February 2010
In My Classroom Stability balls add bounce to third grade Page 4
volume 2 | issue 4
Race to the Top Educators weigh in on federal grant program
What it means to be a National Board Certified Teacher
Wisconsin submitted its application for Race to the Top funds last month, eyeing a piece of federal stimulus funds tied to education reform.
The Board of Directors has Declared
John A. Smith National Board Certified Teacher
In the state’s application, WEAC included a letter identifying the application’s ideas that we have been championing for years. The letter from WEAC also addresses the need for more collaboration and a discussion around school funding reform, which is not addressed in the state’s Race to the Top application. The first-round deadline for the Race to the Top funds was January 19; the U.S. Department of Education will announce the winners in April. The second-round deadline (for states unsuccessful or that did not apply the first time) is June 1, with those winners being announced in September. For the latest on Race to the Top, and to read the letter from WEAC, visit www.weac.org/racetothetop. ■
Adolescence and Young Adulthood/English Language Arts National Board for Professional Teaching Standards The mission ofis theto advance the quality of teaching and learning. This candidate has met the high and rigorous standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do, and has successfully completed the national assessment certifying teachers who have met these standards.
Gov. Bob Wise Chair, Board of Directors
Joseph A. Aguerrebere, Ed.D. President and CEO
N
Certificate Number: 012345678 Issued: December 30, 2006 Expires: December 30, 2016
ational Board certification can mean different things to everybody. For some, it’s the best way to be a master educator under state licensing. For others it’s the validation of their teaching method. For Catherine Anderson, a National Board Certified Teacher for more than a decade, it was the answer to a nagging question: What’s next?
More inside ■M other, son receive certification in same year, page 7 ■ F ind NBCT assistance, materials online, page 8 ■G et started with NBCT process at WEAC seminars, page 9
“I had already completed my master’s ■ Advice from current NBCTs, page 9 degree and was looking to answer the question of ‘what next’ in my career,” said Anderson, who recently completed her renewal process with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. “What I discovered was the key to why I do what I do continued on page 8
insideandonline Inspiring kids in the middle
Waukesha instructor pilots new curriculum in high school Page 2 www.weac.org/spotlight
Christy C. Levings Vice-Chair, Board of Directors
Creating school partnerships
Final love letter to your spouse
Celebrate Read Across America
Summit brings diverse groups together around education
Bob Moeller reviews good practice for estate planning
Get ready for reading event with helpful resources
Page 5 www.weac.org
Page 11 www.weac.org/dollars
Page 12 www.weac.org
Presidential Award winner visits White House Karen Nesbit got a look into how federal officials contribute to education this past January. And at the same time, those same officials got a chance to thank Nesbit for her many contributions to Wisconsin students. Nesbit, a 2008 Presidential Award winner for science, was honored at the White House on January 4. During the event, she met with the directors of the National Science Foundation, had a lunch with the Office of Science and Technology Policy, got her award at the National Academy of Sciences and at one point met with Education Secretary Arne Duncan. “It was like a peek into another world. It was amazing what they arranged,” Nesbit said. “It really created a breathless atmosphere. “We were talking to policymakers, directors. It was more like a conference,” Nesbit added. “It made you feel like you were part of the conversation.” ■
To read more about Nesbit and the Presidential Award program, visit www.weac.org/spotlight.
Mary Bell, President Guy Costello, Vice President Betsy Kippers, Secretary-Treasurer Dan Burkhalter, Executive Director Kim Haas, Public Relations Director Bill Hurley, Editor Matthew Call, Public Relations Specialist Laura DeVries, Graphic Design Specialist Contributing writers: Bob Moeller
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Member Spotlight J.J. Kotarak AVID teacher Waukesha South High School
In early September, to coincide with both his birthday and the start of class, Waukesha South High School teacher J.J. Kotarak brought in a cake for his students, comparing the extensively decorated confection to homework. Kotarak then smushed the cake into a desk and encouraged the students to dig in. “They’re all, ‘Mr. K., you can’t do that. You ruined a perfectly good cake,” Kotarak remembered. Then producing a set of intricately wrapped cupcakes and neatly giving them out, Kotarak said sometimes it’s the presentation – as much as the thought – behind a project that gets attention, whether it be in a good way or a negative one. Homework shouldn’t be passed in on scribbled, crumpled paper, Kotarak said. It should be treated with the same respect as the effort put into it. “It’s the only time I’ve gotten a standing ovation for a lesson,” Kotarak said.
Kotarak’s class benefiting from the birthday cake lesson (one he adapted from a lesson he heard about) was a new one at Waukesha South. Abbreviated AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), the new curriculum is aimed at kids in the middle. Schools have programs for those with special needs and others on gifted-and-talented tracks. AVID, meanwhile, aims to help kids get inspired for college who otherwise might not have been on that path. “Our goal is to take the kids in the back of the class, the B or C students, and get them motivated,” said Kotarak, who has been teaching for 10 years. ■
Read the full Spotlight profile at www.weac.org/spotlight. If you’d like to shine a spotlight on one of your colleagues, e-mail us at inprint@weac.org.
WEAC in Print (ISSN#1531-6831)
e-mail: inprint@weac.org
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February 2010
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WEACinPrint
WEAC helps ‘Celebrate Children’ with license plates WEAC has partnered with the Celebrate Children Foundation to put education efforts in the driver’s seat this year. The two groups are promoting the Celebrate Children license plates that direct donations to the foundation’s nonprofit mission to help communities create effective early learning systems. The Celebrate Children license plates, available from the state Department of Transportation, include an annual contribution to the Celebrate Children Foundation. The foundation’s endowment
is used to ensure future investments in the health and well-being of children and families throughout Wisconsin. The plates feature “Kindred Spirit,” a piece of artwork by Jane Murray Lewis reflecting the innocence, essence and magic of childhood. They are being promoted with advertising spots featuring WEAC and the Celebrate Children Foundation. To find out more about the plates, visit the Parents & Community section of www.weac.org. ■
Enter for one of 4 WEAC Scholarships Children of WEAC members are eligible for one of four WEAC Scholarships to benefit their college career. Scholarship winners will receive grants of $1,450 per year for four years of college or university study, if they remain eligible. The deadline for applying a WEAC Scholarship is February 20. Only high school seniors are eligible to apply, and only if a parent qualifies in one of these membership categories: an active WEAC member, an active retired member, or a parent who died while holding a WEAC membership. For more information and for an application, visit www.weac.org/ members. ■
O n l i n e e x t ras | Get more from WEAC in Print on the Web Sign up for blog entries, news stories delivered right to your inbox You can sign up to receive daily e-mail alerts when new information is posted to selected sections of weac.org. Currently, e-mail alerts are available on blogs such as the Daily News, Dollars & Sense, ESP, New & Future Educators, Tech College, and Editor’s blogs. Additionally, you can get e-mail alerts about postings to the weac.org News, Educators’ Bulletin Board, and At the Capitol sections. Visit www.weac.org/feeds to find out more. ■
Stay tuned to the latest on health care reform Congress is still focused on making health care reform a reality for millions of Americans. And weac.org has resources and news for you to follow along. How will health care reform affect you? How will it affect your neighbors, your students, your colleagues? Visit www.weac.org/ healthcare to read stories and watch videos from members and read the latest news. ■
You still have a chance at Badgers tickets Throughout February, WEAC will continue to be giving away tickets to University of Wisconsin men's basketball games at the Kohl Center in Madison. To enter, visit www.weac.org/contests.
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February 2010
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Have a comment? Know of a classroom or project you'd like to see featured in WEAC in Print? Visit www.weac.org/classroom for more.
In My classroom
Stability balls add a new bounce for third-graders By the end of the day, students in Joanne Tinder’s third-grade class are moving. They’re fidgety from a school day’s worth of learning about biographies or putting some notes down in a journal. And up until mid-December, it was pretty noticeable. Now, they’ve got furniture that moves with them. “Kids get antsy,” Tinder said. “They need to move in their chair. With this, they’re just bouncing a bit. It helps a lot.” The difference is a set of exercise balls, known to exercise enthusiasts as Swiss balls, that now supply the chairs for students as 4
well as Tinder. The rubber balls are used in exercising and physical therapy for stabilizing one’s core muscles and promoting good posture. For students, the balls absorb much of the energy they put out during their “antsy” times and also stimulate blood flow. “I have some active sitters that need to be moving and they bounce away,” Tinder said. Tinder – who sits on one of the WittFitt balls herself during class – got the idea for the balls from a magazine article and set about bringing them to her class. When school officials said there wasn’t money in their
Joanne Tinder Third-grade teacher Townview Elementary School, Beloit budget for the new addition, Tinder made cold-calls to businesses. Six agreed to lend a hand, and Tinder raised the $1,200 she needed from private donations. Parents signed permission slips for students to sit on the balls and Tinder spent about two weeks easing kids into using them on a daily basis. After a month of full-time use, Tinder said the most noticeable benefit is nearing 2 p.m., when the fidgeting starts. “By the end of the day, they’re bouncing so much anyway it’s perfect,” she said. ■
February 2010
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WEACinPrint
Share Your Photos
To share photos of activities in your local association or school district, please e-mail photo files to InPrint@weac.org. www. w e a c . o r g / s h a r e p h o t o s
Strengthening schoolcommunity engagement Do you belong to or know of a group that is active in involving parents and community members with their schools? This spring, activists in the area of family engagement with schools will be invited to a summit to help develop policy around the issue of improving family/community/school engagement. The summit is being supported by diverse groups including the NEA and WEAC, as well as the governor’s office and the Department of Public Instruction.
Fond du Lac School District's students and staff followed the community's example of being involved and supporting its great schools by helping the elderly and needy. "That is why we do more than celebrate the holiday season – we volunteer to help those in need and work with a variety of businesses and organizations so we can help as many as possible," Fond du Lac Education Association President Hedy Eischeid said. (Photo courtesy of the Fond du Lac Reporter.) ■
Wisconsin has been selected by the NEA as one of six states to convene a statewide Family/School/Community Engagement Summit this spring to develop state policy recommendations addressing the important issue of family and community engagement in education. This is an exciting opportunity to bring together parent organizations, education organizations, business leaders, and faithbased and community leaders to examine how we might improve the connections between families and their schools in order to increase student achievement, reduce the number of dropouts, and promote student success. Representatives of Wisconsin’s summit will attend a national summit in the fall where our state’s policy recommendations, and those of the other five states, will become part of the recommendations for policy changes at the national level to increase family and community engagement. If your group would like to participate in the summit, contact Ann Reynolds in WEAC’s Teaching and Learning Department at 1-800-362-8034. ■
Paula Holman of Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association won an iPod nano from the WEAC Savers’ Club during WEAC Convention. Here Holman shows off her prize during “Free Teacher Night” at the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee. ■
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February 2010
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NEA Representative Assembly election
Look for NEA RA candidate profiles online at weac.org/members New this year you can view profiles online of the 120 candidates running for the 2010 and 2011 NEA Representative Assemblies. Candidate profiles are now posted at www.weac.org/members for voters to see during the election. The order was determined by a random drawing. Each WEAC local affiliate received NEA delegate ballots by February 1. The ballots are distributed to non-supervisory Active and Education Support Professional members. The ballots are used to elect state delegates to the 2010 and 2011 NEA Representative Assemblies. The election will determine WEAC NEA state delegates and NEA successor delegates. Successor delegates will be the 20 candidates who receive the highest number of votes behind those elected as delegates. Each state affiliate is entitled to one NEA delegate for each 1,000 active NEA members as certified to the state by NEA on January 15, 2010. This year, the state will send an estimated 86 delegates. The WEAC Constitution makes local affiliates participants in administering the election. Therefore, local presidents have been asked to let their members know whether ballots are to be submitted to the local president or to other specified designees. Ballots must be returned to the executive director’s office by March 1. The election results will be announced March 15. ■
A message from the Minority Affairs Committee
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As members of the Minority Affairs Committee, one of our charges is to inform the membership of the needs, concerns, and issues of WEAC’s ethnic minority membership. One of our goals is to explain Bylaw 3-1g. NEA requires each state to achieve minority representation proportionate to the ethnic minority population in the state. This includes NEA and WEAC Representative Assemblies and national, regional and state conferences. If a state fails to submit a plan to NEA and comply with 3-1g, the NEA
Executive Board may deny delegates from that state the right to participate in the National Representative Assembly. Locals need to encourage minorities to run for Representative Assemblies and other positions of leadership, and are encouraged to fund or make members aware of the funding possibilities to send representatives. For further information, contact the Minority Affairs Committee or President Mary Bell at the WEAC office, P.O. Box 8003, Madison, WI, 53708. Or call 1-800362-8034. ■
February 2010
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WEACinPrint
Close to retirement or first year of eligibility,
The Board of
There’s always a reason for National Board Certification T
Directors has
Declared
John A. Smith
National Board
Adolescence and
Certified Teach
Young Adultho
er
od/English Lan
The mission of the National Board for
guage Arts
Professional Teac is to advance the hing Standard quality of teach s ing and learning. This candidate has met accomplished teach the high and rigorous standard s for what ers should know and be able to do, successfully comp and has leted the national certifying teach asse ssment ers who have met these standards.
Joseph A. Ague rrebere, Ed.D. President and CEO
Gov. Bob Wise Chair, Board of Direc
tors
Certificate Numb er: 012345678 Issued: Decemb er 30, 2006 Expires: Decemb er 30, 2016
Christy C. Levin gs Vice-Chair, Boar d of Director
his school year, Eau Claire educator Nick Sirek became a National Board Certified Teacher in his first year of eligibility. At the same time his mother, Rice Lake teacher Deb Sirek, gained her certification, and for her it was during a time close to retirement.
Deb, a kindergarten teacher at Hilltop Elementary School in Rice Lake, said successfully applying to be a National Board Certified Teacher shows the student teachers she mentors and her own children how to accomplish a goal and a project.
While at different spots on their career paths, both were granted certification in their first try, and both did it for the same reason: personal motivation. The process to become a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) shows that dedication for the teaching profession and the desire to be the best you can be for our state’s students shows no regard for how young you are or how long you’ve been teaching.
“It’s a good model for them,” she said, “not to shy away from things that are difficult, to encourage them to take a risk and to go for excellence.”
Save for one year in which she went back to school to get recertified, Deb Sirek has been teaching since 1974. And nearly two years ago, when Nick – inspired by a colleague – told her he was thinking of applying for NBCT status, she took the leap as well. Deb had put off applying while raising her children but now that one of her kids was doing it, she had no excuse. “I thought if a young person can do it, let’s see if the old person can do it,” Deb said with a laugh. Both Nick and Deb were motivated by their own goals as well as what they could share with others. Nick, a fourthgrade teacher at Eau Claire’s Sherman Elementary School, saw the move as way to confirm his teaching method and www.weac.org
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February 2010
Nick became certified as a middle childhood generalist; Deb got her certification as an early childhood generalist. Mother and son leaned on each other during the vigorous application process. Nick Sirek, a fourth-grade teacher at Eau Claire’s Sherman Elementary School, and his mother, Deb Sirek, a kindergarten teacher at Hilltop Elementary School in Rice Lake, both were named National Board Certified Teachers in December. When they applied, Nick was in his first year of eligibility for National Board Certification and Deb had been teaching for more than 30 years.
that he was making a difference in the classroom. “One of the greatest benefits of certification is the personal motivation and growth,” Nick said. “As a new teacher, I felt like ‘What do I know? Am I doing any good? Am I any good at what I do? “By going through the National Board process, I was able to see the evidence of my work,” Nick continued. “I was able to prove to myself that what I am doing in my classroom works and is effective.”
They worked, separately, nearly every night on paperwork, submitted videos of their teaching and took an exam during the NBCT process. But they commiserated – and celebrated – together.
“We could talk about the process and bounce ideas off each other,” Nick said. “We could show our work to each other and get ideas of how to improve it and where we maybe needed to make changes. I think everyone working on their National Boards needs to have some kind of support system. Even if you’re working on them by yourself, you need someone who can read your work and provide some kind of feedback.” Added Deb: “Whatever the work was, it was better knowing we both were doing it.” ■
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What it means to be National board certified continued from page 1
“At the beginning of the process I was looking for confirmation I was at the pinnacle of my profession and I discovered a personal challenge to do even more,” added Anderson, a teacher at DeLong Middle School in Eau Claire. “I actually was looking for validation of my practice. I thought I was at the top of my ‘teaching game’ and I was looking for reassurance that I was, in fact, an accomplished educator. What I found through the process was that I was providing my students with accomplished teaching, but that I also was just at the beginning of my journey to seek my own personal best.”
Increasing number of NBCTs This past December, 86 new Wisconsin teachers joined the state’s other NBCTs after passing National Board review. The state showed a 15 percent increase in the number of teachers attaining National Board Certification, and ranks 19th for the total number (676) of NBCTs over time. The National Board review process is an in-depth analysis of your approach to teaching. It’s a voluntary assessment program designed to develop, recognize and retain accomplished teachers. National Board Certification is achieved through a performance-based assessment that typically takes one to three years to complete. While state licensing systems set basic requirements to teach in each state, NBCTs have successfully demonstrated advanced teaching knowledge, skills and practices. 8
N at i o n a l B o a r d C h e c k l i s t For those of you contemplating, just getting started or going through the National Board Certification process, WEAC has support and informational resources online to help you. By clicking on “National Board Certification” in the Professional Resources section of www.weac.org, you can find news and events about the NBCT process. ✓✓Wisconsin National Board Network Groupsite, an online meeting place where participants can share calendars, participate in more
What’s the
buzz? on weac.org ” Congrats to our new NBCTs. Check out the national board information on the WEAC web site under professional resources and explore ways you can help those just starting out!!“ the
What’s
every day. Educating a child is a significant undertaking that I do not take lightly, and this process provided me with the skills to attack that undertaking at a high level.
buzz?
– Kristen, on WEAC Facebook page
That review process involves breaking down how you teach, reflecting on your method in writing and submitting videos of your lessons. Submissions are reviewed by peers. In Wisconsin, becoming an NBCT is the main way to become a master educator, the highest stage of teacher licensing. “The benefits National Board Certified Teachers bring go far beyond individual classrooms, as these educators serve as
discussion forums, post their member profiles, share photo galleries, store files, and more ✓✓A calendar detailing events such as workshops and trainings ✓✓Videos of training sessions ✓✓Information on reimbursements and annual grants ✓✓Mentors who help you in the application ✓✓Resource documents ✓✓And many other helpful materials
mentors and resources to their school districts, creating highly effective schools,” WEAC President Mary Bell said.
Benefits of Board certification Anderson, who is also a Wisconsin National Board Network regional coordinator and a mentor of NBCT candidates, said going through the National Board process can have real benefits for a teacher: an increased awareness of best practices; a quiet confidence regarding the ability to make effective decisions regarding curriculum, lesson design and student assessment; professional leadership opportunities; and discovery of a professional voice that can influence future educational policy. “Although every National Board candidate provides evidence of accomplished teaching standards through certificate entries and the assessment center, they subsequently carry that ability into their classrooms and districts for longlasting systemic change,” Anderson said. “It is, however, the individual changes a candidate undergoes that are the most immediate and beneficial. From the moment a candidate begins to ask the tough questions regarding evidence of student February 2010
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WEACinPrint
Learn more about Board Certification at seminars Throughout the year, WEAC professional development seminars provide NBCT candidates with the resources they need to be successful.
The first Winter Conference, in Middleton on February 26-27, features a National Board Writing Retreat (Dare to Think) coinciding with submission deadlines for current NBCT applications. The northern location of Winter Conference, in Wausau on March 5-6, features an overview
learning, the significance of daily decisions, and the impact to students, families, and community, he or she begins a reflective journey that positively contributes to everyone in the learning community but most of all benefits the candidate.”
Looking for new approaches Anderson said going through the NBCT process has helped her shake up her teaching method, and has her constantly looking for new ways to reach students. “I am no longer satisfied with what worked before. I want to know that my students have the best I can provide,” she said. “This means I am constantly reflecting on what I have done and looking for best practice to improve. “I don’t know when I will have my absolute ‘best day’ of teaching. All I do know is that each day in the classroom is more exciting than the last and that I am enjoying the successes and challenges along the way as I continue on my journey to discover my personal best.” ■
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February 2010
buzz? on weac.org ” Big thanks to WEAC for all its support -- from the Get Started Writing Retreat to mentor workshops during convention. WEAC is supporting teachers going the from good to GREAT! The support of WEAC was noticed and appreciated!”
What’s
This season, WEAC’s two regional Winter Conferences both feature sessions on National Board Certification.
What’s the
session of the certification process for those considering applying. To register for Winter Conference, go to www.weac.org.
buzz?
– Dan, on weac.org
Advice from National Board Certified Teachers "Earning National Board Certification is a huge accomplishment. As an NBCT, class of 2006, I can say that the large amount of time and dedication contributed to the process is so well worth it. "The National Board journey was one of the best professional development experiences I have experienced." – Kristen Henningfeld, elementary school teacher, Boyceville "I would tell any potential candidate that if they are contemplating national boards, they are already at a great place to begin their own ultimate professional journey. The main thing is to have the time to do it 'your way' without compounding the process with additional stress." – Cathy Anderson, middle school teacher, Eau Claire
"National Board was my 'descriptive feedback' for teaching. Teaching can be a very solitary activity. "Many times teachers will wonder Is this working? Are my kids learning? How can I do this more effectively? Tons of questions can go through your head in one day. "NB helped me 'get out of my head' and join the conversation. It was very satisfying to get the e-mail saying CONGRATULATIONS! A 'Look mom, I DID it!' moment! "I think National Board was my first step in embedded professional development, kind of the 'wind beneath my wings.'" – Karen Nesbit, elementary school teacher, Franklin; For more on Nesbit, a recent President Award winner, see page 2
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Home buyer tax credit
Be a smart spender T
he Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 has extended the popular homebuyer tax credit for home sales occurring after January 1, 2009, and before May 1, 2010. This tax credit gives up to $8,000 to qualified first-time homebuyers and up to $6,500 to repeat homebuyers. (For more information about the homebuyer tax credit, including eligibility and income limitations, visit irs. gov.) If you’re looking at buying a home in the near future – and qualify for the tax credit – what will you do with the extra cash? Here are some suggestions on how those receiving this tax credit (or just receiving a hefty tax refund) can use the extra money to make a big difference in their financial future – and stretch their money even further: Start or boost your retirement savings Have you been waiting to have “a little extra money” to begin saving for retirement? This is your chance! The sooner you start,
the sooner you can benefit from the power of compounding. Compounding interest results when your investments earn interest and are reinvested in your account. The reinvested earnings may also have earnings, and then those earnings are reinvested, and so on. If you are already saving for retirement, consider boosting your 403(b) contributions and/or opening a Roth IRA. With a Roth you receive no current-year tax benefit, but all qualified withdrawals, including earnings, are tax-free. Consider the WEAC Roth IRA available through WEA Trust Member Benefits. This program is open to WEAC members and their families, has one low annual administrative fee (0.45%) with an annual fee cap of $500, and offers mutual funds as well as a guaranteed investment. Enroll online at weabenefits.com or call 1-800-279-4030. Start an emergency fund Homeownership inevitably comes with unexpected expenses – the furnace goes out,
Trust is No. 1 for second straight year While other insurers say they can match the service and benefits provided by the WEA Trust, the results show they fall short. For the second straight year, the Trust earned the No. 1 health plan rating in Wisconsin in a respected national survey. In addition to the top state rating, the Trust was rated No. 2 nationally among more than 300 health plans in the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers Survey (CAHPS). The survey
helps illustrate the differences among insurance companies and show that not all insurers are the same. “It shows that putting members first makes a difference,” says Trust President Mark Moody. Since 1970, the Trust has been making the health and financial security of WEAC members its priority. For more details of the survey, visit weatrust.com and click on the “About WEA Trust” tab. ■
the roof is leaking, the refrigerator dies. The standard rule of thumb is to save three to six months of living expenses in an emergency fund to be used for major unplanned expenses. Invest all or a portion of your tax credit or refund in a short-term CD or money market account that allows easy access to the money when you need it. Pay off credit cards Reducing or eliminating the balance of even one high-interest credit card can save you substantial amounts of interest. For example, let’s say you have a credit card balance of $8,400 with an interest rate of 18.9%. If you pay $151 monthly, it will take you 11 years to get to a zero balance. Your total payments would be $20,006 ($11,606 in interest). Applying just $1,200 to the $8,400 balance reduces the payoff time to seven years and the interest you pay to $6,200. The Trustee for the WEAC IRA program is First Business Trust & Investments. This article is for informational purposes only and not intended to be legal or tax advice. Consult your tax advisor or attorney before taking any action. ■
O U R PA RT N E R S members’ s and other e’ ri ar C ch at W eir entirety at stories in th
weatrust.com
I couldn‛t believe how simple it was!
Even my husband got in on it!
1-800-279-4030 or weabenefits.com
Call 1-800-279-4030 or10enroll online at weabenefits.com
Low fees save money!
“I’m a worrier just by nature. But having the WEA Trust insurance takes a lot of stress out of a normally stressful life.” CARRIE PETERS Kindergarten teacher, Kettle Moraine School District February 2010
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WEACinPrint
By Bob Moeller – WEAC Member Benefits Take control of your personal finances
A final love letter to your spouse
A
t the end of each year people naturally review their investments. It is also a good time to review your estate planning. Estate planning eventually gets down to acknowledgement that you might die. People don’t like to think of this. It is one of my goals in life to make my death as easy as possible for my spouse. I joke in my seminars that she might be grieving for 10 years and then relate to them one thing I’ve done to make my death easier on her. I suggest you do the same thing. I find that frequently one spouse is mostly “in charge” of the investments and finances and while I always emphasize the importance of both spouses being knowledgeable, I realize this doesn’t always happen. So I recommend both spouses do a final Love Letter, designed to make death easier on the surviving spouse. Mine is on simple school paper, hand written, My wife insists that I relate to her a simple, uncomplicated approach to investment/financial management should I die or become mentally incapable. Here is what I tell her based on our personal financial situation. We review our investments regularly. 1. Have about 40% of your investments in the stock market and just use the Vanguard Stock index funds, centering on the TOTAL Stock market index fund. 2. Have about 50% in CDs, the WEAC Guaranteed account, Vanguard Total Bond Market Index, etc. 3. Have your cash invested in the Vanguard Prime money market mutual fund, or a well-paying savings account.
with cross-outs and additions scribbled in as situations change. It is a document with only one purpose, to help a surviving spouse if you die or become unable to fully function. My spouse knows right where it is and we review it each year. Here are the kinds of things I cover in mine. Of course I prefer that my spouse know all of the stuff below all the time, but if she is grieving, she might be helped by this document. 1. Here is the kind of funeral I want. (In my case I don’t want my spouse and family feeling something impressive should be done, I direct that it be CHEAP. I want my spouse and family to have the money.) 2. Do not rush into any big money decisions for several months. 3. Here is the life insurance situation. Proceeds are tax free. Read #2 again. Put the money in our Money Market fund for a while. 4. Have no debts except maybe a low-cost regular mortgage. 5. Never Never Never invest in any investment product (anything that builds a cash value) from any life insurance company. Variable Annuities and Universal Life are bad. A good immediate annuity can be O.K. 6. Subscribe to one good magazine like Money, SmartMoney, or Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, and READ it. 7. Trust no one regarding investments unless you get a written acknowledgement on company letterhead of fiduciary responsibility. And then be careful if it is not a large well-known company.
4. What we have concluded that you can probably put into a trust. 5. We have completed the important documents such as power of attorney for finances, health care, etc. Here’s where they are located. (Note: blank forms available to members, just e-mail me at moellerb@weac. org). 6. Here is a basic rundown of our debts, required payments, etc. 7. Where our income tax returns are located. 8. We have the following bank accounts and investment accounts. 9. Where our investment statements, etc., are located. 10. What our basic situation with health insurance is. 11. Important things you should know about my job benefits, etc., and who you can talk to there for help. 12. Below are basic financial/investing rules you should follow for the rest of your life. 13. When I die, visit Social Security to see just what your survivor options are. 14. What my retirement plan contact would be. Talk to them about what options you have. (For members this would be the Wisconsin Retirement System, of course.) Where retirement statements are located. 15. (Suggested by members) Here is the list of people to call for house problems like furnace, plumbing, electrical, lawn, etc. 16. We have been financially successful. Make sure you withdraw at least $____ every year and just enjoy it. Don’t worry about heirs. 17. Other personal and unique items. This article is for informational purposes only. ■
Leave a comment at the Dollars & Sense blog at www.weac.org/dollars.
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February 2010
11
Celebrate Read Across America at your school WEAC will join the NEA’s call for every child to read in the company of a caring adult during the annual Read Across America celebration by co-hosting a kickoff event in Eau Claire.
In Wisconsin and across the country, thousands of schools, libraries and community centers participate by bringing together kids, teens and books. The event focuses the country’s attention on how important it is to motivate children to read in addition to helping them master basic skills. In fact, statistics shows that children who are read to at home have a higher success rate in school. WEAC President Mary Bell, WEAC Vice President Guy Costello, and WEAC Secretary-Treasurer Betsy Kippers will spend the week reading to children throughout the state to share their joy of reading. Resources to take part in this year’s celebration will be posted on the weac.org home page. WEAC has also produced and shipped Read Across America bookmarks
NEA’S Read Across America
Building a Nation of Readers www.nea.org/readacross
33 Nob Hill Road, P.O. Box 8003 Madison, WI 53708-8003 800-362-8034 www.weac.org
Now in its 14th year, this program focuses on motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships, and reading resources. The reading celebration takes place each year on or near March 2, the birthday of the beloved Dr. Seuss.
to UniServ offices who will distribute them locally. This year, WEAC mailed NEA’s Read Across America kit to local presidents, which includes a calendar and other materials to help members plan classroom, school and community events. This year’s calendar features suggestions of books by award-winning authors and illustrators, a math, science and history theme, and posters. Members can download the calendar and posters from the NEA Web site at www.nea.org/readacross. Presidents were also sent a coupon from Staples that can be used when ordering from their “SmileMakers” catalog that will give members 15 percent off orders placed by February 4. The catalog offers some new Dr. Seuss paraphernalia. When ordering, please make sure to use the promo code NEAMBP when you go to the Web site
SmileMakers.com to order your Dr. Seuss products. For more information or if you have questions please contact WEAC Media Relations Specialist Anne Egan-Waukau at waukaua@weac.org or call 1-800-354-7816, extension 1109. You can also visit the NEA Web site at www.nea.org/readacross, where you can share your local activities being planned during Read Across America week. ■
Empower students to quell bullying, educator tells Legislature Schools must create awareness of bullying, teach skills to prevent and deal with it, and empower students to become respectful citizens, a Verona teacher told the Assembly Education Committee in January.
Senate Bill 154 requires the Department of Public Instruction to develop a model school policy on bullying and requires school boards to adopt a policy on bullying. Diana Borth, a Family and Consumer Education teacher at Badger Ridge Middle School in Verona, talked about one of her seventh-grade students who was being bullied in her neighborhood and also in the school. A bullying prevention
curriculum implemented in the school district helped her “take charge of her situation” Borth said. “She no longer felt like a victim but felt in control,” Borth added. ■ To read more, visit www.weac.org/news and click on At the Capitol