This PFT Update is going to all PFT Members                                      February 14, 2025

Dear PFT Members,

Hope you’re gearing up for a fantastic week off!

Thanks to the 472 PFT Members who have taken the PFT bargaining survey. If you haven’t taken the survey, your professional voice is valuable! You can find the survey by searching your inbox for an Feb. 6 or Feb 13 email from bkealy@powayteachers.org or member@surveymonkeyuser.com. If you do not see this email in your inbox, please follow the steps outlined at the bottom of this email. The survey closes the Wednesday we return from break, February 26.

The PUSD Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) survey is also on the home page of the district website. We should all be sure to weigh in on this survey as well before Feb. 21. It determines district priorities and funds are allocated to meet these priorities. Parents are taking this survey.Teacher voices are critical in this process! 

Background info regarding PFT bargaining survey: Poway Unified implemented about $12.5 million in budget solutions for the 2024-25 school year and is seeking a minimum of $13 million in additional budget solutions for 2025-26.      Read more

 Congratulations to our 2025 PUSD

Teachers of the Year!

 The Poway Unified School District (PUSD) is proud to announce that Alyssa Roscoe, Elementary Teacher at Midland Elementary School; and Christopher “Chris” Koreerat, Extensive Needs Support Teacher at Bernardo Heights Middle School; Carissa Jones-Fletcher, Physical Education Teacher at Poway High School have been named the 2025 PUSD Teachers of the Year. These outstanding educators exemplify PUSD’s commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and student support. Their names will be forwarded to the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) for consideration in the countywide Teacher of the Year recognition program.

Read more

TPLES - Teacher Professional Learning and Effectiveness System

Dear Colleagues,

The demands on a teacher's time are endless, and the school year seems to go so quickly from this point on. The below link Teacher Professional Learning and Effectiveness System (TPLES) reminder sheet is intended to provide support and suggestions for teachers in the evaluation cycle this year, as they monitor and document progress on their SLO/PLO.  It can also help make the final evaluation conference, for both traditional and alternative evaluations, more meaningful for the teacher and administrator.

Teacher Professional Learning and Effectiveness System (TPLES) reminder sheet - click here

In Unity,
Kelly

Classroom Supplies using Online Donation Site

What teachers need to do first to be eligible for donations: Go to www.pusddonate.org. Click your grade level (elementary, middle, high), click your “Site”, click “Teachers”. Please be sure your name is listed. The website is linked to the district’s payroll system.  Therefore, the donation website uses the same name you are using for payroll purposes (legal name).  Unfortunately, we cannot change that name.

What the Online Donation website provides:
1. Parents have the option of donating directly to their child’s teacher(s), program, department, grade level, program, or the school site’s general fund using this online donation website. The website is designed to provide parents with an easy and convenient way to help fund our instructional supply needs. Teachers and schools have received more than $100,000.00 in donations using this website. It works.

2. Parents may access the donation website by going to www.pusddonate.org.  Parents receive a tax deduction and email confirmation when donating. The website also includes a “Matching Gift Program” if a parent’s employer provides that benefit.

3. Teachers receive an automatic email confirmation stating the amount of the donation, donor’s name and email, and student’s name, if provided by the parent. Our District uses a spam filter. Therefore, to receive confirmation emails from the donation site you must check your spam folder. When you see the link, pusdonline@firstlinemerchant.com that’s the Online Donation secure banking (when using a credit card) email address. Please “whitelist” this email address. For accounting purposes, your site finance clerk or site secretary receives a monthly report of all donations. If you have not received an email confirmation but think you have received a donation, check with your site secretary or finance clerk.

Donation: Teachers access these donations the same way they would their regular supply budget/s at the site.

COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES: Teachers may communicate this website to parents via their MyConnect site, newsletter, and/or during Back-to-School Night (see Common Message on Q&A attached). To promote greater equity among all our classrooms, we suggest grade-level teams or departments come together to identify their “collective” supply needs and request donations be made to the grade-level or department, rather than individual teachers.

Please note: Donations to this account may only be used for instructional supplies (e.g. school supplies, software, workbooks, art and science materials…). If requesting donations for technology, check with your principal. The primary function of your site Foundation is to purchase software and technology and teachers should be coordinating their efforts.

Field Trip Fees: The Classroom Supplies ~ Online Donations website now offers the option of collecting Field Trip fees. More information and directions for teachers will be coming soon in a separate email.

I've attached an FAQ and a handout you may wish to provide to parents.  

Attachments:

FAQ Classroom Supplies
CSOLD Parent Handout

In Unity,
Kelly