Monday, February 26, 2018

PA Ed Policy Roundup Feb 26: NRA’s Loesch at CPAC: mainstream media “love mass shootings” because “crying white mothers are ratings gold.”


Daily postings from the Keystone State Education Coalition now reach more than 4050 Pennsylvania education policymakers – school directors, administrators, legislators, legislative and congressional staffers, Governor's staff, current/former PA Secretaries of Education, Wolf education transition team members, superintendents, school solicitors, principals, charter school leaders, PTO/PTA officers, parent advocates, teacher leaders, business leaders, faith-based organizations, labor organizations, education professors, members of the press and a broad array of P-16 regulatory agencies, professional associations and education advocacy organizations via emails, website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

These daily emails are archived and searchable at http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.org
Follow us on Twitter at @lfeinberg

NRA’s Loesch at CPAC: mainstream media “love mass shootings” because “crying white mothers are ratings gold.”



In addition to calling your member of Congress to urge them to take meaningful action now to protect our children, please consider calling the following members of Congress who are in leadership positions or who serve on the Congressional committees that may consider such action:

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan Washington DC Office: (202) 225-3031
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Washington DC Office: (202) 224-2541
Senator Lamar Alexander, Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions; Washington DC Office: (202) 224-4944
Pennsylvania Members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions: Senator Robert Casey Washington DC Office: (202) 224-6324
Congresswoman Virginia Fox, Chairwoman, House Committee on Education and the Workforce Washington DC Office: (202) 225-2071
Pennsylvania Members of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce:
Glenn “GT” Thompson Washington DC Office: (202) 225-5121
Lou Barletta Washington DC Office: (202) 225-6511
Lloyd Smucker Washington DC Office: (202) 225-2411



Judges decline to immediately throw out congressional map
AP State Wire By MARK SCOLFORO Published: Feb 24, 2018
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A new congressional map in Pennsylvania on Friday survived a request from eight of the state's Republican congressmen that federal judges throw it out immediately, but the case remained far from settled days before candidates will start collecting signatures to get on the primary ballot. Hours after they were appointed to the case, a three-judge panel declined to temporarily hold up implementation of the map put in place by the state Supreme Court on Monday. The new map substantially overhauls a GOP-drawn one that has helped produce a predominantly Republican delegation and was widely viewed as among the nation's most gerrymandered. The three federal judges laid out a schedule for the parties to elaborate on their legal positions, including a March 9 hearing in Harrisburg. Congressional candidates in Pennsylvania are scheduled to start collecting signatures Tuesday to get their names on the primary ballot.
http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_268748/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=wSRrFH6S

Western Pa.'s school districts set up own cyber academies to keep money, students in-house
Trib Live by JAMIE MARTINES  | Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018, 8:55 p.m.
The Hempfield Area School District was losing about $1.5 million to cyber charter schools each year, district officials said. That's about 2 percent of the district's yearly budget — money that could be used for capital improvements such as roof replacement or to help offset rising pension and retirement costs, business manager Wayne Wismar said. Instead of paying for students to be educated elsewhere, Westmoreland County's largest school district had to find a way to meet the demand for online education. Four years ago, Hempfield Area opened its own cyber academy. This year, 99 students in grades six through 12 are enrolled. They're not the only district looking for a way to keep students and money in-house. District-based cyber academies have popped up across Allegheny and Westmoreland counties as traditional public schools compete with both cyber charters and their brick-and-mortar counterparts.
http://triblive.com/news/education/taxes/13191783-74/western-pas-school-districts-set-up-own-cyber-academies-to-keep-money

City releases the names being considered for Philly school board posts
Some applied, and some were submitted by others. The nominating panel will recommend 27 candidates to the mayor on Monday.
The notebook by Staff report February 22, 2018 — 10:33am
The Mayor's Office has released the names of those who applied or were nominated to the new city school board.  The Educational Nominating Panel will hold its second public meeting Monday, Feb. 26, to vote on recommending 27 candidates to Mayor Kenney. That meeting will be held at 2:30 p.m. in Room 202 at City Hall. Before the panel votes, there will be an opportunity for its members to hear public comment. Speakers can sign up here:
https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSfVxxx4QbUVqT3k9h…/viewform
Kenney will have 20 days to select nine of those candidates or 10 days to request additional names. The 13- member nominating panel has been meeting all month and selected for interviews an unknown number of people from among the more than 500 whose names were submitted. The panel split up into groups of three to conduct individual half-hour interviews. People who continued in the process were also asked to answer a detailed questionnaire listing potential conflicts of interest and other information and to submit it by Feb. 19.
http://thenotebook.org/articles/2018/02/22/city-releases-names-of-applicants-and-nominees-to-school-board

Survivor of Fla. school shooting urges Main Line students to fight for change
Inquirer by Julie Shaw, Staff writer  @julieshawphilly |  shawj@phillynews.com Updated: FEBRUARY 25, 2018 — 8:01 PM EST
On Valentine’s Day, Jared Block, a sophomore at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, who was born and raised in Cherry Hill, heard gunshots, then took cover in a large storage closet with his other drama-class schoolmates until a SWAT team freed them 90 minutes later, urging them to run out of the building. The 16-year-old survived that deadly day when a former classmate fatally shot 17 students and faculty members at the school in Parkland, Fla. – and unleashed an extraordinary movement by young people for changes to gun laws. “Be the voice for those who don’t have one,” Jared said during a CNN town hall meeting in Florida after the shooting. On Sunday, he brought his call-to-action to Lower Merion Township via Skype. “If it can happen in Parkland, it can happen anywhere,” Jared, at home in Parkland, said to about 90 Hebrew school students and their parents at the Har Zion Temple in Penn Valley. The students are part of the Lower Merion Area Hebrew High program for teens.
http://www.philly.com/philly/education/marjory-stoneman-douglas-high-school-shooting-student-jared-block-survivor-har-zion-temple-lower-merion-20180225.html

Fear of shootings shouldn't be a part of school life
Lancaster Online Letter By Liz Bierly | SPECIAL TO LNP February 25, 2018
Fear of shootings shouldn’t be a part of school life
I was born April 21, 1999, the day after two teenagers killed 13 at Columbine High School. I was 7 when a man walked into the West Nickel Mines school and killed five. I was 8 when a man killed 32 at Virginia Tech University. I was 13 when a man killed 26 at Sandy Hook. I was 18 when a man killed 17 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. In each of those situations, the common denominator was an angry male civilian with a gun. The tragic fact of life is that I am a part of the first generation to grow up both fearing and expecting shootings to happen in schools. My generation has sat through countless lockdowns in silence, realizing that a drill could very quickly become a reality. I don’t know that I can put into words what it feels like to sit at a desk wondering what I would do if an active shooter walked into my classroom. Would I run? Would I shield a classmate? Would I try to stop the shooter? My generation has grown up with the narrative “guns don’t kill people, people kill people” ringing in our ears. However, I firmly believe that if the shooter at Marjory Stoneman Douglas had carried a knife instead of a semi-automatic weapon, far fewer than 17 people would be dead today. To be clear, I am not asking to ban all guns or to take them away from every civilian. I am not naïve enough to believe that calling for stricter background checks and increased legislation on the types of weapons and accessories available to civilians will stop every shooting.
http://lancasteronline.com/opinion/columnists/fear-of-shootings-shouldn-t-be-a-part-of-school/article_4f36cb7e-18ec-11e8-9ce8-9764b7a3e3a8.html

Dozens of Lancaster County students voice their positions on school shootings and what might be done to prevent them [Part 1]
LANCASTERONLINE | Staff February 24, 2018
Last week, we invited students in Lancaster County to weigh in on school shootings and what might be done to prevent them. Their responses can be found below. 
http://lancasteronline.com/opinion/dozens-of-lancaster-county-students-voice-their-positions-on-school/article_43ffbcca-1833-11e8-b160-976204347332.html

Congress has ideas on gun violence, but no consensus
Inquirer by LISA MASCARO & MATTHEW DALY, The Associated Press Updated: FEBRUARY 25, 2018 — 1:03 PM EST
WASHINGTON (AP) - After a 10-day break, members of Congress are returning to work under hefty pressure to respond to the outcry over gun violence. But no plan appears ready to take off despite a long list of proposals, including many from President Donald Trump. Republican leaders have kept quiet for days as Trump tossed out ideas, including raising the minimum age to purchase assault-style weapons and arming teachers, though on Saturday the president tweeted that the latter was "Up to states." Their silence has left little indication whether they are ready to rally their ranks behind any one of the president's ideas, dust off another proposal or do nothing. The most likely legislative option is bolstering the federal background check system for gun purchases, but it's bogged down after being linked with a less popular measure to expand gun rights. The halting start reflects firm GOP opposition to any bill that would curb access to guns and risk antagonizing gun advocates in their party. Before the Feb. 14 shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida, that killed 17 people, Republicans had no intention of reviving the polarizing and politically risky gun debate during an already difficult election year that could endanger their congressional majority.
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/congressional/20180225_ap_69dbf01a9e104546a901e2ec24ced6c7.html

US companies distance themselves from NRA as pressure mounts
WHYY By Associated Press February 25, 2018
U.S. companies are taking a closer look at investments, co-branding deals and other ties to the gun industry and its public face, the National Rifle Association, after the latest school massacre.
Petitions are circulating online targeting companies that offer discounts to NRA members on its website. #BoycottNRA is trending on Twitter. Members of the NRA have access to special offers from partner companies on its website, ranging from life insurance to wine clubs. For a second consecutive day companies listed on the site have cut ties to the NRA as it aggressively resists calls for stricter gun control. The insurance company MetLife Inc. discontinued its discount program with the NRA on Friday. The software company Symantec Corp., which makes Norton Antivirus technology, did the same. Those defections arrived a day after the car rental company Enterprise Holdings, which also owns Alamo and National, said it was cutting off discounts for NRA members. First National Bank of Omaha, one of the nation’s largest privately held banks, announced that it would not renew a co-branded Visa credit-card with the NRA.
https://whyy.org/articles/us-companies-distance-nra-pressure-mounts/

The day after the televised town hall, she was back in her more familiar mode, speaking to a far friendlier audience at the Conservative Political Action Conference near Washington. Loesch defiantly defended NRA’s 5 million members, who she said “will not be gaslighted into thinking that we’re responsible for a tragedy that we had nothing to do with.” And, her voice dripping with condescension, she addressed journalists from the mainstream media, who she said “love mass shootings” because “crying white mothers are ratings gold.”
NRA spokeswoman becomes new face of gun rights movement
Intelligencer By Tammy Webber, The Associated Press Posted Feb 25, 2018 at 10:23 AMUpdated Feb 25, 2018 at 10:23 AM
CHICAGO (AP) ” Dana Loesch is the new public face of the National Rifle Association, an organization long associated with older white men. At 39, she’s poised, photogenic and a skilled public speaker, yet she’s not softening the message of the NRA as it becomes an increasingly active voice in the nation’s culture wars, with positions on everything from immigration to the media. In the aftermath of the shooting deaths of 17 people, mostly students, at a Florida high school, it’s Loesch who has been the NRA’s main messenger. The NRA dispatched Loesch last week to a CNN town hall, where she was questioned by students and parents from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the site of the Valentine’s Day shooting. Often brash and combative, Loesch was measured and even-tempered, though she was booed when she left the stage. Charlie Sykes, a longtime conservative radio host who has been critical of the NRA, said Loesch’s skill is communicating with a broad range of Americans while retaining the ultra-conservative base built by Wayne LaPierre, the NRA’s executive vice president and CEO since 1991.
http://www.theintell.com/news/20180225/nra-spokeswoman-becomes-new-face-of-gun-rights-movement

NRA responds to boycott movement after United and Delta cut ties
Inquirer by Avi Selk, The Washington Post Updated: FEBRUARY 24, 2018 — 6:45 PM EST
The National Rifle Association lashed out at corporations rushing to abandon it on Saturday, as companies from United Airlines to Best Western have cut ties with the gun lobby group under pressure from a boycott movement following a Feb. 14 high school shooting. Without context, twin announcements from Delta and United airlines on Saturday morning might look trivial: The end of flight discounts to the NRA’s annual convention, which few outside the gun rights organization likely knew existed before they became boycott targets. “Delta is reaching out to the NRA to let them know we will be ending their contract for discounted rates through our group travel program. We will be requesting that the NRA remove our information from their website,” the airline announced on Twitter. “United is notifying the NRA that we will no longer offer a discounted rate to their annual meeting and we are asking that the NRA remove our information from their website,” United said on Twitter. But in abandoning the NRA, the airlines followed car rental giants Avis, Hertz and Enterprise, the Best Western hotel chain, the global insurance company MetLife, and more than a dozen other corporations that have severed affiliations with the gun group in the last two days.
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/nation_world/nra-responds-to-boycott-movement-after-united-and-delta-cut-ties-20180224.html

A bad lesson plan: Arming teachers is no way to secure schools
THE EDITORIAL BOARD Pittsburgh Post-Gazette FEB 26, 2018 12:00 AM
Many reasonable proposals for countering gun violence have surfaced since 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz killed 17 people at a Florida high school this month. President Donald Trump’s proposal to arm teachers, even highly trained teachers, isn’t one of them. In one tweet, Mr. Trump predicted that a prospective “sicko shooter” would think twice before attacking a school staffed with “weapons-talented teachers.” But the goal should be to have fewer weapons in schools, not more. Even highly trained police officers have difficulty firing accurately during a crisis. It is too much to expect lesser-trained teachers or other school staff members to aim true during moments of chaos. 
http://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2018/02/26/A-bad-lesson-plan-Arming-teachers-is-no-way-to-secure-schools/stories/201802280044

Pat Toomey says some Senate skeptics taking another look at background-check bill
Morning Call by Laura Olson Contact Reporter Call Washington Bureau February 25, 2018
Top of Form
Bottom of Form
Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey says some of his Senate colleagues who weren’t supportive in the past of his proposal to expand background checks on gun sales appear to be reconsidering, based on his conversations over the past week. But those chats with fellow senators have yet to secure the 60 votes needed to get the legislation through that chamber, Toomey said during an interview Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “I’ve spent a lot of hours on the phone and communicating in other ways with my colleagues this week,” the Pennsylvania lawmaker said. “I do think there are some members who were not supportive in the past who are reconsidering. I haven’t got anyone who said, ‘Yes, sign me up Pat.’ But there are definitely members who are reconsidering.” Toomey’s comments came amid a renewed look at gun laws in the wake of the shooting at a Florida high school that left 17 people dead.
http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/pennsylvania/capitol-ideas/mc-nws-toomey-guns-meet-the-press-20180225-story.html

OPED: Inaction on gun violence not an option
York Dispatch Opinion by Sen. Wayne Fontana, D-Allegheny Published 11:37 a.m. ET Feb. 23, 2018
Americans are fed up with this nation’s gun violence epidemic. It is intolerable.
Horrific accounts of deranged mass murderers using military-grade assault weapons to indiscriminately spray bullets into crowds of innocent people has become part of the regular news cycle. Lives are lost, families are destroyed and communities paralyzed.  It’s time for reasonable people to find reasonable solutions. We must take strong steps to prevent gun violence and mass shootings by banning combat-grade semi-automatic weapons from civilians. We need to get guns away from criminals and mentally ill people who are bent on violence. During my years as co-chair of the state Senate Game and Fisheries Committee, I had the opportunity to meet often with law-abiding hunters, sportsmen and gun enthusiasts. Very few believe that assault weapons have any practical or rational use. Most also support limited efforts to keep firearms away from criminals and the mentally ill. In fact, around 90 percent of Americans favor reasonable gun control approaches.
https://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/opinion/2018/02/23/oped-inaction-gun-violence-not-option/366987002/

Students Walk Out For Gun Laws; West Virginia Teachers Walk Out For Pay
NPR by ANYA KAMENETZ February 25, 20185:55 AM ET
Welcome to our weekly roundup of education news. This week, students and teachers made major headlines.
Survivors protest gun laws; Lawmakers offer solutions
Last week, one of the worst mass shootings in modern history left 17 people dead at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. This week, students at the school started exercising their voices as part of the #NeverAgain movement. On Monday, dozens staged a 'lie-in' in front of the White House in solemn protest. On Tuesday, students gathered in Florida's state Capitol to press for stricter gun laws, but as the survivors watched from the gallery, state representatives declined to consider a ban on assault weapons and large capacity ammunition magazines. High school students across the country walked out of class throughout the week.
On Wednesday, President Trump hosted survivors of recent school shootings in a "listening session" to discuss ways that these tragedies might be prevented in the future. He offered support for many of their ideas, including arming teachers with guns. He reiterated this support at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), an annual gathering of conservative activists, on Friday outside Washington, D.C.
https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2018/02/25/588094374/students-walk-out-for-gun-laws-west-virginia-teachers-walk-out-for-pay?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=npred

Trump to discuss Florida school shooting with governors Monday
Trib Live by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Sunday, Feb. 25, 2018, 10:33 p.m.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Sunday that the deadly mass shooting at a Florida high school is the top issue he wants to discuss with the nation's governors. Under pressure to act to stem gun violence on school grounds, Trump planned to solicit input from the state chief executives during meetings Monday at the White House. The governors are in Washington for their annual winter meeting.
http://triblive.com/usworld/world/13352187-74/trump-to-discuss-florida-school-shooting-with-governors-monday

Students must keep the pressure on to get changes to address gun violence
Morning Call by Paul Muschick Contact Reporter February 23, 2018
I’ve been impressed with how teenagers nationwide have mobilized since the school shooting in Florida. They’ve organized walkouts, participated in protests and lobbied legislators and the president. I hope they keep it up. Maybe there’s a chance that people with the power to enact change will listen to innocent children who have no hidden agendas, no baggage, no ulterior motives. Where professional lobbyists and other adults have failed, maybe the children can break through. President Donald Trump’s call Tuesday for regulations banning bump stocks is a start — though it’s just more talk until it happens — and could mean someone finally is listening about the need to do something about gun violence. Then again, maybe I’m too hopeful. Also Tuesday, Florida lawmakers, in the presence of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High students, refused to consider a bill banning sales of assault weapons. The teens shouldn’t be deterred. Soon, they will be old enough to vote. That is when they really can become powerful.
http://www.mcall.com/opinion/muschick/mc-opi-parkland-shooting-student-protests-gun-laws-muschick-20180220-story.html

Jim Kenney and Darrell Clarke must make peace to keep new school board on track | Editorial
by The Inquirer Editorial Board Updated: FEBRUARY 23, 2018 — 3:22 PM EST
The nominating committee for Philadelphia’s new school board is scheduled Monday to recommend a list of its first members to Mayor Kenney. The board will replace the state-appointed School Reform Commission. Unfortunately, that may come with Kenney and City Council President Darrell L. Clarke engaged in an argument that could affect how much independence school board members will have. At the urging of Kenney, Clarke, and countless others, the SRC voted in November to dissolve. Only the SRC had the authority to abolish itself, under the state law creating it in 2001. It will continue to exist until the new board officially takes over. That’s scheduled to happen July 1, after the new board becomes operational. Several loose ends remain to be tied; including changing the city’s Home Rule Charter in a referendum that is planned to coincide with the May 15 primary election.
http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/editorials/jim-kenney-darrell-clarke-philadelphia-school-district-board-src-editorial-20180223.html


NPE: Join us in a Day of Action April 20th to Stop Gun Violence in our Schools
Network for Public Education February 16, 2018 by Darcie Cimarusti
After the slaughter of students and staff in Parkland, Florida, the time for action has never been more urgent. The politicians sit on their hands as our children and their teachers are murdered in their schools. We will be silent no more! The failure to enact rational laws that bar access to guns designed for mass shootings is inexcusable. It is past time to speak out and act. Pledge your support to stop gun violence here. We call for mass action on April 20, the anniversary of the horrific shootings at Columbine High School. We urge teachers, families, students, administrators and every member of the community to engage in acts of protest in and around their schools. Create actions that work best in your community.  Organize sit-ins, teach-ins, walkouts, marches–whatever you decide will show your school and community’s determination to keep our students safe. One elementary teacher suggested that teachers and parents link arms around the school to show their determination to protect children.
https://networkforpubliceducation.org/2018/02/join-us-day-action-stop-gun-violence-schools/

Save the Date: PA School Funding Lawsuit Wed. March 7, 2018 9:30 A.M.
Commonwealth Court Hearing on Legislative leaders motions to Dismiss the Wm Penn SD challenge to state funding.
Before the Court en banc sitting in Court Room No. 1 Ninth Floor, Widener Building, 1339 Chestnut Street, One South Penn Square, Philadelphia, PA 19107
All members of Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court will hear oral argument on motions to dismiss filed by legislative leaders in the school funding lawsuit William Penn School District, et al. v. Pennsylvania Dept. of Education, et al.  The Legislators are arguing that the Petition challenging the inadequacy and inequity of Pennsylvania’s funding of schools is moot because the new school formula has supplanted the funding scheme existing when students and school districts filed their Petition in 2015.  In addition, Legislators also contend that the Petition failed to allege that insufficient state funding caused any harm such as poor PSSA results or lack of sufficient instructional resources.   In September, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ordered the Commonwealth Court to hold a trial on whether state officials are violating the state’s constitution by failing to adequately and equitably fund public education.  The Legislators objections have delayed efforts to bring this case to trial.   

Updated: Snooze or Lose: Promoting Sleep Health in Adolescents
Dr. Wendy Troxel Mon., March 12 at 7 p.m. in the Radnor High School auditorium 
The Radnor Township School District Adolescent Sleep & School Start Time Study Committee will welcome Dr. Wendy Troxel for a public presentation on Mon., March 12 at 7 p.m. in the Radnor High School auditorium (130 King of Prussia Road, Radnor). Dr. Troxel is a Senior Behavioral Scientist at the RAND Corporation and Adjunct Faculty in the Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh. A licensed clinical psychologist and certified behavioral sleep medicine specialist, Dr. Troxel been widely cited by the media, including The Wall Street JournalThe New York TimesThe Financial TimesABC World News TonightCBS Sunday Morning, NPR and BBC. Dr. Troxel was also one of the featured sleep experts in the National Geographic documentary “Sleepless in America.” Her TED talk on the impact of school start times on adolescent sleep has received more than 1.4 million views.
THIS EVENT IS FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED at http://bit.ly/RTSDSnoozeorLose

Help draft a plan to implement a statewide vision for the future of public education in PA!
(Updated) PSBA Member Roundtables/Receptions – February and March Dates
Member Roundtable and Receptions
Join your PSBA Member Roundtable and Reception to hear the public education advocacy and political updates affecting your school district. Take this opportunity to network, learn and develop your leadership skills. Enjoy light hors d'oeuvres and networking with fellow school leaders in your area, then provide your input on the future vision for public education in PA.
Roundtable Discussion: Help draft a plan to implement a statewide vision for the future of public education in PA! PSBA would like to capture your thoughts on what education should look like in the coming decades. We will compile your expertise with the perspectives of others from across the state to develop the Commonwealth Education Blueprint. The Blueprint will then serve as our guiding resource and will set milestones for creating the best public education experience for future generations of students. Don’t miss your opportunity to weigh in!
Agenda:
6:00 pm – 6:15 pm Association Update
Learn the latest news, initiatives and upcoming events from your association.
6:15 pm – 7:00 pm Government Affairs
Bring knowledge back to your district of how the commonwealth budget will fiscally impact it. Discuss the top legislative issues affecting public education. Learn how you can advocate for your school district taxpayers, students and public education success.
7:00 pm – 7:45 pm Networking
Enjoy productive conversation with your school leader colleagues. Boost your network, share your experiences and build a stronger voice for public education.
7:45 pm – 8:30 pm Commonwealth Education Blueprint: Developing a vision for public education
This focus group is your opportunity to share your input in drafting a blueprint for the future of public education. The Commonwealth Education Blueprint is a multiyear effort founded and managed by PSBA to develop and implement a statewide vision for the future of public education. Through this comprehensive project, education stakeholders from across the state and from many areas of expertise are coming together to proactively determine what education should look like in years to come. Having a clear and comprehensive statewide vision will ensure that we provide an increasingly excellent public education experience for children. This is your opportunity to get involved, share your feedback, and help draft the plan for the future of education!
Pricing: This is a complimentary PSBA member event.
Locations/dates:
·         Feb. 26, Parkway West CTC (Section 5)
·         Feb. 27, A. W. Beattie Career Center (Section 5)
·         Feb. 28, Crawford Co. CTC (Section 1)
·         Mar. 1, Seneca Highlands IU 9 (Section 2)
·         Mar. 5, Central Montco Technical HS (Section 8)
·         Mar. 6, Lehigh Carbon Community College (Section 8)
·         Mar. 7, West Side CTC (Section 4)
·         Mar. 8, Montoursville Area HS (Section 3)
·         Mar. 12, PSBA (Section 7)
·         Mar. 13, Altoona Area HS (Section 6)


Registration is now open for the 2018 PASA Education Congress! State College, PA, March 19-20, 2018
Don't miss this marquee event for Pennsylvania school leaders at the Nittany Lion Inn, State College, PA, March 19-20, 2018.
Learn more by visiting http://www.pasa-net.org/2018edcongress 

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD! Join the PA Principals Association, the PA Association of School Administrators and the PA Association of Rural and Small Schools for PA Education Leaders Advocacy Day at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, June 19, 2018, at the Capitol in Harrisburg, PA.  
A rally in support of public education and important education issues will be held on the Main Rotunda Steps from 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.
Visits with legislators will be conducted earlier in the day. More information will be sent via email, shared in our publications and posted on our website closer to the event.
To register, send an email to Dr. Joseph Clapper at clapper@paprincipals.org before Friday, June 8, 2018.
Click here to view the PA Education Leaders Advocacy Day 2018 Save The Date Flyer (INCLUDES EVENT SCHEDULE AND IMPORTANT ISSUES.) 

SAVE THE DATE for the 2018 PA Educational Leadership Summit - July 29-31 - State College, PA sponsored by the PA Principals Association, PASA, PAMLE and PASCD.  
This year's Summit will be held from July 29-31, 2018 at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, State College, PA.

Any comments contained herein are my comments, alone, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of any other person or organization that I may be affiliated with.


No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.