
·        Enter to Win a Jeep Compass from California Casualty
·        How to Get and Compare Car Insurance Quotes
·        Winterize Your Home on a Budget
·        Social Media Posts
·        Professional Content Articles/Podcasts
 
Access the new content for January 2020 (and three previous months’ content) by clicking here

*BE SURE TO UPDATE YOUR LIFE INSURANCE BENEFICIARY
 

CLASSROOM SIZE? WHAT SHOULD IT BE?

Each year educators are plagued with unreasonable class sizes that negatively impact teaching and learning. PGCPS and PGCEA have formed a Joint Task Force to establish a mutually agreeable upon measure of class size. Your honest feedback and input is needed to effectuate change that will positively impact teaching and learning. This is an anonymous survey.


New Video On Changes Coming To Your School

 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.



Health and Wellness Tips

7 Steps to Take If You Want to Be a Healthy Teacher

  • Choose Your Food Carefully. From the book How Not to Die by Michael Greger, a physician and founder of NutritionFacts.org.
  • Plan Your Meals. ...
  • Work on Your Resistance.
  • Get Moving!
  • Sleep Is Key.
  • Practice Mindfulness and Meditation.
  • Make Time for Yourself.
Black Lives Matter In School Community Forum
Structural Racism
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?
LET'S TALK!!
Calling all Villagers, Let's come together to discuss the different forms of racism that continue to plague our communities.  


WHEN: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020

WHERE: PGCEA CENTER

TIME: 5 PM

Annual Poetry Slam
WHEN: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020

WHERE: PGCEA CENTER
8008 MARLBORO PIKE
FORESTVILLE, MD 20747

TIME: 6:00 PM
Civic Academy on Community Schools
WHEN: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2020

WHERE: CASA
8151 15th Ave.
HYATTSVILLE, MD

TIME: 10:00 AM
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.
SAVE THE DATE
Important Links for Black Lives Matter in Schools Week
Shirts On Sale Now!
Limited t-shirts available. Long sleeve t-shirts are $10 and short sleeve t-shirts are $7. Once ordered the shirts can be picked up at the PGCEA office after January 15.

We are asking that you wear your shirt to school on Monday, February 3rd.
Black Lives Matter In School Week Activities

The Restorative Practices Committee invites ALL to join us as we celebrate "BLACK LIVES MATTER AT SCHOOL" national event in conjunction with NEA and MSEA. Our committee would like all members to participate in at least one event during the week of February 3-7, 2020. The week of events include but are not limited to:

Monday, February 3- Black Lives Matters at School T-Shirt
All members are encouraged to order your long-sleeve T-Shirts before they run out!! Prices are $10 per shirt

Tuesday-Social Media Campaign with Specialized #Hashtag
Use any of the following #hashtags to promote the movement
#pgceablm
#PGBLM2020
#BLM@School
#BLMendzerotolerence
#counselorsnotcops
#Ethnicstudiesmatter
#Blacklivesmatterinclass
#blackmentalhealthmatters
#BlackinClass
#PGCEAUnapologeticallyBlack


Wednesday-Townhall Community Forum: Internalized, Interpersonal, Institutional & Structural Racism. What's the Difference? Let's Talk!! 5 pm -7 pm, PGCEA Union Hall
Join us as we engage in a brave discussion about some very important issues affecting education today. Hear from a guest panel including NEA Social Justice Organizer, UMD-CP Professor of Criminology, PGCPD, Student Activist leading the work. Trust me, it's going to be BIG!!

Thursday-Bulletin Board Competition
Post your bulletin board using any of the PGCEA BLM 2020 hashtags for a chance to win a prize.

Friday-Poetry/Lyricist Slam/Happy Hour PGCEA Union Hall
-Contact Zena Whitworth @ [email protected] to audition for this event by January 24, 2020
-This event will be cabaret aka BYOB/F style
-Members will receive one drink ticket on us!!


Please be sure to place your T-Shirt orders now!!  
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.


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. (


Sex Trafficking Symposium

January 29, 2020, the UMD SAFE Center for Human Trafficking Survivors and the Prince George’s County Human Trafficking Task Force will host the Maryland Labor Trafficking Symposium at the University of Maryland — featuring Attorney General Brian Frosh as keynote speaker. Can go to website to register.
Topics of discussion will include:
• Maryland’s new labor trafficking statute
• Local and national labor trafficking case studies
• National best practices for addressing labor trafficking at the state level
The symposium will be held on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 at the University of Maryland, Stamp Student Union room 1107. Programming will begin at 9 AM and conclude by 1 PM. Light refreshments will be provided.


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 6.2.F - Work Year/Work Day

School Administration will work collaboratively with Unit I members and the Faculty Advisory Council to develop an equitable duty schedule for all staff members for lunch, recess, and other required duties overseeing the student population…(page 9)
Get involved! Join a committee.
PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION | WWW.PGCEA.ORG