VOLUME 1 ISSUE 3 MARCH 2023

Your NHEA
PSEA Western and
South Western Region
NHEA President Connects Leadership Conference

with NEA in San Fransisco Learning Track

Professional Rights &
Responsibilities

Session 1
PSEA Code of Ethics
and Professionalism

Session 2
MAPS: Mutual
Advocacy Problem
Solving

From the Desks of the President & Vice-President

Learning Track
Dear NHEA Members, Technology in the
Classroom and Your
Local Association
Here we are finally heading into the last quarter of the year! As usual, the time has
flown by while at the same time we feel like we're crawling (limping even) toward
summer. Session 1
Constitution and
Bylaws in a Virtual
March was a busy month for your leadership team. Vicki was in San Francisco at the
NEA Leadership Summit while the rest of the team was in Washington, PA for the World
Southwestern and Western Region Leadership Conference. In this issue, you will read
about the things that we learned at these two conferences. Thank you for supporting us Session 2
in endeavors such as these so that we can bring information back to our own local. We Technology in
are stronger together: in our local, in our region, in our state, and in our nation. Education 2.0:
Resources and Apps
As always, thank you for giving us your trust. We work hard every day to continually for Today’s Digital
earn it. Enjoy the newsletter, and contact us at vickitruchan@gmail.com or Age
riker150@gmail.com if you have any questions or comments. We are here to serve you
in the best way that we are able.

In Unity,
Vicki & Rich

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 PHOTOS
VOLUME 1 ISSUE 3 MARCH 2023

Je n, an d Steve
e,
il l , Ch ris, Sherri H EA with
R ich , J gio n & N
in g W e stern Re
Repp
C!
PSEA LD

Vicki in San Fransisco Repping Western Region & NHEA with NEA!

NHEA Learning from Coast to Coast!

PSEA Members at the NEA Leadership Summit

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 VOLUME 1 ISSUE 3 MARCH 2023

Take-Aways from
PSEA's Western Region
Leadership Conference
Learning Track: Professional Rights &
Responsibilities: Session 1--Code of
Member Responsibility
‣ Session 1 was a discussion of the purpose of
the PSEA Code of Member Responsibility.
‣ To maintain a positive and respectful work
environment, members are encouraged not to make
negative comments about their colleagues to
supervisors, administrators, or management level
‣ It is expected that all members will uphold the principle
employees unless it is required by law or if the
behavior in question poses an immediate risk of of allowing fellow members the freedom to express
harm to others. their viewpoints on matters related to the union.

‣ To promote a constructive and respectful work
environment, members are requested to avoid
making public criticisms about the job
performance of their colleagues. If a member has
concerns regarding the job performance of another
member, there is a procedure established by the
local that should be followed to address these
concerns in a professional and constructive
manner.
‣ To ensure that all members have a fair chance to
participate in the discourse surrounding union matters,
appropriate opportunities for debate and discussion will
be provided. Once discussions have been concluded
and votes have been taken, it is expected that members
will abide by the principle of majority rule.
‣ To establish expectations for members of the handling
of internal union matters and the importance of
maintaining confidentiality and internal solidarity
among members, discussions related to union matters
should be conducted solely within the union.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS!
‣ Please think twice before posting on your social media accounts! For example,
do not criticize your employer, include photos of students, or post questionable
material.

‣ Administration can use virtual lessons for teacher evaluations, and anything we
create for an online class belongs to the school district since you were paid to
create the material.

‣ Please register for our website! You can find many resources and important
documents on our site, which can be found HERE.

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 VOLUME 1 ISSUE 3 MARCH 2023

Take-Aways from
PSEA's Western Region
Leadership Conference
(con't)
Learning Track: Professional Rights &
Responsibilities: Session 2--MAPS
(Mutual Advocacy Problem Solving)
‣ Mutual Advocacy Problem Solving is about a
party's interests in all aspects of the problem and
then developing mutually acceptable options to
solve those problems. It is grounded on interest-
Take-Aways from PSEA's
based bargaining and collaboration. Western Region
Leadership Conference
‣ It is different than positional-based bargaining.
‣ Positional-based bargaining parties are seen as (con't)
adversaries, and there is a demand for
concessions. The goal is winning, misleading, Learning Track: Technology in the
and using tricks. Parties dig into the position, Classroom and Your Local Association:
applies pressure, and looks for wins for your side
alone. Session 1-- Constitution and Bylaws in a
‣ MAPS parties are joint problem solvers. The Virtual World
goal is wise decision making and working
together to determine who gets what. The focus ‣ Local bylaws should include virtual meeting language to
should be on interest, not positions. Parties allow for flexibility and necessity. (several examples were
should be open about interests, use fair looked at and discussed). NHEA executive board received a
principles, insist on objective criteria, consider copy of the presentation with example language.
multiple answers, use reason, yield to principle,
(not pressure), and look for win-win
‣ Virtual Meeting PSEA recommendations to consider for next
opportunities.
year:
‣ Regardless of meeting type (in-person, full virtual, or
‣ For example: The current teacher shortage is a hybrid) All members of rep council should be able to
problem for both the district and NHEA; both sides participate the same, make motions, engage in
have an interest in solving this problem. The discussion, and vote.
solution is bargaining for higher starting pay; a
better salary scale benefits the district in attracting ‣ Every member needs to have the EXACT same rights as
teachers and benefits the members by providing a those attending “in-person” meetings.
salary that is more fair to us as professionals. ‣ Associations must utilize a platform that is capable of
handling time and participant numbers. EX: Use of
Google Meets, Zoom, and proper sound and video
capabilities.

FOLLOW US! ‣ Use and maintain current member PSEA personal emails
for all association business.
‣ Virtual meeting links should never be forwarded by
members to non-members. It should be noted often and
regularly that meetings are for members only.
‣ Clear rules and methods for virtual/hybrid meetings
should be established to ensure smooth participation for
all members regardless of attendance type. (i.e. voting,
motion making, participating in debate).
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 VOLUME 1 ISSUE 3 MARCH 2023

Take-Aways from
PSEA's Western Region
Leadership Conference
(con't)
Learning Track: Technology in the
Classroom and Your Local Association:
Session 2-- Technology in Education
2.0: Resources and Apps for Today’s
Digital Age, Educators and Students. How Do We Create a New Learning
Presented by: Chris Clayton- PSEA Director of
Environment for the Ever Changing
Education Services Technological World?

‣ We need to help prepare students for jobs that do ‣ A Centrally Organized Classroom
not exist yet.
‣ We must have a centralized hub for information (ex.
‣ We need to balance technology with paper. The Google Classroom).
use of technology for the sake of using
technology is not always the best way. ‣ Clear Communication
‣ Keep it clear, concise, and easy to follow and find
‣ Teachers are the curricular GPS; we need to use
information
the technology to guide the students. This entails
teaching the students how to use the technology
‣ Lesson Design: Incorporation-Capture-Encode
for learning and productivity in our classrooms.
Students use technology for gaming, ‣ Help make learning remain in long-term instead of
socialization, and communication. short-term memory

‣ Students have an overabundance of information.

‣ Options for Designing and Delivering Content
This information is at their fingertips and to the
second. Our job is to harness how they utilize ‣ Lesson planning and delivery (use multiple methods
technology to develop and produce high-level for content introduction)
learning.
‣ Options for Student Demonstration of Learning
‣ Allow for creative and personal demonstrations of
learning (Ex. picto charts, podcast creations, make

FOLLOW US! & create Google tours).

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 VOLUME 1 ISSUE 3
Take-Aways from NEA's
National Leadership
Summit
Session 1: Prioritizing Racial Justice
and the Need for Anti-Racist Educators
‣ Racial Justice is the systematic fair treatment of
people of all races that results in equitable
opportunities and outcomes for everyone.
‣ We need this in education to create opportunities
for our increasingly diverse public school
communities to promote systemic fair and
equitable treatment for people of all races and to
cultivate leaders who will lead with a race equity
lens. This helps us educate students fairly.
Session 2: ESP & Teachers Uniting to
WIN!
‣ We need to identify key commonalities between
our associations so that we can find unique ways
we can support each other through labor actions.
‣ We need to encourage members of both
associations to not just work together but actively
promote the other's goals through fostering
respect and camaraderie between the two groups.
‣ Some locals actually negotiate at the same table
with their ESPs, which benefits both groups.
‣ We should be developing leaders and committees
together to fight as one strong group.
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MARCH 2023
Session 3: Listening to Association Silences
to Amplify Collective Voice
‣ Why are members sometimes quiet?
‣ Many don't engage unless it's something that
directly affects them.
‣ As leaders, we need to make sure we are going to
places to hear the voices of those who are quiet.
‣ Meeting is at the heart of communicating and
organizing.
‣ Be sure to set a tone at meetings that gives people
voice through fostering a culture that provides them
with the courage to engage.
‣ During meetings, use your own personal stories to
relate to others. Always stay in the line of sight of
the person speaking. Listen with your whole self,
and create the time for people to talk.
Session 4: What Does It Really Mean to Be
the Local President: Tips, Tricks, and Traps
of Local Leadership
‣ This was a collaborative round table discussion.
‣ I learned that Pennsylvania has strong labor laws. I
was in the room with presidents who work in states
who do not have collective bargaining rights and who
do not even have the right to strike.
‣ Many of these locals do not have association days or
release time written into their contracts.
‣ I was surprised that some locals have presidents who
do not teach during the time that they are president
(full time release), while other locals have presidents
who do not even have a duty period to work for their
associations. The discrepancies are enormous.
‣ I was very proud to represent our local in this national
group of presidents.