Daily postings from the Keystone State Education Coalition now
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“The House committee gutted the citizens’ bill – which has more than 100 co-sponsors; enough to pass the House – and replaced it with a new bill giving greater clout to the legislature and less to the other branches of government, and showing citizens the door. In short, a partisan Republican power play, retaliation for the gerrymander ruling and a move that (in one fell swoop) thumbs its nose at citizen action, flips the bird to the state high court and pushes the governor out of the way.”
HB722: An iceberg on the voyage to fairer Pa. elections | John Baer
Philly Daily News Opinion by John Baer, STAFF COLUMNIST baerj@phillynews.com Updated: APRIL 16, 2018 — 5:19 AM EDT
Just when you think you see a chance for smoother sailing through Pennsylvania’s foggy version of democracy, along comes a cold reminder of power’s love of power. One such reminder surfaced last week like an iceberg intent on sinking a multi-year effort to improve the process of electing the people’s representatives. Few saw it coming. But those familiar with Harrisburg weren’t surprised. It was a classic bait-and-switch. The House State Government Committee, the state’s black hole for reasoned reform, was set to consider House Bill 722, creating an independent citizens’ commission to draw legislative and congressional districts. It’s a measure key to work begun in January 2016 by grassroots Fair Districts PA. The simple premise? Voters should have greater say in selecting who serves them. Ah, but that grabs power from politicians who now draw their own districts. And even though the state Supreme Court, in our recent gerrymander case, ruled this power misused, the committee voted to not only keep it, but expand it. (Remember, the court killed past maps, not the process that produced them.)
http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/john_baer/an-iceberg-on-the-voyage-to-fairer-pa-elections-20180416.html
HB722: Metcalfe amendment gutted bill's core
Morning Call Letter by Rochelle K. Kaplan, Weisenberg Township April 16, 2018
Talk about a blatant power grab by the Republicans in the State House. Wednesday at 10:30 a.m., without prior notice of what was going to be voted upon by the State Government Committee, Chairman Daryl Metcalfe handed out an amendment to House Bill 722. There was no discussion, no hearings and no testimony by the sponsors of HB 722. It was passed in a strict party-line vote. What does this amendment do? It guts the core principle of HB 722 by removing the independent, transparent, nonpartisan citizens redistricting commission and replacing it with a partisan committee made up solely of politicians selected by politicians. The majority party has total control of the process. Shame on all of these representatives who voted to take away their constituents' right to vote for the politicians of their choosing. This is a travesty.
http://www.mcall.com/opinion/letters/mc-kaplan-power-grab-state-house-republicans-20180416-story.html
PA GOP STATEMENT: Republican Party of Pennsylvania files Right to Know Requests with Wolf administration, AOPC to determine level of collusion in judical-mandered Congressional map
PA GOP Press Release April 16, 2018
Harrisburg, Pa. — Monday, the Republican Party of Pennsylvania filed Right to Know requests with the Office of the Governor and the Administrative Office of the Pennsylvania Courts to determine the level of collusion, if any, between the Wolf administration, Democrat Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justices, their privately retained experts, and/or any collusion between the Office of the Governor and the National Democratic Redistricting Committee and its associated political action committee. It was recently reported that the National Democratic Redistricting Committee PAC donated $250,000 to Tom Wolf’s reelection campaign just days after federal courts refused to issue stay requests in ongoing redistricting litigation. The Republican Party of Pennsylvania made the following statement on the Right to Know submission:
https://www.pagop.org/2018/04/pa-gop-statement-republican-party-pennsylvania-files-right-know-requests-wolf-administration-aopc-determine-level-collusion-judical-mandered-congressional-map/
“Under the Pennsylvania charter school law passed in 1998, public school districts are required to pay their per-pupil costs as tuition to any student living within their boundaries who wants to attend a regular or cyber charter school. Twenty years later, Neshaminy is paying about $1.5 million a year in outside cyber charter school tuition, and district officials want to try to get some of that back, Pupil Services Director Anthony Devlin said.”
Online offerings increasing at area schools
Neshaminy School District officials hope that the district’s own virtual academy that starts next year will save money on cyber charter school tuitions.
Intelligencer by Chris English April 16, 2018
Online classes are becoming increasingly more available at area school districts. Neshaminy became the latest district to make a major move in that area when officials recently announced the district will start its own virtual — or cyber — academy next school year. Neshaminy will join Centennial, Palisades and Bensalem among the area districts that allow any student to take all or some classes online. Among other districts, Bristol Township and Council Rock have more limited offerings, though the goal is to keep increasing them, officials said. Central Bucks and Pennsbury also have limited offerings and allow students to take online classes under special circumstances. School districts have started cyber academies for a variety of reasons, including accommodating students who are more comfortable taking classes online and savings money on tuition paid to outside cyber charter schools.
http://www.theintell.com/news/20180416/online-offerings-increasing-at-area-schools/1
No budget, no pay for Pa. legislators who miss deadline | Editorial
by The Inquirer Editorial Board Updated: APRIL 13, 2018 — 3:01 AM EDT
This is The Agenda, an ongoing series examining key issues facing the region and Pennsylvania. Talk to us at agenda@phillynews.com.
Approving a balanced budget each year is a fundamental responsibility for the governor and members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly. But they have become heedless about meeting the June 30 budget deadline. State legislators have missed that deadline in all three of Gov. Wolf’s annual budget negotiations so far, part of six blown budget deadlines in the last decade. The state’s last budget became law on Nov. 6, more than four months after the deadline. That creates chaos for the state’s municipalities, school districts, universities, and other institutions as they scramble to adjust financial planning. Members of the General Assembly, though, don’t have to adjust their financial planning. They continue to get paid salary and expenses, even if they haven’t done their job of delivering a budget on time. There is bipartisan support for putting an end to that. But, like all reform efforts in Harrisburg, that can only happen if legislative leaders allow it. Two senators, Patrick Stefano and Andy Dinniman, last year proposed elegantly uncomplicated solutions, banning pay or reimbursement for expenses during a budget impasse.
http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/editorials/no-budget-no-pay-for-pa-legislators-who-miss-deadline-editorial-20180416.html
Can you name two Cabinet posts? Pa. students may have to
The Pa. House of Representatives passed a bill on Monday that would require schools to test students' civics Knowledge at least once between grades seven and 12.
Penn Live By Jan Murphy jmurphy@pennlive.com Updated Apr 16, 7:10 PM
Pennsylvania students would be required to pass a test proving their civics knowledge to earn a certificate of recognition under legislation that the state House of Representative overwhelmingly approved on Monday. By a 191-4 vote, the legislation would direct schools to administer a locally developed test or the same exam that immigrants must pass to earn U.S. citizenship at least once to students in grades 7 through 12. The measure now goes to the Senate for consideration. The impetus behind this legislation are the studies that reveal how little Americans generally know about their government and civic affairs. For example, do you know how long a U.S. senator's term of office is? Can you name the founding father wrote the U.S. Constitution? Can you name two Cabinet posts?
http://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2018/04/can_you_name_two_cabinet_posts.html#incart_2box_politics
Teens lead forum on school safety at Westmoreland college
Trib Live by JAMIE MARTINES | Monday, April 16, 2018, 11:00 p.m.
Two months after a Feb. 14 school shooting in Parkland, Fla., that touched off a national discussion about school safety and gun control, students from across Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties are confident that local efforts to influence these issues are maintaining energy. “It's our generation's movement, this is us,” said Bella Giunta, a junior at Gateway High School and one of seven students to participate in a panel discussion about school safety hosted by Trib Total Media and the Tribune-Review on Monday at Westmoreland County Community College in Youngwood. Students from Greensburg Salem, Mt. Pleasant Area, Shady Side Academy, Southmoreland and Woodland Hills high schools also participated in the panel. The discussion was the second such event bringing together students involved in local efforts — planning walkouts, organizing marches, launching letter-writing campaigns or visits to lawmakers' offices — to rally communities around the issues.
http://triblive.com/local/westmoreland/13543455-74/teens-lead-forum-on-school-safety-at-westmoreland-college
“The Department of Education informed districts that they will no longer be calculating tuitions for charter schools, Whiteleather said, while at the same time charter schools are proposing to include federal expenditures into their tuition rates, likely driving them higher. The district spends about $2 million per year toward charter schools, he said. “Until the dust settles we won’t know what the final numbers will be or what the final impacts will be on our budget,” he said.”
Nazareth Area proposal of 2.35 percent tax hike gets preliminary OK
Kevin Duffy Special to The Morning Call April 16, 2018
Unexpected medical and charter school costs may have an impact on the 2018-’19 tax rate and operating budget for the Nazareth Area School District. Business Administrator Stuart Whiteleather told the school board Monday that projections related to likely health care claims may fall short of final numbers, while changes in how tuition rates are calculated for charter schools may end up costing school districts in Pennsylvania more. “This could potentially have a budgetary impact on us,” he said before the board voted in favor of the administration’s proposed final budget for next year, which calls for a 2.35 percent increase to the real estate tax rate and an $88.6 million operating budget, or 4.50 percent more than the current amount. The proposed tax increase represents an added 1.25 mills, which will take the district to 54.52 mills.
http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-nws-nazareth-taxes-schools-20180416-story.html
“It would also be the first time in four years that the school board has raised taxes. That tax increase would not be necessary if Pennsylvania funded public education according to the “fair funding formula” the legislature adopted two years ago, but has only partially implemented. According to an analysis by Equity First, an advocacy group seeking the full implementation of the fair funding formula, Pottstown ranks fifth on the list of most-under-funded school districts in Pennsylvania. Were the formula — which takes things like median incomes, local tax effort and other local factors into account — fully implemented, Pottstown would be receiving an additional $13.8 million per year from the Commonwealth under Gov. Wolf’s proposed budget. That works out to an additional $4,214 per student the formula says Pennsylvania owes Pottstown taxpayers but is not paying.”
$1.7M budget shortfall may mean 3.5% tax hike in Pottstown School District
By Evan Brandt, The Mercury POSTED: 04/16/18, 6:56 PM EDT
POTTSTOWN >> Facing a budget deficit of $1.7 million, the Pottstown School Board is inviting the public to its meeting Thursday night to increase understanding about the possible need for the first tax increase in four years. In advance of the meeting, the district has also posted an overview of the $61 million preliminary 2018-2019 budget, as well as a revenues and expenses spreadsheet on its web site. According to the presentation provided to the finance committee April 12, the district is projecting a loss of $1.7 million in revenues in the coming fiscal year, as well as another $500,000 in refunding of tax assessments — both of which have much to do with Pottstown Hospital being purchased by Tower Health and once again being removed from the tax rolls. The presentation also makes note of the additional $502,000 in additional salaries for teachers in the coming year. Missing from that analysis, however, is the cumulative $110,933 in additional payroll costs to the budget as a result of the retroactive 4 percent raises granted in February by the school board to 37 mid-level administrators.
http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20180416/17m-budget-shortfall-may-mean-35-tax-hike-in-pottstown-school-district
“The root cause of the problem continues to be a statewide teacher shortage. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 6,215 people received new teacher certifications during 2014-15 school year, as compared to 16,361 just two years earlier.”
Bethlehem School District considers increasing pay for substitute teachers
Daryl Nerl Special to The Morning Call April 16, 2018
Faced with a shortage of substitute teachers, the Bethlehem Area School District is looking at increasing pay for per diem employees. The rate at which the district was able to hire a substitute decreased from 90 percent in the fall 2016 semester to 83 percent in the fall 2017 semester, according to an analysis by Substitute Teacher Services, a contractor that deals with the district’s replacement teacher needs. That means that classrooms did without a substitute teacher nearly 1,100 total days district wide during the first semester of this school year as opposed to about 600 in the fall of 2016.
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/bethlehem/mc-nws-bethlehem-school-district-substitues-20180416-story.html
“Several months ago, a consultant said the district would have no financial problems if it were not for a yearly payment of about $10 million the district must make to the Pennsylvania Public School Employees Retirement System. During the meeting Monday night, Mr. Zahorchak said the PSERS system has been underfunded for a number of years.”
Plum may lay off more teachers, raise property tax to close deficit
Post=Gazette ANNE CLOONAN APR 17, 2018 5:38 AM
A team of Plum Borough School District administrators has come up with a plan to balance the district’s budget for the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 school years by raising taxes and furloughing an additional 14 employees. District business manager John Zahorchak outlined the plan at the school board’s budget workshop Monday night. The 14 people to be furloughed would be teachers and administrators across the district; Mr. Zahorchak said clerical and support personnel would not be let go. The district has been struggling to balance a 2018-2019 school year budget with a $5.2 million deficit. In March, the school board voted to close Regency Park Elementary School and to furlough 12 teachers. The district would save $2,676,948 altogether by furloughing all 26, plus losing some other teachers through retirement, Mr. Zahorchak said. He also suggested raising school real estate taxes by 0.8 of a mill during the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 school years.
http://www.post-gazette.com/local/east/2018/04/17/Plum-school-district-may-lay-off-more-teachers-raise-property-tax-to-close-deficit/stories/201804160169
Maximum tax hikes possible in Harrisburg schools, won't be enough to fix finances
Penn Live By Steve Marroni smarroni@pennlive.com Updated 2:07 AM; Posted Apr 16, 11:14 PM
HARRISBURG -- The Harrisburg School District's finances may appear to be in OK shape right now, but that's not true over the next couple of years. And to solve the problem, it may require the board imposing the maximum allowable tax increase every year for the next couple of years. That would mean about $100 more per year in property taxes for the owner of a $100,000 home in Harrisburg, acting chief financial officer James Snell said after a presentation Monday night on the five-year projections of the school district's finances. The maximum allowable tax increase is 3.6 percent above the current millage rate, which is an increase of roughly one mill. Those are preliminary numbers, but Marissa Litman of Public Financial Management said those numbers show that, despite the current $30 million fund balance, flat revenues and a structural deficit paint a bleak picture of the district's financial future.
http://www.pennlive.com/news/2018/04/tax_increase_harrisburg_school.html
Programs that recruit more non-traditional workers receive $1 million in grants
Apprenticeship programs for barbers, painters, coders, lab techs, and others will get a boost.
The notebook by Jane M. Von Bergen April 16, 2018 — 7:35am
Programs that lead future barbers, painters, coders, and laboratory technicians through pre-apprentice and apprenticeship programs received grants, Philadelphia Works announced last week. The local grants, awarded April 9 to 12 organizations for both capacity-building and pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs, total $1 million. About a third of the funding was allocated to five building trades, most of which rarely get these kinds of grants. "These grants will allow them to recruit more heavily for non-traditional workers, such as women and minorities," said Tony Wigglesworth, executive director of the Philadelphia Area Labor Management Committee, a nonprofit that works with the region's building trades. "It'll give them the resources to do more outreach." Building trades have traditionally operated apprenticeship programs, funded by contributions from employers and journeyman workers. These new grants will allow the unions to develop pre-apprentice programs and to build capacity. One of the recipients, the Finishing Trades Institute, can confer college credits. It is operated by District 21 of the International Union of Painters & Allied Trades.
http://thenotebook.org/articles/2018/04/16/programs-that-recruit-for-more-non-traditional-workers-receive-grants
Blogger note: Here’s what Wikipedia has to say about the Americans for Prosperity Foundation:
“Americans for Prosperity (AFP), founded in 2004, is a libertarian/conservative political advocacy group in the United States funded by David H. Koch and Charles Koch. As the Koch brothers' primary political advocacy group, it is one of the most influential American conservative organizations.”
Education savings accounts will help more Pa. children attend the best schools for them | Opinion
by Beth Anne Mumford, For the Inquirer Updated: APRIL 16, 2018 — 2:30 PM EDT
Beth Anne Mumford is Pennsylvania state director for the Americans for Prosperity Foundation.
Both of my sons like to be part of the team, but they thrive at different sports. My older son is in his second year on the basketball team, perfecting his rebounding skills. Meanwhile, my younger son has discovered that he loves soccer, especially scoring goals for his team. I couldn’t be prouder of them both. As a parent, I know that not every sport is right for my children – or anyone else’s. By the same token, neither is any one school right for all children. While Pennsylvania families have plenty of choices when it comes to finding their child’s favorite sport, they have far too few choices when it comes to finding the school that is best for their child. As a result, many children are getting academically benched rather than finding their educational dream team. Research at the state and federal levels shows the severity of the problem. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, nearly half of schools reporting test results are not meeting the commonwealth’s adequacy level. That leaves more than a million children in schools that aren’t giving them the instruction they need to succeed. Low-income children suffer disproportionately. The Nation’s Report Card found that 40 percent of low-income Pennsylvania fourth graders are struggling to read at basic level.
http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/commentary/education-savings-accounts-will-help-more-pennsylvania-children-20180416.html
Eyes on the SRC: April 19, 2018
Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools by Karel Kilimnik April 16, 2018
The SRC appears determined to maintain its legacy of non-transparency in its final months. Almost every month, the SRC fails to post resolutions on time. APPS sent several emails to the Commissioners, reminding them that they agreed to post resolutions at least two weeks before every Action Meeting as part of the court-ordered settlement to our 2016 Sunshine Act violation suit. Finally, the Resolution Summary and Description for the April 19 meeting appeared on Thursday April 12, a mere eight days before the scheduled meeting. Now that the information has been released, it is hard to understand the delay. The heading on the Description simply states: This meeting of the School Reform Commission is a Budget Hearing for the purpose of hearing public comment on the FY19 Budgets. There are no action items. The School Reform Commission is scheduled to vote on the FY19 Budget at its Action Meeting on May 24, 2018.
Why the secrecy? The April 19th meeting is not listed on their schedule as a Budget Hearing but as an SRC Action Meeting. We expect the new School Board to make a commitment to keep the public informed, and in a timely manner, when it takes power on July 1.
https://appsphilly.net/2018/04/16/eyes-on-the-src-april-19-2018/
“He mentioned that Hand has many students from economically distressed households and therefore come to school hungry. And studies show hungry students don’t perform well on tests. Nearly all – 95 percent – of Hand’s 500-plus students come from low-income households, according to PDE. “For some,” Molloy said, “whole-grain pancakes may be the only hot meal they’ve gotten that day.”
Hand Middle School teacher likely to be fired for making pancakes during PSSAs
Lancaster Online by ALEX GELI | Staff Writer April 16, 2018
A teacher at Hand Middle School said he is being fired for serving whole-grain pancakes to his students while they took the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment last week. Kyle Byler, who has taught eighth-grade social studies at Hand since 2013, said he was suspended without pay on April 10 after assistant Principal Marian Grill walked into Byler’s class and questioned why he was making breakfast for his students. Byler had brought an electric griddle and made one whole-grain pancake for each test-taker to eat during the test, he said. Within 24 hours, Byler, who parents have labeled as the “eighth-grade dad” at Hand, was called into a meeting with administrators and told he’d be terminated for causing a distraction during PSSA testing, he said.
https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/hand-middle-school-teacher-likely-to-be-fired-for-making/article_f0e9a46e-41b9-11e8-a943-47e429d3a4fa.html
Hip-hop, makerspaces and virtual reality: How are school districts 'reinventing learning?'
Lancaster Online by ALEX GELI | Staff Writer April 17, 2018
There was a dance party on Wednesday at Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13. At least it sounded as if there was, as bass-heavy hip-hop music being played in one of the IU’s conference rooms spilled into the hallways and neighboring offices. The music, mixed and edited by Columbia High School students, provided a soundtrack to one of the IU’s signature annual events highlighting the innovative techniques and programs school districts in Lancaster and Lebanon counties have adopted to redefine learning. “Extraordinary learning is happening every day in our schools,” Brian Barnhart, executive director of the IU13, said about the 22 school districts, plus the Lancaster County Career & Technology Center, that presented at Wednesday’s Reinventing Learning Showcase. “Tonight was an opportunity to see it firsthand,” he said. Columbia presented their new program promoting hip-hop culture – the VISION, or Values Inspiring Students in Overcoming Negativity, program. Founded by former recording artist manager and booking agent T.J. Griffin, the programs seeks to inspire students, particularly those from low-income or broken households, to tap into their creativity and discover their potential. About 20 Columbia students ages 13 to 18 meet twice a week to learn about hip-hop and entrepreneurship in addition to how to record, mix and master music using studio-quality equipment and computer programs.
https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/hip-hop-makerspaces-and-virtual-reality-how-are-school-districts/article_7a36e12e-3f89-11e8-a709-3780beb9da53.html
Editorial: Saluting our Best & Brightest young people
Delco Times Editorial POSTED: 04/16/18, 8:32 PM EDT | UPDATED: 27 SECS AGO
Getting their names in the newspaper is not all that difficult for young people. Doing something wrong will usually do the trick. But the opposite is not always true. We often hear the lament that the accomplishments of young people when they are doing something good often go unheralded.
This weekend we aimed to once again do something to change that image. Sunday we presented our annual All-Delco Hi-Q team. Ironically, this year our All-Delco Hi-Q team appeared at the end of a week that saw our latest series of All-Delco student athletes grace the pages of the newspaper. This newspaper has always prided itself on our coverage of high school sports. We often have boasted that while many large metro newspapers offer pro sports coverage, and that many suburban papers focus on high schools, very few do both, or least not to the extent that we do. The All-Delco Hi-Q team, one player from each high school team in Delaware County that takes part in the nation’s oldest scholastic quiz competition, is one of the ways we endeavor to shine a positive light on kids who excel in the classroom. The members are not selected by the newspaper, but rather by their teammates.
http://www.delcotimes.com/article/DC/20180416/NEWS/180419718
Downingtown Robotics team advances to world championship
Daily Local By Digital First Media POSTED: 04/16/18, 2:34 PM EDT | UPDATED: 11 HRS AGO
Downingtown >> The Downingtown High School Robotics team has advanced to the world championship to be held later this month in Michigan following impressive victories in international competition. Downingtown’s team is Team 7244, Out of the Box Robotics.
The four-day international competition to be held in Detroit will host 1,400 teams from the U.S. and 62 countries encompassing all four FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) programs, with over 60,000 attendees expected. Approximately only around 2 percent of United States FTC teams advance to the World Championship level. Out of the 129 FTC teams in Pennsylvania, only Out of the Box Robotics and another team outside of the Pittsburgh area advanced from the East Super Regionals to the World Championship. Thirteen states were represented at the East Super Regionals, with 72 teams present. There are over 5,500 FTC teams worldwide.
http://www.dailylocal.com/general-news/20180416/downingtown-robotics-team-advances-to-world-championship
After Parkland, Schools Grapple With Threats — And The Best Ways To Respond
NPR by CLARE LOMBARDO April 14, 20186:09 AM ET
Two months ago today, a shooter killed 17 students and teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. After the tragedy, threats to schools across the country rose.
In the month following, there were about 70 threats to schools per day. In the 59 days since the shooting, there have been almost 1,500 threats to schools across the country. And those numbers are likely under-reported, according to the group that tracks them, the Educator's School Safety Network. The total includes gun threats, bomb threats, or even vague, "unspecified" threats to public and private schools, including colleges and universities. One school system in North Carolina has had nine bomb threats since March 15. The words "school shooting 4/13" were found written in a University of Michigan bathroom earlier this week. Students made almost half of these threats on social media.
https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2018/04/14/601461879/after-parkland-schools-grapple-with-threats-and-the-best-ways-to-respond
Electing PSBA Officers: Applications Due by June 1st
Do you have strong communication and leadership skills and a vision for PSBA? Members interested in becoming the next leaders of PSBA are encouraged to submit an Application for Nomination no later than June 1, 11:59 p.m., to PSBA's Leadership Development Committee (LDC). The nomination process
All persons seeking nomination for elected positions of the Association shall send applications to the attention of the chair of the Leadership Development Committee, during the months of April and May an Application for Nomination to be provided by the Association expressing interest in the office sought. “The Application for nomination shall be marked received at PSBA Headquarters or mailed first class and postmarked by June 1 to be considered and timely filed.” (PSBA Bylaws, Article IV, Section 5.E.).
Open positions are:
In addition to the application form, PSBA Governing Board Policy 302 asks that all candidates furnish with their application a recent, print quality photograph and letters of application. The application form specifies no less than three letters of recommendation and no more than four, and are specifically requested as follows:
https://www.psba.org/2018/03/electing-psba-officers/
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/
PASA Women's Caucus Annual Conference "Leaders Lifting Leaders"
May 6 - 8, 2018 Hotel Hershey
**REGISTRATION NOW OPEN**
Featured Speakers...
*Dr. Helen Sobehart - Women Leading Education Across Continents: Lifting Leaders from Here to There
*Dr. Tracey Severns - Courageous Leadership
*Dr. Emilie Lonardi - Lead and Lift: A Call for Females to Aspire to the Superintendency
*Deputy Secretary Matt Stem - Update from the PDE
Registration: https://www.pasa-net.org/wcconf
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.
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.
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