PA Ed Policy Roundup Dec. 21: Several charter items in the press around the state today

Started in November 2010, 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

Visit us on Facebook at KeystoneStateEducationCoalition

Follow us on Twitter at @lfeinberg

Keystone State Education Coalition

PA Ed Policy Roundup Dec. 21, 2018

Several charter items in the press around the state today


Proposed charter school for the arts draws opposition in Upper Darby
Delco Times By Kevin Tustin ktustin@21st-centurymedia.com December 21, 2018
UPPER DARBY — The Upper Darby community roundly rejected the application for a new arts-based charter school proposed for the school district next year. A hearing Tuesday afternoon for the Upper Darby Charter School for the Arts brought out dozens of people to hear details about the K-8 school proposed at 4 Rockbourne Road in Clifton Heights. Eighteen of the 19 people who spoke during public comment were against the school, citing the projected loss of financial resources to the district and the support of the arts program already in the district. “We have arts here, it’s here,” said resident Patricia Lauria. “You’re taking money away … and I know as a public educator that charter schools defund public education. We do not need a charter school here, we do not need an art school here.” The charter school is projected to open with 360 students in grades K-5, adding one grade and 60 students each year until the 2022-23 school year to meet a cap of 540 students through eighth grade. There would be three classes per grade with 20 students per class. The school would focus on the performing and visual arts including dance, music and graphic design and students will have instruction time in these fields daily.
https://www.delcotimes.com/news/proposed-charter-school-for-the-arts-draws-opposition-in-upper/article_be9c61f0-03aa-11e9-8c22-f72babfbaf38.html

Imani Christian Academy seeks approval to become a charter school
ELIZABETH BEHRMAN Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Lbehrman@post-gazette.com DEC 20, 2018 11:58 AM
Imani Christian Academy, a private PreK-12 school in East Hills, has applied to become a charter school. The Pittsburgh Public Schools board will consider its application in early 2019.  Imani Christian Academy was founded in 1993 in a single-story house with 30 students, according to its website. At a public hearing for the charter application Monday night,  Imani’s CEO and head of school Paulo Nzambi said the projected enrollment at the new charter school would enroll about 230 students. The school operates out of the former East Hills Elementary School building, which it purchased from the city school district for $1 million in 2008.
https://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2018/12/20/Imani-Christian-Academy-Pittsburgh-Public-Schools-charter-students-private-board-vote/stories/201812180119

Teachers at this Philly charter school got a raise and a contract. But unions at charters are unusual
Inquirer by Maddie Hanna, Updated: December 21, 2018- 5:00 AM
As other teachers left New Foundations Charter High School year after year, Zack Riegler stayed. One of two teachers who has worked at the Holmesburg school since it opened nine years ago, Riegler believed it was among the city’s best. But he was concerned that teachers kept leaving for better-paying schools — not just in the suburbs, but within Philadelphia. “Our feelings were, if we keep losing people every year, this is going to be a not very good place to work,” Riegler said. So he and the rest of the school’s roughly five dozen teachers and staff pursued an option not often seen at charter schools: joining a union. This month, the move paid off. Under their new contract, Riegler and his fellow teachers received an average salary increase of $5,700. The boost in pay pushed the typical salary at New Foundations above what most Philadelphia charter-school teachers earn. But it is still substantially less than the salaries of their counterparts at traditional public schools.
http://www.philly.com/news/charter-schools-teachers-unions-philadelphia-20181221.html

Teachers at Environmental Charter School in Regent Square will unionize
ELIZABETH BEHRMAN Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Lbehrman@post-gazette.com  DEC 20, 2018  
11:03 AM
Teachers at Environmental Charter School in Pittsburgh will unionize, after casting their votes in favor of the move through the National Labor Relations Board this week. The group of about 70 teachers and other school paraprofessionals and staff will be represented through the American Federation of Teachers, and will next begin negotiating with the school on its first collective bargaining agreement. "I am excited to work with everyone at ECS within a democratic and reliable system of collaboration," said Lauren Palamara, an environmental literacy teacher and member of the organizing committee. "Before us, I see a fantastic opportunity to define what an educators' union can do in service of our students as ECS expands over the coming years. We look forward to envisioning — together with our board, parents and families, and the entire staff — what this union can be and how it will positively impact the students under our care."
https://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2018/12/20/Teachers-Environmental-Charter-School-union-unionize-American-Federation-Teachers-Pittsburgh/stories/201812200095

Easton charter school administrators rigged grades, employee evaluations, according to lawsuit
By Rudy Miller | For lehighvalleylive.com rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com Updated 12:48 PM; Posted 12:03 PM
A former principal at the Easton Arts Academy Elementary Charter School claims administrators rigged grades to make the school appear more successful, according to a lawsuit. The school’s chief administrative officer, Shawn Ferrara, threw out employee evaluations written by principal Susan Bostian and rewrote them based on his own arbitrary opinions, according to the lawsuit filed Wednesday by Bostian in Northampton County Court. The school’s attorney, Brian Leinhauser, said the school can’t comment on pending litigation and hasn’t been served with the complaint yet. The lawsuit says Bostian was appointed principal because she has principal certification in Pennsylvania, a certification lacked by Ferrara and Chief Executive Officer Joanna Hughes. They overrode her decisions and refused to heed her warnings to follow state education laws, the lawsuit says.
https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/news/2018/12/easton-charter-school-administrators-rigged-grades-employee-evaluations-according-to-lawsuit.html

EDITORIAL: Don't turn Lincoln Charter into another Thackston
York Dispatch Editorial Published 5:42 a.m. ET Dec. 21, 2018
Lincoln Charter School has been part of York City's community for a long time. The York City School District built Lincoln Elementary School in 1999, and it was converted to a charter school in 2000. It remains the only public school in the state that was converted to a charter, and the school district still owns the building at 559 W. King St. It was the district's first charter school, long before the charter school boom began. It's become a cornerstone of the community, with students riding bikes or walking to school on certain days, creating a community garden and holding events to get more people involved with the school. With all this history, the administration really should know how the relationship with the school district works. But apparently they need a refresher course on that. Lincoln's audits for 2014-15 and 2015-16 were late — the charter's board approved them last April. Both audits had findings of fault, but the 2014-15 audit also had a disclaimer that there was insufficient information to form an opinion because there was no year-end balance for 2014.
https://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/opinion/editorials/2018/12/21/editorial-dont-turn-lincoln-charter-into-another-thackston/2374831002/

'Our hearts are breaking': Students, parents express support for departing La Academia principal
Lancaster Online by ALEX GELI | Staff Writer December 20, 2018
The La Academia Partnership Charter School board members got an earful Wednesday from several students and parents frustrated with the sudden resignation of the school’s principal and chief executive officer. Guillermo Barroso, who’s worked at the school for 15 years — six as principal — resigned  last week. His last day is Friday. Dozens of students, parents and staff members attended the meeting, which was moved to the auditorium next door to the main building at 30 N. Ann St. in Lancaster, to voice their opposition. They described Barroso as a caring leader who knew his students “like the back of his hand.” “Our hearts are breaking,” Zhane Sheaffer, a senior at La Academia who started when Barroso took over as principal. “He loved the kids, and he puts everything out there for the kids, no matter what.” Sheaffer asked the board why Barroso couldn’t at least stay until the end of the year.
https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/our-hearts-are-breaking-students-parents-express-support-for-departing/article_28e1878a-03e6-11e9-878d-b3c36cee6d19.html

Guest Opinion: Legislators must stop neglecting special ed funding
Bucks County Courier Times By Rachel Fingles Posted at 5:31 AM
As America remembers the life of our late president, George H.W. Bush, I wish to highlight one aspect of his legacy that is dear to my heart — concern for children with disabilities. That legacy could serve as a wake-up call to Pennsylvania officials. In 1990, President Bush signed the American with Disabilities Act, ADA, and reauthorized the legislation now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, IDEA, that guarantees a free and appropriate public education to students with disabilities. He was personally touched by this issue because he had two children with disabilities. He understood that the law would strengthen the civil rights of people with disabilities. s a school board director for Bensalem Township School District, I am thankful for Bush’s commitment to providing students with disabilities with the appropriate physical, social and academic accommodations that they need to thrive. I have seen the impact of sound support for students with disabilities, both academically and socially. Who can forget Bensalem student Kevin Grow hitting a 3-pointer at the buzzer against Neshaminy? Kevin has Down syndrome, and without the programming offered by Bensalem, Kevin would not have had the opportunity to lace up, get on the court and enjoy the embrace of his teammates. However, not all is rose-colored in Bensalem School District. Bensalem supports more students with disabilities than the state average, but the state barely compensates for this difference. As a result, Bensalem is starving for money to support every student.
http://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com/news/20181220/guest-opinion-legislators-must-stop-neglecting-special-ed-funding

Your View: I'm a teacher. Don't ask me to stop a mass shooting.
Morning Call by Sarah Chaves Special to The Washington Post December 20, 2018
On a recent Tuesday morning, my school principal came on the intercom to announce we would be practicing an emergency management drill. The drill required that no students be allowed to leave the room, but instruction was to go on as usual. Other drills are more inhibiting, though. A more restrictive drill requires me to lock my door and windows, turn off the lights, ignore bells and alarms, and gather the students away from all entry points until notified by announcement. Later that afternoon, I sat on a rickety blue chair at a desk dotted with old gum, gulping down my packed sandwich in the 25 minutes allotted for lunch. I thought about asking my colleagues what they thought about the effectiveness of the drill, but I imagined the room would get quiet — mouths full, pulses quick. I didn't want to feel more powerless and panicked than I did when we last talked about the latest school shooting. Instead, I asked whether everyone had finished their Christmas shopping.
https://www.mcall.com/opinion/yourview/mc-opi-teacher-guns-classroom-20181220-story.html

‘Sometimes, just your presence matters’
The city's Youth Commission hosted a violence-prevention event at Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School.
The notebook by Greg Windle December 20 — 7:22 pm, 2018
Mayor Kenney sat on the edge of the auditorium’s stage Wednesday at Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School, speaking to young people about Philadelphia’s increasing homicide rate. “One homicide is one homicide too many,” Kenney said. “A lot of this has to do with the economy and the fact that, even though the city is doing better, on a certain level, folks are not experiencing the benefits of a growing economy.” He spoke at an event hosted by the city’s Youth Commission that was focused on preventing violence in neighborhoods. People are driven to earn money through crime, Kenney said, “when you don’t have work at all – or work that can pay your bills and take care of your kids. As they say, you’ve still got to eat.” After the opening speeches in the auditorium, students chose among smaller sessions on trauma, preventing violence, and the city’s new violence-prevention plan.
https://thenotebook.org/articles/2018/12/20/sometimes-just-your-presence-matters/

Ears on the Philly Board of Education: December 13, 2018
Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools by Diane Payne December 19, 2018 
All members of the Board were present with the exception of Leticia Egea-Hinton. Seven APPs members were present; five testified on behalf of public education.  Edison High students gave a beautiful performance of Christmas music. In a very touching ceremony, honorary diplomas were awarded to two World War II who enlisted before they graduated. The student violinist played Pomp and Circumstance as they walked down the aisle. (All Board meetings can be viewed on the District website at https://www.philasd.org/schoolboard/ scrolling down and clicking on Watch Previous Board Meetings )
https://appsphilly.net/2018/12/19/ears-on-the-board-of-education-december-13-2018/

Pottstown School Board caps next year's tax hike at 3.3%
Pottstown Mercury by Evan Brandt ebrandt@21st-centurymedia.com @PottstownNews on Twitter December 21, 2018
POTTSTOWN — School taxes will not be raised above 3.3 percent next year as the result of a unanimous vote of the Pottstown School Board Thursday night. During its last meeting of the year Dec. 20, the school board adopted the same resolution it has adopted nearly every year since Act 1 was adopted in 2006. Act 1 was an early attempt at school tax reform by General Assembly and every year it requires the establishment of a tax cap on each of Pennsylvania's 500 school districts. Each district's cap, called an "index," is calculated via a complex formula taking into account inflation, local costs, the district's local tax effort and level of poverty.
https://www.pottsmerc.com/news/pottstown-school-board-caps-next-year-s-tax-hike-at/article_b3fbc4c2-04d9-11e9-af27-83bb388f053c.html

# 1 Killer in Philadelphia could very well be poverty | Editorial
The Inquirer Editorial Board Updated: December 20, 2018 - 5:41 AM
Poverty in Philadelphia is literally killing people. A new study released this week shows that the life span for those doing financially well is decades longer than those who are struggling. The life expectancy at birth of Philadelphians ranges from 64 years to 87 years depending on neighborhood — a 23-year disparity. The Associated Press published data from the National Center for Health Statistics about the life expectancy at birth of nearly 66,000 census tracts nationwide. The project, which was done with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the National Association for Public Health Statistics and Information Systems, maps the data and crosses it with demographic and socioeconomic data for a dimensional picture of the region. The results show that failure to increase wages, create jobs, and provide universal access to education and health insurance is dramatically shortening the lives of poor people in Philadelphia — many of whom are black and brown. For example, the life expectancy at birth in Strawberry Mansion is 64 years. Those living in Fairmount/ Spring Garden can expect to see 87. Those born in the nearby Lower Merion area are likely to have a 92nd birthday.
http://www.philly.com/opinion/editorials/life-expectancy-health-jobs-inequality-20181220.html

Racist threats circulate in Strath Haven HS and community
Inquirer by Kathy Boccella, Updated: December 20, 2018- 3:20 PM
A Delaware County high school is in turmoil over a racist letter left on several doorsteps last weekend of Swarthmore and a seemingly related photo of two youths in Ku Klux Klan-style hoods that students shared widely on social media — prompting probes by local police and the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District. The letter, which circulated on Facebook after several residents reported finding it, praised President Trump and Vice President Pence, and told the recipients to leave the United States, claiming, “There is now a law against filthy nutheads like yourself living in our country.” Students who viewed the photo of two youths wearing white hoods on the social-media site Snapchat on Tuesday, and who believe the photo and the letter are linked, staged a walkout Wednesday morning at Strath Haven High School in Wallingford, Nether Providence Township, that briefly shut down South Providence Road.
http://www.philly.com/news/strathhaven-swarthmore-racist-kkk--20181220.html

Blogger comment: The Harrisburg Diocese most likely receives diverted public tax dollars through the EITC and OSTC tax credit programs.
Unmarried, pregnant teacher can't have her Catholic school job back: bishop
Special to PennLive By John Beauge Updated Dec 20, 1:03 PM; Posted Dec 20, 11:41 AM
SHAMOKIN - The bishop of the Harrisburg Diocese has denied the appeal of the unwed, pregnant teacher who was fired from a Catholic school in Northumberland County. Bishop Ronald Gainer of the Diocese of Harrisburg The diocese, claiming it is a personnel matter, refused to release the contents of the letter Bishop Ronald W. Gainer Wednesday sent to teacher Naiad Reich. The English teacher at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional School in Coal Twp. outside Shamokin was fired Dec. 7 for violating what is commonly known as the morality clause. She had announced she was pregnant and had no immediate plans to marry the father with whom she is living. School board member Tony Varano, who supports Reich, said Thursday the bishop in his letter did not address her situation specifically but cited the mission and policies of the Catholic Church.
https://www.pennlive.com/news/2018/12/bishop_denies_appeal_of_termin.html

Pennsylvania’s underperforming pension funds need new investment approach, state warns
Inquirer by Joseph N. DiStefano, Updated: December 20, 2018- 2:33 PM
Pennsylvania needs a new investment office with better strategies to replace the underperforming offices that manage state and public school pension plans, a commission tasked with recommending changes to the retirement systems with a combined deficit of $75 billion told lawmakers Thursday. A single office would help the State (SERS) and Public School (PSERS) Employees' Retirement Systems cut investment costs, boost pension profits, and reduce pension expenses that currently eat up more than 10 percent of the state budget, according to a new report from the commission. The bipartisan, five-man Pennsylvania Public Pension Management and Asset Investment Review Commission, headed by State Rep. Mike Tobash, (R., Schuylkill Haven) also urged the state (aided by local school districts) to continue paying more than 30 cents into the pensions, for every dollar paid in wages, as the state’s “employer contribution” to help erase past deficits. Tobash said that’s 10 times what private business typically spends on retirements.
http://www.philly.com/business/pennsylvania-state-school-pension-plan-investment-office-deficit-20181220.html

‘Supermajority’ of people across ‘huge swaths’ of Pa. don’t have broadband access, study shows
Centre Daily Times BY SARAH RAFACZ  DECEMBER 20, 2018 07:25 PM,
For some of us, memories of dial-up internet include fighting with our siblings over wanting to use the land-line phone and computer at the same time or spending what felt like forever waiting for just one song to download. Those are trivial problems compared to the ones that some people across Pennsylvania and Centre County face in the age of just about everything being affected by the internet. Today, we pay bills, run businesses, get an education online — and millions are doing it with slow speeds. “For many people in the state, according to the data that we’re getting, dial-up would be an improvement,” said Sascha Meinrath, Palmer Chair in Telecommunications in Penn State’s Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications.
https://www.centredaily.com/news/local/education/penn-state/article222943625.html#navlink=Lead

Assessment appeals yield savings for property owners, but chip away at public budgets
Lancaster Online by TIM STUHLDREHER | Staff Writer
When the countywide reassessment took effect at the start of this year, the collection of properties that make up Rockvale Outlets was valued at $63.75 million. At Park City Center, Boscov’s department store was valued at $8 million. The Walmart Supercenter on Lincoln Highway East: $14.7 million. The one near Ephrata: $14 million. Subsequently, their owners filed appeals. The results? Boscov’s assessment was reduced by $2 million, or 25 percent. The Walmarts’ dropped by more than $2.5 million apiece. And Rockvale’s valuation dropped a whopping 53 percent, to a hair over $30 million. A property’s assessment — along with millage rates — determines how much real estate tax its owner pays. To be sure, no property owner, whether an individual or an organization, is obliged to pay extra taxes. Still, every dollar a property owner saves is a dollar that’s not going to its home municipality, school district or the county. The effect isn’t insignificant, local officials say.
https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/assessment-appeals-yield-savings-for-property-owners-but-chip-away/article_71e09706-04ad-11e9-bf62-432e374ae0b3.html


PDK Poll: School security: Is your child safe at school?
Arming teachers trails other school security measures preferred by parents.
Download the complete 2018 PDK poll report
Security concerns run high after a year marked by horrific school shootings, with just 27% of K-12 parents in the 50th annual PDK Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools expressing strong confidence that their school could deter an attack like those that have wrenched communities across the nation. eaching for solutions, parents overwhelmingly support mental health screening of all students, armed police in the schools, and metal detectors at entrances. Support for allowing teachers and other school staff to carry guns is much lower — 67% of parents prefer not to have their child in a classroom where the teacher is armed, and 63% generally oppose allowing teachers and staff to carry guns. Still, that shifts to an even split if rigorous training and screening are provided. Regardless, most parents don’t believe that armed staff would make their child safer at school — just 26% say so vs. 36% who say students would be less safe. The rest see no difference. A total of 72% in the national survey are less than extremely or very confident in their school’s security. Forty-one percent are “somewhat” confident — a weak result where student lives are concerned — and 31% are less confident than that.
http://pdkpoll.org/results/school-security-is-your-child-safe-at-school

For Black Students, Having a Black Teacher Can Be a Benefit, Study Finds
Education Week By Sasha Jones on December 20, 2018 1:11 PM
By Guest Blogger Sasha Jones
Matching students with teachers of the same race can yield positive effects for some groups of students in math and reading, according to a new study of Tennessee schoolchildren. The study examines longitudinal data, including test scores from the state-mandated TCAP exam, for Tennessee 3^rd through 8^th graders between the 2009-2010 and 2014-2015 school years. Overall, the sample consisted of over 400,000 student observations in reading and over 600,000 in math. Almost 14,000 teachers in about 1,600 schools were examined. The study was co-authored by Ela Joshi and Sy Doan, both doctoral candidates at Vanderbilt University, and Matthew Springer, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Although the study did not find significant effects on student test scores throughout the full sample, certain subgroups did show slight improvement as a result of having a teacher of the same race. Black elementary students scored 0.042 standard deviations higher in reading and 0.075 standard deviations higher in math than they did during years when they were assigned to a teacher of a different race. Similarly, students in the bottom-most performance quartile in math scored 0.061 standard deviations higher and students in the middle two quartiles of performance in math scored 0.044 to 0.049 standard deviations higher. 
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/inside-school-research/2018/12/students_may_benefit_from_teac.html

“Two large, for-profit companies that operate online charters—K12 Inc. and Connections Education—have spent tens of millions of dollars over 15 years on political campaigns and lobbying in states where they have mostly succeeded in opening schools and expanding enrollment.”
Will Indiana Clean Up Its Cyber Charter Mess?
Curmuducation Blog by Peter Greene Thursday, December 20, 2018
It has been over a year since Chalkbeat published a Shaina Cavazos story about virtual schools in Indiana., making clear what a huge mess it has on its hands. Now there's noise that next year the legislature might do something about it. The state of cybers in Indiana should come as no surprise-- even CREDO, a charter-friendly organization, found that cyber schools are literally a waste of students' time. Cavazos found that all the usual problems of charters schools in general and cyber schools in particular were in play in Indiana. Crooked self-dealing, where school operators hired their own companies to provide services for the school. Massive lack of sufficient qualified personnel-- how does a student-teacher ratio of 158-1 sound? Some of the numbers in the Cavazos are staggering-- 10% of budget spent on instruction! 10%!! Cyber schools without "live" lessons-- just log on and read the assignment or watch the video. Teachers feel disconnected, and there are few accountability measures to insure that the actual student did the assigned work.
https://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2018/12/will-indiana-clean-up-its-cyber-charter.html?spref=tw

“Observers and critics link this charter network to the Gulen movement, a secretive Islamic socio-religious network founded in Turkey by the aged cleric Fethullah Gulen, who lives in exile in Pennsylvania. The Turkish government and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blame Gulen and his followers for the failed coup of July 15, 2016. Gulen denied any involvement in the attempted coup, and condemned the plot to overthrow the democratically elected government of Turkey.”
C is for Coup: The Secretive Turkish Religious Movement Tied to Arizona Charter Schools
JOSEPH FLAHERTY | DECEMBER 20, 2018 | 6:00AM
Jessica Avery had been looking to transfer her fourth-grade daughter to a new school when the flyer from Sonoran Science Academy arrived in the mail. At the time around two years ago, Avery was unhappy with her daughter’s Tucson charter school. She found the administration to be standoffish and unhelpful. The advertisement promoting Sonoran Science Academy, a publicly funded Arizona K-12 charter network with a focus on science and technology, seemed like the perfect fit for her kids. Their family has always tried to give the kids an extra push academically, Avery said. The warm welcome they received while visiting the Sonoran Science Academy campus on the east side of Tucson, north of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, helped seal the decision. “Touring the school, when they talked about community, and how the teachers interacted with the parents, we were just like, ‘This is it. This is our new home,’” Avery said. She transferred their daughter immediately, midway through her fourth-grade year. Their son joined the school later, once the school had an opening. But when they joined the charter school, some things struck Avery as odd: There were lots of Turkish teachers and staff. Also puzzling was the school’s offering of a Turkish-language class. Her daughter wanted to learn Spanish, but the class was full, so she was placed in the Turkish course.
https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/the-secretive-turkish-religious-movement-tied-to-arizona-charter-schools-11074828


Save the date: PSBA Advocacy Day at the Capitol in Harrisburg has been scheduled for Monday April 29, 2019

Pennsylvania schools work – for students, communities and the economy when adequate resources are available to give all students an equal opportunity to succeed.
Join A Movement that Supports our Schools & Communities
PA Schools Work website
Our students are in classrooms that are underfunded and overcrowded. Teachers are paying out of pocket and picking up the slack. And public education is suffering. Each child in Pennsylvania has a right to an excellent public education. Every child, regardless of zip code, deserves access to a full curriculum, art and music classes, technical opportunities and a safe, clean, stable environment. All children must be provided a level chance to succeed. PA Schools Work is fighting for equitable, adequate funding necessary to support educational excellence. Investing in public education excellence is the path to thriving communities, a stable economy and successful students.
http://paschoolswork.org/

Build on finance, policy, board culture skills at PSBA’s Applied School Director Training
Four convenient locations in December and January
Take the next step in your professional development with Applied School Director Training. Building upon topics broadly covered in New School Director Training, this new, interactive evening event asks district leaders to dive deeper into three areas of school governance: school finance, board policy and working collaboratively as a governance team. Prepare for future leadership positions and committee work in this workshop-style training led by experts and practitioners. Learn how to:

·         Evaluate key finance documents such as budget and audit materials

·         Review and analyze board policies and administrative regulations

·         Build positive board culture by developing strong collaboration skills

Locations and Dates:
Dec.11, 2018 — Seneca Valley SD
Dec. 12, 2018 — Selinsgrove, Selinsgrove Area Middle School
Jan. 10, 2019 — Bethlehem, Nitschmann Middle School
Jan. 17, 2019 — State College
Cost: This event is complimentary for All-Access members or $75 per person with standard membership and $150 per person for nonmembers. Register online by logging in to myPSBA.
https://www.psba.org/2018/11/applied-school-director-training-state-college/

PASBO is looking for leaders! The deadline for board seats is Dec 31st, 2018.
PASBO members who desire to seek election as Director or Vice President should send a letter of intent with a current resume and picture to the Immediate Past President Edward G. Poprik, PCSBO, who is chair of the PASBO Nominations and Elections Committee.
More info: https://www.pasbo.org/election

NSBA 2019 Advocacy Institute January 27-29 Washington Hilton, Washington D.C.
Register now
The upcoming midterm elections will usher in the 116th Congress at a critical time in public education. Join us at the 2019 NSBA Advocacy Institute for insight into what the new Congress will mean for your school district. And, of course, learn about techniques and tools to sharpen your advocacy skills, and prepare for effective meetings with your representatives. Save the date to join school board members from across the country on Capitol Hill to influence the new legislative agenda and shape the decisions made inside the Beltway that directly impact our students. For more information contact federaladvocacy@nsba.org. 

PSBA Board Presidents’ Panel
Nine locations around the state running Jan 29, 30 and 31^st.
Share your leadership experience and learn from others in your area at this event designed for board presidents, superintendents and board members with interest in pursuing leadership roles. Workshop real solutions to the specific challenges you face with a PSBA-moderated panel of school leaders. Discussion will address the most pressing challenges facing PA public schools.
https://www.psba.org/2018/11/board-presidents-panel-2/

Annual PenSPRA Symposium set for March 28-29, 2019
Pennsylvania School Public Relations Association Website
Once again, PenSPRA will hold its annual symposium with nationally-recognized speakers on hot topics for school communicators. The symposium, held at the Conference Center at Shippensburg University, promises to provide time for collegial sharing and networking opportunities. Mark you calendars now!
We hope you can join us. Plans are underway, so check back for more information.
http://www.penspra.org/

2019 NSBA Annual Conference Philadelphia March 30 - April 1, 2019
Pennsylvania Convention Center 1101 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19107
Registration Questions or Assistance: 1-800-950-6722
The NSBA Annual Conference & Exposition is the one national event that brings together education leaders at a time when domestic policies and global trends are combining to shape the future of the students. Join us in Philadelphia for a robust offering of over 250 educational programs, including three inspirational general sessions that will give you new ideas and tools to help drive your district forward.
https://www.nsba.org/conference

Save the Date:  PARSS Annual Conference May 1-3, 2019
Wyndham Garden Hotel, Mountainview Country Club
Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools
https://www.parss.org/Annual_Conference

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.