Graduate Credits & Salary Upgrades Workshop

Thursday, May 23rd // 4:30 - 6PM // Kensington CAPA (1901 N. Front St.)

Have you maximized your salary as a school district employee? At this workshop, we will share the most effective ways to earn graduate credits online in order to shift to a better salary schedule, as well as how to navigate the district process of submitting the paperwork. Anybody who has not yet earned any graduate credits on top of their Bachelor's or Master's degree should be at this event. See the flyer above for more info, and click here to RSVP Now!

Everyone knows that educators are talented people- but often the day to day life of school doesn't give them the chance to show off some of their other amazing talents. 

Check out some of these great ways to support Philly educators while buying gifts for the holidays this winter!

Would you like to be added to this list, or know an educator/parent who should be on it? Let us know at [email protected]. This post will be updated as new submissions are received.

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AlmaSM/bunnymermaid- illustration and printed works

Alma Sheppard-Matsuo, HS English Teacher

Description: Printed works with a fantastical spin, contains posters, books and cards that feature fairy tale figures, lore, legends and astrological influences.

Where can we find you?

-Etsy Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/AlmaSM

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If you haven't yet noticed, the new PFT contract means that the District will again be honoring advanced degrees and graduate credits starting July 1st, 2017. Additionally, the contract has preserved the Senior Career Teacher status, which requires ten years of service, state certifications in two or more subjects, and a Masters degree plus 60 additional credits. 

Don’t let your salary losses accumulate more than they have to (see this chart compiled by the Caucus of Working Educators). If you have the credits, you can move up a lane immediately to Masters +30 and, once you hit your 10-year anniversary and earn an additional 30 credits, submit your paperwork for Senior Career Teacher.

This will significantly help minimize the amount of money you may have lost during the status quo contract freeze from 2013-17 and help you recoup much of that salary. 

You can examine the current Salary Schedule here.

(If you are not sure what salary schedule you are at, you can either multiply BASE pay on your paycheck by 21.7 or click here to go to the District's Open Data and search for your name under Employee Information. All of our salaries are public information.)

You can examine the District's requirements and protocol (both Masters + 30 and Senior Career) for Salary Upgrades here.

Once you have completed enough graduate credits (90 credits above your Bachelors, after having obtained a Masters) for Senior Career then make sure you have dual certification. You can view Teaching Certificates offered in PA here (Note: K-12 Certificates already pre-qualify as dual cert.)

You can register for your Praxis Exam here.

Finally, the following is just a short list of online courses priced under $400 for 3 credits. If you find more, please leave them in the comments section for others to see and so that we can edit this list as time goes on!

MAKE SURE TO VERIFY THAT A UNIVERSITY IS ACCREDITED BY CLICKING HERE AND SEARCHING FOR THE INSTITUTION PRIOR TO ENROLLMENT!

• Shepherd University (3 Graduate credits for $282) Advertised through SDP website here and direct website: http://virtualeduc.com/shepherd/

• Andrews, Greenville, and Loyola Marymount through Advancement Courses (3 Graduate credits for $449) Up to 15% discount until June 30th using promo code SUM10 (10% for 1 or 2 courses) or SUM15 (15% for 3+ courses) https://www.advancementcourses.com/

• University of La Verne (3 Graduate credits for $345) https://www.pdcourses.net/index.php

• University of California – San Diego (3 Graduate credits ranging from $271 to $374) https://webteaching.com/

• PBS TeacherLine – numerous universities participate (3 Graduate credits ranging from $300-$400) http://www.pbs.org/teacherline/earn-credit/

• Augustana, Colorado St. Pueblo, Lourdes, Marygrove, Pacific Lutheran through Learners Edge (3 Graduate credits for $425) Get $70 off each course until June 30th using promo PHLSDSU1707 (ordering one course) or PHLSDSU1754 (order two or more) http://www.learnersedgeinc.com/

On January 3rd, we joined teachers from all over the school district for the 3rd annual Philly Collaboration of Educators.  Caucus members leading sessions on immigration justice, racial justice, using restorative justice in the classroom, and educating in a climate of political change.  We were able to share resources, ideas for our classrooms and schools, and ways of bringing new topics to our students.  These workshops arose from deep organizing that is a part of building social movements, participation in summer book groups, facilitation of inquiry to action groups organized by Teacher Action Group - Philadelphia, and daily conversations with fellow educators in our buildings. 

In our current system, professional development often arises from a top-down system that reflects a a deep need of student and teacher voices.  This constant work of reclaiming professional development means that we take ownership of the time that we spend and the content of our focus as we grow as teachers to our students, commit ourselves to reflective practice in our communities of colleagues, and leaders in our schools.  This is not a one time event - rather, it is a campaign to sustain autonomy over what we teach and learn in our classrooms. We can't wait to see you at the next one. 

Want to get professional development from your colleagues that really makes a difference? Ask your administrators now for permission to register for...

Philly Collaboration of Educators

Tuesday, April 26th, 2016 (PD Day)

At McCall School (K-8)

and Central High School (9-12)

The sixth annual Collaboration of Educators is the outcome of the collective knowledge and creativity of Philadelphia educators. This is a grassroots, staff-led day of relevant and useful workshops.

View the Draft Agendas (workshops and tables added daily):

• McCall School Agenda Map: 325 South 7th Street, 19106

• Central High School Agenda Map: 1700 West Olney Avenue, 19141

Propose a Workshop!

• McCall K-8 Proposal Form

• Central High School Proposal Form

Register to Attend!

• School District of Philadelphia employees must log in and register on PhilaSD.org > SchoolNet >PD Planner for Act 48 credit.

• Non-school district employees register here.

Participants will choose their workshops on the day of the event.

Join the Facebook Event and Twitter #PhillyEdCollab for updates and discussions.

For more information contact Tom Quinn: [email protected]

WE and Teacher Action Group are among the educators working to reclaim professional opportunities across the city in the new year. We all know the best PDs are designed and facilitated by our own staff and the school district must stop outsourcing our PD to opportunist corporate consultants like Mastery and Danielson. So if you want to escape from another "data-driven" school district PD day, you are invited to register for meaningful workshops at this year's three Philly Collaborations of Educators at Science Leadership Academy, McCall Elementary, and Central High School. These events depend on our collective energy and participation so propose a workshop! See below for these and many other opportunities to reclaim PD and return the professionalism to our profession!

• January 8-10 - Reclaiming Our Future: The Black Radical Tradition In Our Time

• January 23 - Biology PD for middle and high school teachers.

• January 29-31 - EduCon - Register for Conversations here and create a Meetup with colleagues.

• February 11 through the spring - Teacher Action Group - Inquiry to Action Groups (ItAGs) - Inquiry to action groups are spaces for all invested in education for liberation and social justice to learn alongside each other around a theme, and plan actions for communal sharing and uplift. Contact TAGPhilly.

• February 26 (SDP PD day) - Philly Collaboration of Educators at Science Leadership Academy - Submit workshop proposals now.

• February 26-27 - Ethnography in Education Research Forum - Free for SDP educators.

• February 26-28 - United Opt Out Conference: Transcending Resistance, Igniting Revolution

• March 19-20 - Educational Conference sponsored by the PFT Health and Welfare Fund (Contact the H&W Fund to propose a workshop)

• April 14-17 - The White Privilege Conference: Understanding, Respecting, & Connecting

• April 26 (SDP PD Day) - Philly Collaboration of Educators at McCall School - Submit workshop proposals now.

• April 26 (SDP PD day) - Philly Collaboration of Educators at Central High School - Featuring Keynote Speaker (and supporting WE member) Edwin Mayorga - Submit workshop proposals now.

• April 30 - Education for Liberation Conference - Stay tuned to the TAG Philly website for information or email TAG Philly to propose a workshop.

• May 14 - Philadelphia Diversity Conference - A Philly student-led conference (for high school students only)! Stay tuned for 2016 details.

• Every Thursday – The Philadelphia Teachers’ Learning Cooperative – Contact Betsy Wice at [email protected] or Lynne Strieb at [email protected] for more information

In Philadelphia, teachers must beg, borrow, and (hopefully not) steal books and materials to start the school year. Until the Pennsylvania legislature, releases a budget that fairly funds public education in our state, City Council releases funds they have allocated for schools, and the SRC prioritizes teachers and students over administrators and data, our students will go without many of the materials they need to learn effectively.

WE members have been hearing from teachers across the district about desperate lack of supplies. This spreadsheet is an emergency response to post books that are needed to start classes, and any surplus books that may be hiding in book closets around the city or nearby suburbs:

http://tinyurl.com/EmergencyBookTrade

Please take a look to see if you have anything to offer, and if you know of someone in need make sure they post here as well.

Then contact your State legislators [www.pa.gov/Government] to demand and end to starvation budgets in Philly!

Member-driven Caucus of Working Educators