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.
DECEMBER 2018
Volume XXVII, Number 4
_______________________________________
President’s
Message
Dear PEA Members,
We are almost half way through
the 2018-2019 school year with
our wits intact. The winter break
will hopefully bring you joy and
rejuvenation for your work. Being
an educator can be highly
stressful. The ways we deal with
stress can change from person to
person. As educators there are
factors outside of our control that
may not be right inside our school
or classroom. A survey conducted
by the University of Missouri of
121 elementary teachers found that
California Teachers Association
Statement of Mission
93% felt highly stressed. The
survey also questioned participants
on their coping abilities. Only 7%
said they had low levels of stress
and high levels of coping. The
article that references the survey
data and findings states the
importance of the school,
community, and policymakers in
lifting up the profession and the
voice of the educator. Read more
here:
http://neatoday.org/2018/05/11/stu
dy-high-teacher-stress-levels/
Stress can wear you down. There
are many demands on your time
and energy at work that can be
discouraging. The article by
Patricia A. Jennings on the KQED
site found here
https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/5
2402/changing-how-educators-
see-negative-experiences-in-the-
classroom
describes one way to bring the
good things to the forefront when
negatives seem to be all around
you.
Maybe looking for other ways to
work with students would
invigorate your interactions and
the work you do with kids. Going
to colleagues and speaking to them
about some of their winning
strategies for student learning
could be helpful. Speaking with
other educators about how they
approach different situations
makes for possible positive
forward movement with pupils.
You never know if a small or big
change could propel you to
lowered stress and excitement in
your career. The article linked
below has some ways to meet
students in different ways with
choice:
https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/5
2421/what-giving-students-choice-
looks-like-in-the-classroom
Create a situation in which you
thrive as an educator. This would
only better the education of your
students and hopefully decrease
your stress.
In Solidarity,
Tammy Carr
 PEA Leadership 2018-2019 Rep. Council Meeting Calendar (Tuesdays)
President December 18, January 22
Tammy Carr February 19, March 19
PEA Office
April 16, May 14
Elementary Vice President
Michell Redfoot School Board Meeting Calendar
Willow Cove December 12, January 9 & 23
Secondary Vice President
February 6 & 20, March 6 & 20
Nyssa Ton
April 13 & 17 (LCAP Workshop),
Black Diamond
May 8 & 22
Secretary
Nicole Glassel June 12 & 26, July 24
Los Medanos
Treasurer
Shelly Bascomb
Are You Getting Your PEA Information?
North Campus Having our Site Reps collect your input, attend the monthly Rep
________________________________________________ meeting and then report back to you is vital in the
Committee Chairs: communication chain of our Association.
Grievance Committee
Roll call at last November 13th Rep Council Meeting:
Jill Wery – Pittsburg High
Chris Coan – Willow Cove Adult Ed. – present MLK Jr. – absent
Negotiations Team
Black Diamond – present North Campus – present
Andrea McKinney – Chair – Black Diamond
Foothill – present Parkside – present
Chris Coan – Willow Cove
Heights – present PHS - present
Jeff Greco – Rancho Medanos
Melonie Sauceda-Flemming - Hillview/MLK Highlands – present Rancho Medanos – absent
Political Action Chair Hillview - absent Stoneman – present
Vacant Los Medanos – present Willow Cove – present
Elections Chair
Marina Vista – absent
Sharie Chmura - Parkside
Human Rights Chair
Andrea McKinney – Black Diamond
Women’s Issues Chair
Alicia Puzak – Pittsburg High
Organizing Chair
Laura Silva - Parkside
CTA State Council Representative
Mark Maselli – Hillview
Upcoming CTA Conferences 2018-2019
LGBTQ Chair Issues Conference
Marissa Young-Padilla - Parkside January 18-20, 2019
Special Education Chairs Rio Hotel, Las Vegas, NV
Michell Redfoot – Willow Cove
Melonie Sauceda-Flemming – Hillview/MLK
Good Teaching Conference
Technical Editor
February 1-3, 2019
Susan Harrison – PEA Office Administrator
Fairmont Hotel, San Jose, CA
Focus on Educators is a publication of the
Pittsburg Education Association CTA/NEA
ALCOSTA Events
159 East 4th Street, Pittsburg, CA 94565 Phone: (925) 432-0199
School Board Breakfast
email: info@peateachers.org
February 23, 2019
website: www.peateachers.org
DoubleTree Hilton, Pleasanton, CA

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 Superintendent’s Roundtable
When: Thursday, February 21, 2019
Tuesday, April 9, 2019
Where: PUSD School Board Meeting Room
Every teacher is invited to come and ask questions
and make inquiries. No rsvp is necessary.
Superintendent Schulze will be present.
***********************************************
NEWS
Detailed information for all the scholarships
can be found at cta.org/scholarships
Cesar E. Chavez Memorial Education
Awards Program
This awards program provides recognition
for educators and their students who
demonstrate an understanding of the
vision and guiding principles by which
César Chávez lived his life. The recipients, both students and
sponsoring CTA members, will receive up to $550 (exact
amount will be determined by the Awards committee). Their
work will be recognized by posting visual art and written
essays online and in various CTA publications.
Deadline: March 15, 2019 | Award Amount: up to $550
***********************************************
Martin Luther King Jr.
Memorial Scholarship Fund
The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial
Scholarship Program encourages ethnic
minority students to become educators,
school nurses, school counselors or
school therapists and to promote professional growth for
ethnic minority teachers and ESP members.
Deadline: February 15, 2019 | Award Amount: up to $6,000
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CTA Scholarships
The CTA Scholarship for Dependent Children offers a
maximum of 35 scholarships of up to $5,000 each.
- One scholarship is provided in Honor of Ralph J. Flynn and
is awarded to the highest-scoring applicant.
- One scholarship is provided in Honor of Ruthie Fagerstrom
and is awarded to the second highest-scoring applicant.
-
One scholarship is provided in Honor of Susan B. Anthony
and is awarded to the third highest-scoring applicant.
The CTA Scholarship in Honor of Del A. Weber offers one
scholarship of up to $5,000 to a dependent child of an active
member of CTA, CTA/NEA-Retired or deceased CTA
member who is attending or attended a continuation high
school or an alternative education program.
The CTA Scholarship for Members offers a maximum of
five scholarships of up to $3,000 each.
- One scholarship is designated as the American
Indian/Alaska Native Memorial Scholarship in Honor of Alice
Piper and is awarded to the highest-scoring member
applicant.
- One scholarship is designated for an ESP member who
wants to transition into the teaching profession, provided an
ESP member applies.
The Student CTA (SCTA) Scholarship in Honor of L.
Gordon Bittle offers a maximum of three scholarships of up
to $5,000 each.
- One scholarship is designated as the Pacific Asian
American Scholarship in Honor of Philip Vera Cruz and is
awarded to the highest scoring SCTA applicant.
Deadline: February 1, 2019 | Award Amount: up to $5,000
 GLBT Issues Conference
By Marissa Young-Padilla
PEA LGBTQ Chair, Parkside Elementary
Hello Members!!!
Happy Winter!
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending the ninth
annual CTA GLBT Issues Conference in Palm Springs. This
conference offers a safe space for educators to come
together and discuss issues that affect our members as well
as our students.
One session I attended, was especially powerful. The
director of the film Creating Gender Inclusive Schools,
Jonathan Skurnik of the Youth and Gender Media Project,
led a discussion on gender and the role it has played in each
of our personal and professional lives. Most importantly, how
are schools talking with students about gender in grade-
appropriate ways?
We watched the film which shows how Peralta Elementary
School discusses gender with parents, students, and staff.
“The film is ideal for anyone who wants to understand some
of the ways gender is discussed in classrooms, including
parents, school district administrators, principals, teachers,
counselors and school staff members, because it
demonstrates that creating an inclusive environment for all
children, regardless of where they fall on the spectrum of
gender identity and expression, is achievable and fun. The
film also reminds us that children are teachers too.”
If you are interested in bringing one of the professional
development workshops on trans and gender inclusion to
your school, see the links below.
If you'd like to acquire one or more of the films in the Youth
and Gender Media Project, go to the links below and be sure
to use the discount code CTA2018 to get 25% off the
purchase price.
The Youth and Gender Media Project (all four films)
Creating Gender Inclusive Schools
Becoming Johanna
I'm Just Anneke
The Family Journey
Want to know more? Teach more? Access the following
resources at:
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Gender Spectrum -
https://www.genderspectrum.org/creating-gender-inclusive-
schools/
Youth and Gender Media Project -
http://youthandgendermediaproject.org/
Also, coming up next month, is GLSEN’s No Name-Calling
Week (January 21-25, 2019). This is a week organized by K-
12 educators and students to end name-calling and bullying
in schools. There are many resources available, including
LESSON PLANS for elementary, middle, and high school.
Access is available at https://www.glsen.org/no-name-calling-
week.
GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network)
works to ensure that LGBTQ students are able to learn and
grow in a school environment free from bullying and
harassment.
If you are willing to identify yourself as a safe person and
your classroom as a safe place, please consider displaying a
poster and/or sticker in your room/office. They are available
for purchase but there is also a free downloadable kit which
has a sticker compatible with Avery label 5163.
Want to label your classroom as a safe space? If you haven’t
had a chance to get your poster or if your materials are
fading like mine, head over to the GLSEN website to order
your GLSEN “Safe Space Kit” at
https://www.glsen.org/safespace
In addition to displaying the Safe Space materials for all to
see, thank you for creating and maintaining a safe
environment for our kids.
*********************************************************************
California Casualty’s $7,500 School Lounge
Makeover is Back!
Madrid Middle School Principal Bonnie T. hated going to her
school’s staff lounge. It was dark, dingy and full of old,
dilapidated tables and chairs. “I think everything in there was
from when the school opened 23 years ago,” she said. “It’s
not the most inviting of places.”
Does that sound familiar? If so, here’s your chance to do
something about it.
Due to popular demand, California Casualty’s $7,500 School
Lounge Makeover® is back.
CTA members wishing to turn their ordinary lounge into
something extraordinary can enter to win a lounge makeover
at www.NewSchoolLounge.com/CTA. The entry deadline is
July 12, 2019.
Serving CTA since 1951, California Casualty knows the
importance of a designated space where instructors and
school staff can take time to relax, recharge and share with
their colleagues.
While educators give so much to their students and
communities, all too often their lounge is one of the most
neglected areas of a school.
Let California Casualty turn your school’s drab break room
into something delightful. The School Lounge Makeover will
create a restful environment that nurtures creativity and
provides a place for staff to catch their breath.
Your school could join these California schools that have
received a makeover: Warner Middle School in Westminster,
Sunnydale Elementary School in Lancaster, Gilbert High
School in Anaheim, and Madrid Middle School in El Monte
Bonnie T. was moved to tears after witnessing the school’s
revamped lounge. “I’m happy for the teachers and staff
because the area needed serious attention,” she said. “To
have a place that is a real break room will make a difference
for everyone.”
Bonnie retired a few months after the school lounge
makeover at her school, and added, “I feel as if I have left
something of real value for the incredible staff.”
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“We’ve seen the dedication of administrators, teachers and
staff firsthand and we’re proud to show our appreciation,”
said California Casualty Sr. Vice President, Mike McCormick.
California educators can transform their school lounge by
simply entering for a $7,500 School Lounge Makeover at
www.NewSchoolLounge.com/CTA. All staff members can
enter to increase their school’s chances of being picked.
The deadline to enter is July 12, 2019. A winner will be
announced later that month.
Founded in 1914, California Casualty has partnered with
CTA to provide members auto and home insurance tailored
to their professional needs since 1951. Headquartered in
San Mateo, California, with Service Centers in Arizona,
Colorado and Kansas, California Casualty has been led by
four generations of the Brown family. To learn more, or to
request an auto insurance quote, please visit
www.CTAMemberBenefits.org/calcas, or call
1.800.800.9410.
***********************************************
Tips to Help You Stop Stressing
About Your Finances
The best thing you can do to reduce financial worries is to
get a good handle on your financial situation and make a
solid plan and budget.
These days, making ends meet in California is harder than
ever, and with the second highest cost of living in the United
States, we all must develop a game plan to reduce our
financial burdens. Get started on the right path by:
1. Knowing where your money is going
a. Track your spending: at the end of the month,
you might be startled to see how much money
leaked away on impulse purchases or luxury
spends.
b. Make a budget: find a method that works for
you, there are several options - try a few on for
size until one works for your situation.
2. Knowing what you owe
a. Make a list or a spreadsheet of every debt you
have: student loans, mortgage, car payment,
credit card balances, child support, etc.
b. Add up the minimum monthly payments so you
have a clear idea of how much money is
needed to support your debt payments.
3. Setting attainable money goals
a. Contribute to a 403(b), individual retirement
account (IRA), or some other retirement vehicle
before focusing on paying down debt.
b. Find a method to begin slowly reducing your
debt, especially credit card debt if that is the
biggest burden.
4. Creating a few long-range goals
a. This is where you think about what you want to
accomplish in your life: start a business, own a
home, have a family, travel to exotic locations -
whatever the goals, start setting them.
b. Once you have set reasonable goals, build
action plans that will start you moving towards
those goals: saving money, reducing spending,
building your credit, learning new skills, etc.
5. Building action plans that will start you moving towards
those goals
a. Find out what you don’t know, talk to
professionals, read reputable financial articles
and blogs.
b. Once you have improved your basic
knowledge, start thinking about increasing your
expertise, and seeking the help of reputable
financial professionals. When working with
financial advisors, be careful of commissioned
arrangements as these will affect your desired
outcomes.
6
6. Relaxing and Celebrating Your Success
a. If you have made the above moves, then you
are on the path to a more promising financial
future, so relax, work your plan, and don’t
stress over the moment.
b. It is also important to celebrate your successes.
When you reach your 403(b) monthly
contribution goal or pay off a credit card,
celebrate with something small that reminds
you how important it is to trust your plan.
Every Penny Counts
Unlike a bank, Provident Credit Union, the only CTA-
endorsed credit union, is a not-for-profit organization, which
means they work for you and not for shareholders. Because
of their unique tax-exempt status, they are able to help you
start on the path to a financially stress-free life by offering
CTA members an opportunity to:
 Earn a $150 New Account Bonus
 Reap high yield dividends with their Super Rewards
Checking account (currently 2.01% APY) on
balances up to $25,000
 Save thousands over the life of auto and mortgage
loans with the exclusive 0.125% rate discount for
CTA members
Nationwide Access
Through their Co-Op network, you can easily access your
money nationwide through the use of nearly 30,000
Surcharge-Free ATMs and over 5,600 Shared Branches.
With more ATMs than most of the biggest banks, you can
access your money without your budget taking a hit. You can
find Surcharge-Free ATMs at selected places you shop, such
as: 7-Eleven, Circle K, Costco, Publix, Dunkin Donuts and
Rite-Aid, and many more locations near you.
To learn more about Provident Credit Union, go to
www.CTAMemberbenefits.org/provident, click on the
brochure attached, or call 800-632-4600. To learn about
your other CTA Member Benefits, go to
www.CTAMemberBenefits.org. You can also find
information on finances and investing at www.CTAinvest.org.
 Managing Holiday Expectations The Workshop NOT
to be Missed!

“Doin’ the Deep Dive”

The holiday season only comes once a year, and while it’s
understandable to aspire for perfection, it’s important to set
realistic, attainable goals. The following are a few key tips for
avoiding the stress of perfection.
 Make a budget. While the average American
household spent nearly $1,000 on holiday gifts in
2017, it’s important not to go overboard. Do your
best to stick to a budget while still leaving a small
amount extra for wiggle room; the holidays tend to
bring out the generosity in us.
 Come up with a plan. Spread out your errands, so
you don’t become overwhelmed with too many
tasks at once, and don’t forget to schedule some
relaxation time!
 Find the best time to shop. Malls are less
crowded on weekdays and weeknights. If you can
manage, try to go during the day and park farther
away from the stores. Your time in the sunlight
walking to or from your car can boost your serotonin
levels. Practicing mindful activities while you wait in
line can also help you stay calm among the holiday
shopping chaos.
 Be kind to yourself. All you can do is your best
and your best is good enough. It’s impossible to
please everyone, but we are often our own harshest
critics.
Keep in mind that the holidays are about spending time with
loved ones, not gifts. Your friends and family will be happy to
create memories with you, so don’t worry about finding an
expensive gift or if they will like it; they will appreciate your
efforts and affection regardless of what you give them.
The holidays bring joy and happiness as well as frustration
and stress. This holiday season, you may have many things
to take care of, but the most important one is yourself.
7
Presented by Pat Rucker
This interactive study session will guide folks
through the updated and revised California
School Dashboard. Session participants will
learn how to use the new dashboard tools to (1)
identify local priorities, (2) develop critical
questions concerning the state system of
support and (3) use bargaining tools in the
collective bargaining law to frame new
conversations with the district. You will also
hear and understand the latest news regarding
LCAP!
Tuesday, January 15, 2019
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
PEA office
159 E. 4th St., Pittsburg
Food will be provided!!!
Please RSVP by Friday, January 11
to info@peateachers.org or
call 925-432-0199
About our Speaker:
Patricia Rucker is a part of CTA’s Governmental
Relations advocacy team. She is the Association’s
expert on Accountability, School Support and
intervention.
Additionally, Patricia serves on the California
State Board of Education.
 Calendar
December 2018
2 Hanukkah begins at sundown
4 PEA Executive Board – PEA Office – 159 East 4th St. – 3:45 PM
12 PUSD School Board Meeting – 2000 Railroad Ave. – 6:30 PM
18 PEA Rep Council – PEA Office – 159 East 4th St. – 3:45 PM
21 Winter begins
24 Christmas Eve
24-4 Winter Recess
25 Christmas Day
26 Kwanzaa begins
31 New Year’s Eve

January 2019
1 New Year’s Day
8 PEA Executive Board – PEA Office – 159 East 4th St. – 3:45 PM
9 PUSD School Board Meeting – 2000 Railroad Ave. – 6:30 PM
18-20 Issues Conference, Rio Hotel, Las Vegas, NV
21 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – Holiday – No school
22 PEA Rep Council – PEA Office – 159 East 4th St. – 3:45 PM
23 PUSD School Board Meeting – 2000 Railroad Ave. – 6:30 PM

Next Deadline for Articles is Monday, January 14, 2019

STAY INFORMED @ peateachers.org
cta.org & nea.org
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