Dear NERA Community, We are thrilled to extend an invitation to all NERA 2023 Conference attendees to participate in the NERA 2023 Mentoring Program during the upcoming conference at the Trumbull Marriott Shelton, Trumbull, CT, October 18-20, 2023. The Mentoring Committee has been facilitating successful mentor-mentee matches since 2012, connecting professionals experienced in NERA-related fields with graduate students and early career professionals through a carefully curated process. Our program has seen tremendous benefits for participants, who have had the opportunity to form meaningful connections outside of their existing networks, share research interests, discuss career goals, and explore areas of desired growth. Last year's mentoring event was a resounding success, with nearly 30 mentees and 16 mentors forming strong connections. We received positive feedback from participants, and we hope that these connections have continued to flourish. During the conference, matched pairs will meet at a dedicated happy hour on Thursday, October 19, 2023 at 6:00pm. We encourage mentors and mentees to continue their relationship beyond the conference, fostering a lasting connection.   We welcome all in-person conference attendees to join the program.   Sign up to become a mentor if you: Have at least 4 years of career experience in education or educational measurement Are interested in advising a graduate student or early career professional   Sign up to become a mentee if you: Are currently enrolled in a graduate program in a NERA-related field OR are an early career professional (less than 5 years of post-graduate experience) in a NERA-related field Are interested in advice on your educational path, dissertation, or career   Use the link below to register and provide information about your research interests, career goals, or areas of desired growth:   NERA Mentoring Program Registration   The registration deadline is Sunday, October 8, 2023. Based on your responses, the Mentoring Committee will match you with a mentor/mentee who shares your interests. Please remember that by signing up, you are committing to participate in the program and will be matched accordingly. If your plans change, kindly reach out to the Mentoring Committee so we can ensure all interested participants have a suitable match.   We look forward to seeing you this October and forging meaningful connections in our vibrant community! All the best, Your Mentoring Co-Chairs Bethany Fishbein Kerry Vieth Krishna Chaitanya Rao Kathala Email: mentoring@nera-education.org

PAMLE presenter Joe Pizzo took part in the AMLE Teacher Leadership Webinar on August 15. We hope you enjoy listening to the program!

AMLE Teacher Leadership Webinar

Does your school prioritize preparing students for in-demand careers in high-paying industries?

In your role as an educator, have you ever had trouble finding the right people or resources to teach advanced CS, STEM, or Coding classes?

If you answered “Yes!” to either of those questions, I would like to introduce you to Mastery Coding…

Not only do we have project-based coding courses that will have your students creating impressive, digital portfolios of their own, but we can also prepare your students to attain industry-recognized certifications in Unity and HTML/CSS.

NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE is needed for the students AND the educators to succeed! All of our curriculum is video-based, which takes the pressure off the teachers' need to be a subject-matter expert.

I would love to schedule a quick chat to see if our programs are right for you and your school. As a “Thank you,” following our conversation, I will give you demo access to our curriculum so that you and your team can check it out. 

Anji Ison

Computer Science Education Specialist

405.985.8884

Email:anjii@masterycoding.com

PAECT AUGUST WEBINAR

“5 Most Effective Ways to Manage Digital Distractions in the Classroom”

Access to school-issued devices, social platforms with never-ending notifications, and challenges like cyberbullying, sexting, and more.

These are just some of the challenges teachers face as they strive for high-impact teaching in distracted classrooms. Join this session in which TSI will discuss effective strategies for avoiding distracted classrooms and navigating the many tech issues that can impact learning.

• Date: Thursday, August 17th
  
• Time: 7 p.m. ET
• Length: 1 hour
  
• Registration Link: https://paect.org/event-5276097
  
• Who: All educators are welcome to attend
  
• Questions? Contact Gerald Aungst (gerald.aungst@paect.org) with any questions!
  

IN THIS FREE, 45-MINUTE WEBINAR EXPERT KAYLA CRUMP WILL SHARE:

• The science behind screen time and how it affects student success.

• How to establish standards in your classroom that empowers students to manage their relationship with social media and technology.

• 5 best practices to help your students strike a balance and create an engaging classroom.

Kayla comes to TSI after spending 3 years teaching English as a Second Language to elementary and middle school students in Madrid, Spain. Prior to joining TSI, Kayla helped an enterprise business implement software to streamline and enhance business processes. She is passionate about helping students use technology to reach their goals and make their lives easier.

The Social Institute partners with schools nationwide to empower students, families, and educators to positively navigate student well-being, social media, and technology. With solutions for students, parents, and educators, we offer a systemic and comprehensive program with a unique and positive approach. TSl's work has been featured by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Family Online Safety Institute, and other publications. We are proud to serve public and independent partners such as Ravenscroft School, Woodward Academy, Oldfields School, All Saints Episcopal School, Lake Forest School District, Boston Public Schools, & more.

PAMLE is proud to announce our partnership with The Social Institute (TSI). PAMLE is focused on Promoting Best Practices for Middle Level Education and our partners offer materials and programs that help create and support those practices. The Social Institute is the leader in understanding student experiences and the creator of #WinAtSocial, a gamified, peer-to-peer technology that equips students to navigate social experiences — online and offline — in healthy ways. Our unique, student-respected approach incorporates topics like social media, technology use, and current events that have a significant impact on student well-being. Please consider learning about this new PAMLE Corporate Partner and accessing their many shared opportunities.

Supreme Court decision amplifies importance of existing Public Service Loan Forgiveness program for educators

Horace Mann provides complimentary Student Loan Solutions accounts to help educators receive student loan forgiveness

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., June 30, 2023 – When U.S. educators return to their classrooms this fall, they face resumed student loan payments without the likelihood of one-time federal student loan debt relief. The added financial stress is especially acute for educators, who are taking on more duties due to the national teacher shortage and generally feel less financially secure than their private sector counterparts.

But educators have another avenue for student loan relief. The U.S. Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, which allows for public school educators to have their student loan balance forgiven after roughly 10 years of service, remains intact.

“Public Service Loan Forgiveness can eliminate far more debt than a one-time $10,000 or $20,000 impact, but many educators find the process complicated and time-consuming to navigate,” said Horace Mann Vice President Tom Kammerer. “That’s where Horace Mann can help. Since its inception in 2016, our Student Loan Solutions program has helped educators identify more than $600 million in student loan forgiveness opportunities.”

On Friday, the Supreme Court blocked the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness initiative, which would have provided $10,000 in student loan debt forgiveness to many federal borrowers and $20,000 to Federal Pell Grant recipients. In addition, federal student loan interest will begin to accrue on Sept. 1, with payments resuming Oct. 1.

Educators generally have higher educational requirements and lower salaries than workers in the private sector. In a 2020 Horace Mann study, 88% of educators said they would be more likely to stay in the education profession if their student loan debt was forgiven.

“Educators are delaying major life events like getting married, starting a family or buying a house due to student loan debt, and it’s causing more and more educators to consider changing careers,” Kammerer said. “By helping alleviate educators’ student loan debt through existing programs, we can keep more educators in the classroom focused on the job they love.”

Horace Mann's Student Loan Solutions program is complementary and pairs public school educators with trusted resources to help them navigate student loan forgiveness. Public educators can sign up for a free account at horacemann.com/student-loan-debt-help. Administrators interested in providing Student Loan Solutions as a no- cost district-wide benefit offering can get more information at horacemann.com/student-loan-debt-help/schools.

For more information on Horace Mann’s research on educators’ financial wellness and its impact on staffing levels, visit horacemann.com/balance.

About Horace Mann

Horace Mann Educators Corporation is the largest financial services company focused on helping America’s educators and others who serve the community achieve lifelong financial success. The company offers individual and group insurance and financial solutions tailored to the needs of the educator community. Founded by Educators for Educators® in 1945, the company is headquartered in Springfield, Illinois. For more information, visit horacemann.com.

Hey Digital Change Makers,

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy recently called for tech companies to take “immediate action” to protect youth online, citing the harmful toll that social media takes on young people’s mental health. In a world where smartphone use correlates with a 37% increase in student anxiety, depression, and suicide (PEW Research), it's more vital than ever to ensure students master their devices, rather than the other way around. 

We are targeting areas to host a Train the Trainer event in their state in order to create a needed impact in the digital world. Missouri hosted one in Kansas City and St. Louis and we had major success from our impact data on training the Digital First Responders to go and train their peers back in their communities. Please reach out if you are interested in hosting one next year for your schools.

Feel free to share these announcements with your connections and school community. Easy for you to copy and paste the above into your newsletter. See below for more:

• District Digital First Responder Webinar - Feeling overwhelmed by digital challenges at your school? You're not alone! Join us for a FREE webinar on June 7 at 1:30pm PST and discover tailored solutions to tackle these issues head-on. We understand that every school is unique, so we've designed a variety of ways to embed our curriculum into your school calendar. Don't miss this chance to transform your school with expert insights, tips, and strategies! Register for free HERE.

• Nominate Digital4Good for the GreatNonprofits Top-Rated Awards - Have you booked an #ICANHELP assembly, volunteered with us, or purchased one of our online courses? We want to hear from you! Help us raise visibility for our work by posting a brief story of your experience HERE.

• Students4Good:

• • Help your students develop their public speaking skills! Encourage them to sign up to be presenters HERE.

• June Monthly Challenges - Need some fresh ideas for challenges or activities that will keep your students engaged and focused on their wellbeing? Check out our June Challenges HERE.

Thanks for being a part of the Digital4Good family!

Kim Karr Executive Director | Digital4Good e: kim@icanhelp.net p: (925)-237-1056 w: www.icanhelp.net