Want to check your PA voter registration status or register to vote for the first time? Want to know what’s involved with the new mail-in ballot option? Do you know that “straight ticket” voting will no longer be an option at the ballot box?
Here are the links you need to stay informed and take action.
Mail In And Absentee Balloting In PA.
Now you can sign up for a new mail-in balloting option, or vote “absentee” without many of the restrictions required before to do so – and if you like, you can exclusively become a mail-in voter.
But there are certain steps you need to take. The link above is where to start—and remember if you choose mail-in balloting for the primary, you’ll have to repeat the process for the general election in November.
Check Your Registration Status & Register To Vote In PA.
Checking your registration status is simply good housekeeping to see that you remain active in the record system, and stay apprised of any district or polling place changes.
The link below takes you to an interface that allows you
to search by name, or by PA driver’s license number.
If you’re registering to vote for the first time, congratulations! The next most important thing to know is that your registration is not complete until processed and accepted by your county voter registration office.
To vote in the next election (starting with the primary on April 28), you must complete your application by 04/13/2020.
We’ll update this article throughout the 2020 election
season and keep it active on the homepage—if you have any suggestions or questions—simply reach out to the PFT!
Our PFT Painting with a Twist party is booked and ready for members to sign up. Click here to register–enter the passcode TEACH to reserve your spot!
Painting With A Twist! Saturday February 22nd from 11:00- 1:00 PM BYOB—with free Mimosas and snacks provided by the PFT Social Committee. ** LIMIT OF 20 PFT ARTISTS! Register today! **
YOU CAN DO IT! Here’s what we’re painting! What could be better than taking an art class, finishing your own original painting AND a Mimosa or two? Doing so among PFT friends after our General Membership Meeting! (or even if you can’t make the meeting for some reason).
Click here to sign up right now—space is limited to just 20 PFT artists! Enter the word TEACH as your passcode to register on the site.
General Membership Meeting Saturday, February 22, 2020 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM! Breakfast served. Childcare available. At the PFT! 10 South 19 Street, Pittsburgh PA 15203 BE HERE to get INSIDE SCOOP you won’t get ANYWHERE else! (Not in the Notes or PFT News)
PFT Contract Negotiations Update
Grievance Proceedings Update
Member Pledge to Vote & Mobilize
2020 Primary Election Survey
PFT ELECTION YEAR! NATIONAL ELECTION YEAR! CENSUS YEAR!
FEATURING: PFT Attorney Noah Jordan “Weingarten Rights: What you REALLY need to know!”
ALL THIS includes a tasty catered breakfast! 50/50 Raffle! RSVP Raffle! Childcare available! Plus an optional “Painting with a Twist” member social event nearby shortly after our meeting adjourns!
You can always count on PFT
members to be generous and to reach out to others who need help!
As
another successful PFT/ACLC Stuff the Bus comes to an end—just look how great
the PFT lobby looks before PFT staff loads up to take all of these beautiful
toys over to the Allegheny County Labor Council meeting tonight to STUFF THAT BUS and help
the families of union members in need!
On behalf of Darrin Kelly, the
Executive Board of the ACLC and all our union brothers and sisters—thank you
for your generosity, kindness and endless giving PFT spirit. I always expect
nothing less!
The Para to Sub Program is Starting Up Again this Year! Please Help to Make Sure that Administration and Everyone Follows the Rules!
We’re so happy that many of our paraprofessionals were given the opportunity to teach and to earn extra money, but we also want to make sure that teachers are not left without the supports they need and that special education federal/state laws are not being violated in any way that comes back to bite anyone.
That is why we keep pushing the rules that were so carefully vetted through the PFT and the BOE. Every PFT Building Rep has a set in her/his Binder that was distributed at the start of the year, and we have plenty more of those here at the office.
Once again, here are the rules for the Para to Sub Program below.
PARAS—REMEMBER the following about eligibility:
CERTAIN paraprofessionals (only if they are interested and willing) will be eligible to work as substitutes IF they have a degree, and IF it does not leave students and teachers without supports.
Eligible with no restrictions: EA1s Student Services Assistants
Eligible only within their own classroom provided students receive appropriatelevels of support (i.e. substitute paraprofessional) and legally-mandated adult-to-student ratios are maintained: Assistant Teacher Classroom Assistant Educational Assistant II Educational Assistant III Educational Assistant IV JROTC Noncommissioned Instructional Assistant
For example …
Special Education paraprofessionals assigned to one classroom like ES rooms, LSS rooms, AS room, or Therapeutic Rooms can only sub IN THEIR OWN CLASSROOM! AND IF there is no teacher sub available and IF they provide a para sub.
Paras, if you have a disagreement with these rules, please give us a call at 412.431.5900—don’t argue with the teacher in your room; he/she had nothing to do with the policies of the program. We can fill you in on every decision that was made because PFT staff was there through all of the intensive negotiations—412-431-5900.
Several members have asked for a protocol on water emergencies in our District and city for the rare occasion they are needed, like the sudden South Hills water main break that crippled water supplies on Friday September 20th.
Our great friend and General Foreman for the District, Ed Reinhart walked us through the steps the District takes when deciding to close a school(s) or remain open. Ed reported that:
If a school/schools has NO water before the start of the school day, they make the decision based on the size of the school and the number of schools that are affected.
If it is a small or smaller school and/or a manageable number that drinking water can be drayed into and water can be taken or drawn from to flush the toilets—then school is on.
If water is lost DURING the school day, the District also has to consider the time of day (how much of the school day is left), available water for drinking and flushing, size of the school/schools. Whenever possible the choice is to keep the students in school—particularly our younger students who may have no one to go home to.
In that emergency situation on Friday, September 20th—a close was really the only way to go. Seven schools lost water before the opening of school—and then it quickly became ten. This obviously would have been far too many to provide drinking water for.
At least one school lost water after the school day started, so the District moved to the protocol of providing bottled water to the elementary students and emptying a boiler to flush toilets. Some parents did choose to pick up their students, but remember, the first choice will be to keep students in school—particularly younger students who may have no one at home to receive them.
Ed was confused when I reported that one member said that some high school teachers received confusing reports on whether or not their school was open or closed. He said that the media was alerted as soon as the close was determined and there was no waffling on it.
Now as for make-up time in those schools—of course the day will have to be made up, but some have also0 asked … “what about if you were at school already?”
Just like a late call on a snow day (even though this was not a late call), I hope that you signed in at the office. Talk to your principal about what you can do about being compensated for that time. Contact us if you have any additional questions.
