focus
On educators
focus on educators is an award winning publication of the Pittsburg Education Association/CTA/NEA www.peateachers.org
The California Teachers Association exists to protect and promote the well-being of its members; to improve the conditions of
teaching and learning; to advance the cause of free, universal, and quality public education; to ensure that the human dignity and civil
rights of all children and youth are protected; and to secure a more just, equitable, and democratic society.
APRIL 2017
Volume XXV, Number 8
Presidents Message
Dear PEA Members,
Spring has sprung and we have a
tentative agreement!!! Flowers are
blooming and bees are buzzing. Its
a state of growth and change all
around us. In the actions you take
each day with your students and
your career, there is great joy to be
had.
As you can tell, spring is my
favorite season. I do have very bad
allergies, but the beautiful colors,
mild weather, and singing birds
make it all worth a little medicine.
Spring break is around the corner
and the smiling doesnt have to stop.
The steadfastness of our Bargaining
Team and the support of our
members were truly amazing! Now
we are golden for the 2016-2017
contract. A vote to ratify the
contract is taking place and the
California Teachers Association
Statement of Mission
ballots will be counted on April 25.
Its a great SPRING thing!!!
I know you have heard it all before,
but it does bear repeating. We have
got work to do.
Public education continues to be
attacked and we are part of the
strong force to fight in this battle.
In order to make sure, as CTA has
said in their mission statement,
to advance the cause of free,
universal, and quality public
education we need to be part of
the campaign of informing the
public as well as government
legislatures of the true value of
public education. We need to be an
advocate for our students and our
profession!
The opportunities are everywhere to
be that voice, but one in particular
you should be a part of coming up.
Monday, May 1, 2017 is a way to be
involved. May 1st is considered the
National Day of Action. This all
started with international workers
rights when on May 1, 1886 the
U.S. Federation of Trade and Labor
Unions made sure that the 8 hour
work day would be the legal work
day. CTA has asked all local
chapters to be involved this May 1st
in a Day of Action to be a voice for
public education and issues related
to our students such as immigration
rights and safe zones.
PEA has asked all site reps to build
a plan with their site members to
have an action for May 1st that
expands awareness of issues near
and dear to them. These could be
multiple things that would show
your support for public education,
our students, and educators all
around you. Get involved and help
your site reps and others on your
campus to have a successful day on
Monday, May 1st. Ideas have been
sent to your site reps, but coming up
with other types would be
incredible. If you havent heard
anything about this so far, check in
with your site rep.
Another way to be part of the
growing movement of advocacy for
public education is to take the
pledge. On the CTA.org website at
https://actionnetwork.org/forms/take
-the-pledge-a-call-to-action-for-the-
public-education-all-californias-
students-deserve, you can take the
pledge for public education that all
students deserve. Encourage your
friends, family, and community
members to do the same.
In Solidarity,
Tammy Carr, PEA President
 PEA Leadership 2016-2017 Rep. Council Meeting Calendar (Tuesdays)
President April 25
Tammy Carr May 16
PEA Office
School Board Meeting Calendar
Elementary Vice President
April 12 & 26
Michell Redfoot
Willow Cove May 10 & 24
Secondary Vice President June 14 & 28
Irwin Manangkil ***********************************
Black Diamond
Are You Getting Your PEA Information?
Secretary
Having our Site Reps collect your input, attend the monthly Rep
Nicole Glassel
meeting and then report back to you is vital in the
Los Medanos
communication chain of our Association.
Treasurer
Bruce Giron Roll call at last March 21st Rep Council Meeting:
Black Diamond
________________________________________________ Adult Ed. present MLK Jr. present
Committee Chairs: Black Diamond present North Campus absent
Grievance Committee Foothill present Parkside present
John Kleinjans Pittsburg High
Heights present PHS - present
Chris Coan Willow Cove
Highlands present Rancho Medanos absent
Negotiations Team
Mark Maselli Chair - Hillview Hillview - absent Stoneman present
Political Action Committee Chairs Los Medanos present Willow Cove present
Chris Coan Willow Cove Marina Vista present
Jim Vaughan Black Diamond
Elections Chair ***********************************
Ruth Foster - Foothill
Human Rights Chair
Yvonne Burton - Foothill
PEA member Michael Haase-Whitaker is PUSD's
Womens Issues Chairs
Teacher of the Year. It is a well-deserved award for
Alicia Puzak Pittsburg High this special teacher of Highlands Elementary. If you
O-Team Chair see her out and about, take a moment to congratulate
Laura Silva - Parkside her for this achievement.
CTA State Council Representatives
Eric Heins and Melonie Sauceda-Flemming were
Mark Maselli Hillview
elected as your local delegates to the annual
Arthur Pruyn (Alt.) Pittsburg High
Representative Assembly of the National Education
Membership Chair Association in Boston, MA, June 29-July 6, 2017.
Lisa Gunderson Los Medanos
Special Education Chairs ***********************************
Michell Redfoot Willow Cove
Melonie Sauceda-Flemming - Hillview
Technical Editor
Susan Harrison PEA Office Administrator

Focus on Educators is a publication of the

Pittsburg Education Association CTA/NEA
159 East 4th Street, Pittsburg, CA 94565 The best teachers teach from the heart, not from
Phone: (925) 432-0199 email: info@peateachers.org
the book.
website: www.peateachers.org
-Author Unknown

2
 Californias Day of the Teacher
This May 10th, educators around the state will mark the 35th
anniversary of Californias Day of the Teacher. This is a time
to honor teachers, demonstrate their impact and a great
opportunity for CTA chapters to reach out to local
organizations and businesses to strengthen the school-
community connection.
We all know our communities share our goals for quality
public schools and recognize public education as being the
cornerstone for strong communities. But its also up to us to
build those vital relationships with parents, community
organizations, local businesses, other unions, the faith
community and seniors. We are all part of that community
and we will best succeed when we work together.
Californias Day of the Teacher has its roots in the
community and is patterned after the celebration of the
traditional El Dia del Maestro, which is observed in Mexico
and Latin America countries. Our Californias Day of the
Teacher arose out of legislation co-sponsored by CTA and
the Association of Mexican American Educators in 1982.
(from cta.org)
PEA invites you to join us in
celebration of
Day of the Teacher
Date: Wednesday, May 10th
Time: 3:30-5:30
Place: La Piata, 95 Bliss Ave.,
Pittsburg
What: Dinner, a drink, and merriment
with fellow educators!
We hope to see you there!
Please RSVP to Susan@peateachers.org
or
432-0199 by May 5TH
3
PEA Member Spotlight
This new column will be a place to hear from our
members who have answered the question of the month.
The question for April is:
What do you like most about Spring?
My favorite thing about Spring is that it means that
summer is not far away.
Deborah Cummings, Willow Cove, 2nd Grade Teacher
I like the change of weather and the longer days.
Martin Santiago, PILC
I enjoy teaching my kindergarten class about plants and
butterflies in Spring. Their amazement and delight in
watching lima beans sprout, fruits and veggies grow in our
planter garden, bare branches bud and bloom on the trees
around our playground, and caterpillars gorge, create a
chrysalis and emerge as butterflies in our classroom net,
remind me why I got into teaching 21 years ago!
Angela Zygaczenko, Marina Vista, Kindergarten
Teacher
***************************************************************************
Demand Safe, Inclusive Schools,
Day of Action - May 1st
CTA leads a day of action at local school sites to support
safe, nurturing schools for all students and to stand against
attacks on public education and immigrant rights. Join in and
take the pledge: cta.org/forallstudents
***************************************************************************
IFT Grants Deadline April 30th
CTA Institute for Teachings grant program shows what
teachers can do when they have the freedom to create and
invent. CTA members can apply for Educator Grants up to
$5,000 and Impact Grants up to $20,000. Recent grantees
include Imperial Valley Discovery Zone (Dan Gibbs, Imperial
Teachers Association), where high schoolers facilitate
teacher-generated, NGSS-aligned lessons for elementary
students; and Babies and Beads (Stacy Williams, San Diego
Education Association), which provides job training,
mentoring, classes and career planning to at-risk students:
teacherdrivenchange.org
 Tentative Agreement
between PEA and PUSD
In the early morning of April 4th around 12:30 a.m. the
tentative agreement between PEA and PUSD was
signed. The PEA Bargaining Team worked diligently
throughout this bargaining cycle and into mediation.
Highlights of the tentative agreement were a 4% raise
with retro pay from July 1, Wednesday staff meetings
with 4 of those meetings during a school year teacher
driven collaboration, and continuing negations on
special education class size averages. The ratification
vote will take place at each individual site as indicated
by site reps. The vote will be counted on April 25 and
results will go out in personal email. Thank you so
much for your support PEA Members, CSEA,
community leaders, and parents. We are also thankful
to the PEA Bargaining Team for all they have done for
our students and our organization!
***************************************************************************
LCAP Workshop May
In speaking to members there seemed to be a need of
more understanding around the Local Control and
Accountability Plan (LCAP). This document is central to
funding of education within our district. We as
educators must understand and give voice to the
decisions made using the LCAP that will affect our
students and our careers. The Local Control Funding
Formula (LCFF) along with the new California
Department of Education Dashboard will also be
explained. PEA Members you are invited to attend the
workshop on Thursday, May 4 from 4-7 p.m. in the
PHS Library. RSVP by Monday, May 1st by emailing
president@peateachers.org or calling (925) 432-0199.
There is no cost to attend. Dinner and drinks will be
provided.
CTA Human Rights and Equity Conference
March 2017
There were many informative sessions at this years Human
Rights Conference, but the one that stands out the most was
Trauma Informed Classrooms and Schools by Laura Kain,
Senior Director of Los Angeles Education Partnership
(LAEP). LAEP is a non-profit that combines resources of
LAUSD and Kaiser to serve low-income public schools.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are stressful or
traumatic events. They can include:
Sexual abuse
Emotional abuse
Physical neglect
Emotional neglect
Mother treated violently
Substance misuse within household
Household mental illness
Parental separation or divorce
Incarcerated household member
Kain states that students who have Adverse Childhood
4th Experiences (ACEs) are more likely to fail a grade in school,
score lower on standardized tests, struggle in receptive and
expressive language, get suspended or expelled, and
frequently placed in special education.
She also states that ACEs can be combated by fostering
resiliency and School Connectedness which includes caring
relationships (support of others, being consistent and
providing structure, and compassionate communication),
meaningful participation (authentic conversations,
cooperative learning, and collaborative opportunities), and
high expectations (students constructing Knowledge, given
supports and accountability for success).
Kain also warns that educators, in addition to working
through their own ACEs, can also suffer from
Secondary/Vicarious Trauma. This is stress that results from
wanting to help someone suffering from trauma. Secondary
trauma can lead to Compassion Fatigue, where the educator
takes on the stress of a single trauma or by taking on
multiple secondary traumas over time. This can ultimately
lead to teacher burnout.
To combat Secondary Trauma and burnout, educators can
participate in Mindfulness and Stress-Reduction classes,
Emotion Skills Training, and Guided Reflections.
For more information go to: http://cshca.wpengine.netdna-
cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Trauma-Informed-
Classrooms-Handout-050516.pdf
Respectfully submitted,
Alicia Puzak, PEA Womens Issues Chair
Pittsburg HS
4
An Informative and Enjoyable Experience at
the New Educator Weekend Conference
The California Teachers Association held a conference
called New Educator Weekend last March 10-12, 2017 at
Irvine, Ca. This conference catered to those who are in their
first five years in the profession. Although I am not
considered a new educator in this regard, the conference
was a good source of information for an educator like me
who is new to the public school system in the US.
The conference had a pre-conference on Friday, March 10.
There were two sessions one of which discussed key
contract provisions in collective bargaining agreement; the
value of CTA membership and options for student loan
forgiveness; while the other one focused on 403 (b) choices.
The first session was empowering for me as it was good to
know that a lot of perks come with our CTA and NEA
memberships (i.e. merchant discounts, legal services,
complimentary life insurance and disaster relief fund). A
complete list of both voluntary and automatic benefits and
other pertinent information can be found on
www.CTAMemberBenefits.org. For educators who incurred
student loans, a good website to look at is
www.CTAMemberBenefits.org/studentloans that gives
information on how to obtain substantial student loan
balances forgiveness.
The second session made me think about saving for the
future as it talked about 403 (b) Retirement Savings Plan. At
the luncheon on the same day, the keynote speaker was a
comedian host named, Rob Black (Rob Black & Your Money)
who presented his insights on finance and money
management in an entertaining way. The idea that was
projected was that teachers pay does not go at par with
other high-paying jobs, but there are options to consider in
order to meet retirement needs in our profession.
For me, the best part was that, the next two days of the
conference were focused on improving ourselves to become
better educators amidst the challenges we encounter in our
profession. On Saturday, March 11, I attended two sessions
in the morning; Universal Design for Learning and How to
Work With Students with Exceptional Needs. These two
topics are very well related as more students are being
diagnosed with learning disabilities in the regular ed
classrooms and may require differentiated instruction from
their teachers. The speakers were experienced educators
that had both offered theoretical and practical perspectives.
Equal opportunities to learn were the key message for me
that day! This goes very well with my goal as a special
educator to provide same opportunities for students with
special needs to learn as their regular ed peers. In the
afternoon, I attended a session entitled, Teaching with
Technology. Not only did the speaker give examples of apps
5
that can be utilized for better parent communication and
classroom behavior management (e.g. ClassDojo and
TeacherKit); he also presented ways on how to obtain
technology for the class through various fundraising
websites. The last day of the conference, Sunday, March 12
ended with a sumptuous brunch and Keynote Address by the
CTA President, Eric Heins. I was happy to know that he also
taught at Pittsburg Unified School District and is a member of
PEA. He did a good job at balancing the political and the
ideal views that surround our profession.
Overall, I had a good experience with a lot of learnings and
reflections, enough for me to say that I will remain to be an
educator for many more years. Thank you PEA for sending
me to this conference.
Respectfully submitted,
France Pascua, Parkside Elementary
***************************************************************************
Poet Edna St. Vincent Millay asked, To
what purpose, April, do you return
again?
As we celebrate National Poetry Month, here
are some tips for introducing poetry into our
classrooms:
1. Begin each class with a poem by a different
poet.
2. Challenge students to memorize poems and
then write them out or recite them from
memory.
3. Read poems aloud to your students.
4. Ask each student to create his or her own
anthology of favorite poems.
5. Organize a poetry contest for teachers and
administrators and select students to act as
judges.
6. Introduce a new poetic form each week and
give examples of poems that use -- or
reinvent -- the form.
 Calendar
April 2017
1 April Fools Day
4 PEA Executive Board PEA Office 159 East 4th St. 4:00 PM
9 Palm Sunday
10 Passover begins at Sundown
12 PUSD School Board Meeting 2000 Railroad Ave. 6:30 PM
14 Good Friday No school
16 Easter
17-21 Spring Break
22 Earth Day
22 W.H.O. Awards Luncheon Fairview Metropolitan, Oakland
25 PEA Rep Council PEA Office 159 East 4th St. 4:00 PM
26 PUSD School Board Meeting 2000 Railroad Ave. 6:30 PM

May 2017
2 PEA Executive Board PEA Office 159 East 4th St. 4:00 PM
2-16 PEA Executive Board & State Council Election
10 Day of the Teacher La Piata 95 Bliss Ave. 3:30-5:00 PM
10 PUSD School Board Meeting 2000 Railroad Ave. 6:30 PM
14 Mothers Day
16 PEA Rep Council PEA Office 159 East 4th St. 4:00 PM
24 PUSD School Board Meeting 2000 Railroad Ave. 6:30 PM
26 First of Ramadan begins at sundown
29 Memorial Day No School

Next Deadline for Articles is Monday, May 8, 2017

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