WEAC in Print June 2010

June 2010

In My Classroom Hands-on learning, hands-off contest Page 4

volume 2 | issue 7

When it comes to going green – educators, schools and students are

LEED-ing the way W

hen it comes to going green, educators, schools and students are LEED-ing the way – as in Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED), which certifies and recommends best practices for green buildings. Construction in Lake Mills on a middle school renovation to be completed this summer has given staff and students a breath of fresh air – literally, with materials free of toxins.

The Lake Mills school is a source of pride for faculty and the community. Teachers such as Amy Recob have been using the building in lessons and organizing tours led by students (page 6).

Schools have been leading the way for decades when it comes to environmental education – as in the agriculture classes Oshkosh Appleton students are building a hybrid truck Education and creating biodiesel to power its batteries. See more on page 8.

Association President Len Herricks has been teaching at Oshkosh North High School for more than 30 years. The school boasts a garden, nursery and fullblown greenhouse out back, monitored and managed by students (page 7).

insideandonline

Oshkosh North High School has had a greenhouse for more than 30 years. See more on page 7.

Where the green movement goes depends on a new generation of inventors – as in the students of Appleton technology and engineering instructor Peter Worley. His train of thought hatched the idea to bring the engine process of a locomotive to a Chevy pickup truck, borrowing the hybrid diesel method to show his students how alternative energy vehicles can operate. The idea picked up steam (or, more accurately, vegetable oil-powered biodiesel) when Worley’s project got a grant to be one of a dozen competitors at a technical conference.

The project brought the whole school together thinking green, from designing a logo emphasizing its environmentally friendly nature to crafting the biodiesel used in its operation (page 8).

Taking the small steps to a make a difference for the environment and your students is easy – as in engaging students in learning how to have a green thumb or why the school uses special materials in construction. And to get you started, the NEA is giving away grants to fund lesson ideas on school-based environmentalism (page 9).

For students today, going green isn’t a new trend – it’s a way of life. Public schools and our union of educators are leading the way. ■

Educator hits the right note

WEAC supports education reform

Lifetime income possibilities

Increasing local union engagement

Working with students by day, musicians by night

Perspective on Wisconsin's Race to the Top application

Evaluating an installment refund-type annuity

2010 WEAC Summer Academy focuses on local participation

Page 2 weac.org/spotlight

Page 5 weac.org/racetothetop

Page 11 weac.org/dollars

Page 12 weac.org

Teacher receives Civic Education Award A Wisconsin teacher is one of only three educators in the nation to be named a recipient of a 2010 American Civic Education Teacher Award, recognizing exemplary work in preparing young people to become informed and engaged citizens.

Tamara Johnson of Kettle Moraine High School in Wales was selected for the honor for doing an excellent job of molding the civic character of her students, said Lee Hamilton, director of the Center on Congress.

The awards are given annually to elementary and secondary teachers of civics, government and related subjects who have demonstrated exceptional expertise, dynamism and creativity in motivating students to learn about the Constitution, Congress and public policy.

The awards are sponsored by the Center for Civic Education, the Center on Congress at Indiana University and the NEA. ■ 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, Assistant Editor Laura DeVries, Graphic Design Specialist Contributing writer: Bob Moeller

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Member Spotlight Barbara Wagner Early childhood special education teacher Engleburg Elementary School, Milwaukee

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n unintentional reference to a Cole Porter song is a fitting way for Barbara Wagner to describe her two professional interests.

“It’s like night and day,” said Wagner, an early childhood special education teacher at Milwaukee’s Engleburg Elementary School and a manager for a handful of musical artists. “It gives me a lot of balance.”

Wagner grew up around music.

Her father, Art, was a professional musician who played with the Glenn Miller Orchestra and worked on Broadway for 30 years. She picked up some knowledge of the behindthe-scenes business and started doing promotion and management for jazz and other musicians in the Milwaukee area.

“I’m so glad I have that in my background,” Wagner said.

school whenever she can. Her musical connections have led to visits from music therapists in her special education classes for 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds. The therapists incorporate Wagner’s lessons into their music and use a multi-sensory approach to show how an instrument is played.

“With all the kids I teach, I’ve found it to be very beneficial,” Wagner said.

Wagner also makes sure to include musicians and those in the music industry when schools have career days.

“We have a lot of kids who are musically talented but don’t think being a musician is a viable career,” she said.

If you’d like to shine a spotlight on one of your colleagues, e-mail us at inprint@weac.org. ■

Wagner, who majored in special education in college, brings her musical background into the

Read the full profile at weac.org/spotlight.

WEAC in Print (ISSN#1531-6831)

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At the Capitol

Educators key to helping young people get back on track The teachers and staff who work at juvenile correctional facilities across the state help young people get back on track with their learning careers and help keep them out of trouble in the future, educators said before the Governor’s Juvenile Justice Review Committee.

Educators said the services available at facilities such as the Lincoln Hills and Ethan Allen schools – facilities that serve young men – are crucial to creating a safe environment in which incarcerated youth can learn. The more than 50 school staff – including teachers, vocational instructors, special education teachers, guidance counselors, librarians and other professionals – at both schools are key to high academic achievement and low recidivism rates at juvenile correctional facilities, said Michael Senn, now a teacher at Redgranite

Senn said. “Youth learn how to choose positive friends and who to stay away from. Gradually they build the trust and comfort necessary to open their minds to learning. This trust is fostered by teachers and other staff who make them feel good about their achievements – both in and out of the classroom.”

Michael Senn, a teacher at Redgranite Correctional Institution and president of WEAC Council #1, and WEAC President Mary Bell talk of the importance of education at juvenile correctional facilities before the Governor’s Juvenile Justice Review Committee.

Correctional Institution and previously a teacher at the Lincoln Hills School for 18 years.

“Staff gradually work with kids to develop positive peer interactions,”

Supporting juvenile correctional facilities is a chief concern for WEAC members. Delegates to WEAC’s recent 2010 Representative Assembly overwhelmingly voted to “oppose the closure of the Ethan Allen School and Lincoln Hills School” and “advocate for a fair review process for the Ethan Allen and Lincoln Hills schools.” ■ For the latest on juvenile correction facilities, visit weac.org/news.

O n li n e e x t r as | Get more from WEAC in Print on the Web Stafford Loan Forgiveness Program available The Stafford Loan Forgiveness Program for Teachers is a federal entitlement created to encourage talented teachers to teach in elementary and secondary schools that serve low-income communities.

In return, it provides federal student loan forgiveness of up to $17,500 for eligible teachers in certain specialties and up to $5,000 for other eligible teachers.

You may be eligible to participate. Visit the WEAC Educators’ Bulletin Board at weac.org/ professionaldevelopment to find out more. ■

Nominate an outstanding student to be a Kickoff Kid Do you know of an outstanding student you’d like to recognize in a special way? How about honoring him or her with a chance to go onto the field of Camp Randall Stadium at the start of a University of Wisconsin Badgers football game?

Visit weac.org this summer and nominate a student to be a part of another year of this exciting and rewarding program. ■

Score big discounts on Milwaukee Brewers tickets. Through the WEAC Savers’ Club, you can save up to 50 percent on tickets to Brewers games at Miller Park now through July. Visit weac.org/summerfun for dates and ordering information. ■

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In My classroom

Have a comment? Know of a classroom or project you’d like to see featured in WEAC in Print?

Visit weac.org/classroom for more.

Hands-on learning, hands-off contest M

ore than four years ago Ozaukee High School science teacher Terry Hendrikse closed the book on his science class. He had been going over a PowerPoint presentation and having students follow along in a textbook. It wasn’t working. “Not a single student was engaged or learning the material I had prepared for them,” Hendrikse remembered.

So he turned off the projector, collected the textbooks and hasn’t given them back out in that particular course. What he did instead was assign homework to his students: “What do you want to learn?” he asked. His students were sick of sitting in their desks and memorizing. They wanted to do something, to make something.

Ozaukee High School science teacher Terry Hendrikse works with students Austin Cole, Nick Vogt, Lindsay Vogt, Travis Sheperd and Dominic Enea on a remotely operated underwater vehicle set to be in international competition this month in Hawaii.

That began Hendrikse’s move toward project-based education, a drive that has led to classroom projects building a hovercraft, creating a classroom solar heating system, converting the school van to run as a hybrid off of hydrogen and gasoline – and now six of his students winning a regional engineering competition and moving on to face other students across the world this month in Hawaii.

“To be honest I had to side with the students,” said Hendrikse, a National Board Certified Teacher. “When is Hendrikse’s students the last time that any of us were are competing in the 2010 asked to balance a chemical Marine Advanced Technology equation in the grocery store Education International ROV or explain Boyle’s Law at a (Remotely Operated Vehicle) Terry birthday party? When students Competition after winning first have choices in what they want Hendrikse place in a regional contest in to learn, their level of motivation March. The students created Science teacher and engagement moves through an underwater rover that has to the roof. Under the traditional Ozaukee High complete a number of tasks in style of PowerPoint and textbook School, Fredonia the competition, from sucking learning, I would teach students up a gel-like material to figuring hundreds of important scienceout and selecting one of a series related facts, and within a year of leaving of pipes that is making a sound. the class I could almost guarantee that they “It’s taken a lot of hours, but in the end would forget all but a couple.” it all paid off,” said senior Lindsay Vogt, the

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team’s coordinator. “None of us has built anything like a robot before.”

With grant funding and donations, the team built – and rebuilt – its rover. The device is controlled via computer, and uses a microphone, gripping arm and vacuum tube for some of the competition’s tasks.

“Several team members have changed their college and major because of this experience. It has also given these students something to be proud of,” Hendrikse said.

“After winning the regional competition, peers were giving the students on the team high-fives in the hallway and other recognition that is normally reserved for when a team wins a state sporting event, not an academic achievement.” ■

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Share Your Photos

To share photos of activities in your local association or school district, please e-mail photo files to InPrint@weac.org. weac.org/sharephotos

Educators across the state have been using this spring to Move Education Forward.

With actions like these pictured here, WEAC members are increasing awareness of the need for school funding reform. What did your local do to participate? Visit weac.org/schoolfunding and let us know.

WEAC supports education reform In the state’s application for federal Race to the Top money, which is now being evaluated, WEAC joined state officials in supporting education reform.

“We stand for sound education policy that works for our students, and that’s why teachers and support staff have stepped forward in support of Wisconsin’s Phase Two Race to the Top application,” WEAC President Mary Bell said. “It was developed with input from front-line educators.

“It is my hope that this application is successful, but I also know that Race to the Top isn’t a silver bullet,” Bell added. “It’s absolutely going to take all of us – working together – to keep our schools strong for future generations. As one school year comes to an end, and we look ahead to another, I urge you to find out how you can get involved in a local school in your community. We all have a part to play in keeping our schools strong, because great schools benefit everyone.”

The state submitted its application June 1; recipients are expected to be named this September. ■

In their part to Move Education Forward, educators in Clintonville held a no-sale cookout, giving away free hamburgers and hot dogs. The action was part of WEAC’s Moving Education Forward campaign to bring awareness to the need for school funding reform. “It is time for educators and education supporters across the state to come together and tell the story of what’s happening in public schools,” said Elisha Writt, a third-grade teacher at Clintonville’s Rexford/Longfellow Elementary School and co-president of the Clintonville Education Association. ■ Members of the New London Education Association participated in a postcard-writing event supporting school funding reform. The educators sent the cards to their legislators telling their personal stories about their classrooms and students. ■

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For more on Race to the Top, visit weac.org/racetothetop.

Share your success stories with us Educators across the state have been sharing their end-of-the-school-year success stories with us at weac.org. Jeanne Nye of Lake Mills tells how her district pulled off “a great first year Earth Day Celebration jointly with the City of Lake Mills.” For Pam Christopherson of Racine, her biggest success story was “the autistic student I work with was integrated into a regular education classroom!”

Tell your story at weac.org to share your success. ■ 5

knows what else that made me sick for 13 years,” said the school’s technical education teacher, Chris Page. “Before moving into the new building I was taking sinus medication twice per day, all year long, regardless of season. Sometimes it got so bad the medication did not help.

Since moving into the new building I have only taken the medication for some seasonal allergies this spring.”

Taking the

“That’s the kind of stuff we were looking for,” Sanders added. “The air quality is the best it can be.”

L

ake Mills Middle School is showing that it’s easy to go green.

It is one of fewer than a dozen school facilities in Wisconsin registered for certification with Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED), an internationally recognized green building certification system.

A building project renovating the Lake Mills Middle School while expanding from grades 6 to 8 to grades 5 to 8 presented a chance for the district to incorporate some simple but significant ways to be environmentally friendly.

The school building, which is scheduled to be finished August 17, is vying for certification from LEED – a program run by the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council to promote green construction.

When the district started the planning process to renovate the school a few

years ago it looked into environmentally friendly ways to do the construction.

What it found through Neenah-based builder Miron Construction was a mix of economically viable and atmosphereimproving ideas.

“When we started, we looked at LEED and what it was all about,” Lake Mills District Administrator Dean Sanders said.

“When we learned what we could do, we really pushed it.”

Some of the ideas put into play already are seeing results. The materials used in construction – such as paint, coating, sealants and flooring and ceiling tiles – do not emit volatile organic compounds nor do they contain formaldehyde.

“In the old building there was no air filtration or circulation. There were contaminants such as mold and who

A number of recent school construction projects in the state have registered with Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) for certification: • Bay Harbor Elementary School, Suamico

• Northland Pines High School, Eagle River

• River Crest Elementary School, Hudson

• John J. Flynn Elementary School, Eau Claire

• New Richmond High School, New Richmond

• School of Human Ecology, Madison

• Paul J. Olson Elementary School, Madison

• Shawano Primary School, Shawano

• Lake Mills Middle School, Lake Mills • Luck K-12 School, Luck

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The district went to referendum for the building project and received support from parent groups prior to the successful vote. Lake Mills Middle School staff have been training student ambassadors to give tours to community members of how the environmentally friendly practices have been put into play.

• UW-Madison School of Education, Madison

Lake Mills Middle School teacher Amy Recob leads students on a tour of the cafeteria, where glass walls let in light and reduce energy consumption.

The district is trying to reach a high certification from LEED once the building has been finalized. The group recognizes home building and commercial development with Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum status.

“We’re going for Gold, which I think is quite an achievement,” said Lake Mills Middle School teacher Amy Recob. ■ For more on the Lake Mills school's features, read this story online at weac.org.

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Agriculture classes grow

skills

G

oing green might be a recent trend, but Oshkosh North High School has been green for three decades. With a strong agricultural program – incorporating a nursery, garden and greenhouse – the school has the tools in place to grow the skills of high school students.

The school’s list of agricultural classes (including Landscaping and Turf Management, Conservation and Forestry, Horticulture, Conservation and Wildlife, Life Science and Conservation, Horse and Companion Animals, and AgriBusiness Management Co-Op) has given students a variety of topics to pique their interests.

“If I’m not in a normal class, this is where I am,” said North High School junior Drew Clark, president of his school’s FFA chapter, after running a rototiller through a garden area behind the school. “There’s always something to do.”

The agricultural program is run under the tutelage of agriculture instructor Len Herricks, who’s been at North High School for 36 years.

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TOP: Oshkosh North High School junior Drew Clark works a planting field behind the school.

ABOVE LEFT: Senior Tianna Howe waters plants inside the school’s the greenhouse. ABOVE: Agriculture instructor Len Herricks has run the school’s agricultural program for 36 years.

“My entire career has been in this location,” said Herricks, who is also the Oshkosh Education Association president.

The school’s greenhouse, built in 1972, is chock-full of plants tended to throughout the school day by students.

The students in Herricks’ classes prepare bedding plants for an annual sale, craft floral arrangements, force bulbs, make Christmas decorations, grow poinsettias and Easter lilies, and contribute to the school’s landscaping. Their work can also be seen in various locations in the community in the form of annual and perennial beds they plant and maintain. The growing lessons can go year-round, with work on poinsettias and Easter lilies as well as grow lamps in the school used to start seeds.

“It’s a very good learning tool for my class,” said Herricks. “It’s a lot of hands-on learning.”

The school’s agricultural program allows students such as Clark to study up on side interests. While he wants to become a firefighter, his work on the school grounds has led Clark to think of using those skills to establish his own business.

“I’ll have my own lawn service on the side,” he said. ■

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Green machine in Appleton Hybrid vehicle brings high school together

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eter Worley’s train of thought began with a locomotive and has resulted in a green energy project that brought together his whole high school.

Worley, a technology and engineering instructor at Appleton East High School, thought of starting a hybrid vehicle project in his classes more than a year ago. He even visited a friend who works as a train mechanic to learn more about using diesel to power electric motors. Then, with a $10,000 grant jump-starting his idea and combined with a truckload of donations, he was ready to put his plans into motion.

His brainstorm – the Appleton East High School hybrid biodiesel project – has brought together students in his shop class as well as colleagues’ science and art classes to create a hybrid truck entered into the National SkillsUSA Championships in Kansas City this month.

ABOVE: Appleton East High School teacher Peter Worley watches junior Katie Vanden Boomen mix together the biodiesel used in the school’s hybrid truck project. The fuel is made from used vegetable oil donated from a local restaurant. BELOW: Worley and freshman Riley Graves work on the truck’s frame where a sliding box will be installed to hold the truck’s 26 batteries.

“This is what education is supposed to be. We need to work together to help our students succeed,” Worley said. “I’m involving as many different curriculums as possible. Teaching today is about real-life applications.”

The project involved students welding a new truck bed to hold batteries and modifying engine parts to run off of electricity, distilling used vegetable oil into fuel, designing a paint scheme and logo for the vehicle, highlighting the work through video and press releases, and more.

Appleton East freshman Lizzy Mui won a school contest to design the hybrid truck.

Her design features a “Making a Difference One School at a Time” logo on the truck’s hood.

A jolt for students The project has jolted the interest of students such as Heather Ruhl, a junior in Worley’s shop class who wants to study chemical engineering after graduation.

the trip for the participating students to Kansas City to present their project notes (the truck will stay in Wisconsin) for judging.

“Everything’s going green,” Ruhl said.

“That is a great field to go into and this fits right in with that.”

Some schools to present at the National Leadership and Skills Conference are adapting solar power for their school building or recycling garbage. The Appleton students will give a half-hour presentation on their truck and what the collaboration means for the community.

Appleton is one of a dozen schools to receive a $10,000 State Farm grant. That money has gone to getting the parts not already donated for the truck and to fund 8

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Getting it going A donated 1995 Chevy S-10 pickup provides the basis for the project’s vehicle.

The bed was removed and in its place students attached moving boxes to hold 26 batteries. The braking system was replaced, and the engine was ripped out and modified. An 8-gallon biodiesel tank will charge the batteries to run the vehicle’s main electric motor.

Worley said he spent only $7,500 from the grant on parts. The rest has come from local, state and national donations – totaling more than $20,000.

“I’ve been doing a lot of footwork and cold calls, and I’ve had a lot of support from the community,” Worley said.

“Almost everything’s been donated, so we’re real happy with that.”

See more about the project Watch students mix fuel, weld parts onto the hybrid truck and learn more about the project online

by visiting Worley enlisted arts weac.org/video. classes for a contest to design the vehicle’s exterior (a competition that was won by a freshman) and school science teacher Mike Smits to help facilitate the biodiesel production using leftover frying oil from a local restaurant.

Smits even enrolled in a technical school course on biofuel to bring that expertise to the project.

Help for the classroom

Win a ‘green’ grant from the NEA and Target To give you a boost on bringing green lessons into your classroom, the NEA and Target have got you covered. The two are partnering in a new program that will award $50,000 in grants to educators to implement innovative activities, lessons or events that get students excited about “going green” and raise awareness of school-based environmentalism.

The first annual NEA’s Green Across America Grants program is a national competition aimed at helping K-12 educators and students design activities that raise environmental awareness and develop eco-sustainable behavior.

NEA’s Green Across America grants of up to $1,000 are available to help you implement your innovative education program, activity, lesson or event to excite students about going green, caring for the Earth and creating a sustainable future.

“Our members are committed to helping students practice and model sustainable, Earth-friendly behaviors, so I know they will be excited about these environmentally focused grants,” NEA Executive Director John Wilson said.

“It’s so neat what these kids are doing,” Smits said. “We have no money, basically, and they’ve worked it out perfectly.”

The Green Across America Grants support environmental literacy by enabling students to:

Worley said he is glad he brought a new lesson to students who hopefully go on and make a difference in their careers.

• Develop hands-on skills for taking positive, practical, and personal action on environmental issues.

“It’s about trying something new. You don’t learn anything if you don’t try,” Worley said. “It’s giving these kids handson opportunities and giving them skills that relate to their future.” ■

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• Actively participate in innovative, awareness-raising, content-rich, activitiesbased programs.

• Engage their schools and communities in increased environmental conservation activities.

Applications must be submitted online

by July 30. Find out more at neamb.com/ green. ■

For curriculum guides, activity sheets and tips for bringing green lessons into your classroom, visit neamb.com/green.

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Auto insurance: I t ’s t h e l a w

Don’t get hooked by copayment lures

Wisconsinites are now required by law to have insurance to operate a motorized vehicle and must have proof of insurance while driving.

Manufacturers try to entice patients into expensive drugs

A

s drug companies continue to lose profits to generic medications, they also continue to come up with new tactics to hold generics at bay. Among the latest tactics is an offer to pay for your copayment if you switch to or continue with a more costly brand-name medication.

These copayment offers are often promoted at pharmacies, doctors’ offices, on the Internet, or through the mail. The copayment offer, often in the form of a coupon, debit card, or waiver card, may initially seem like a good deal for consumers, but the result is higher costs for your health plan.

That’s because drug manufacturers use the reimbursements to circumvent insurers’ drug tiers, which are created to guide members to the most cost-effective choices. While higher-tier medications typically have the highest member copayment, that copayment is only a relatively small portion of the true cost of the drugs.

Even with a higher member copayment, the drugs in the higher tiers will still typically cost your health plan much more compared to the lower-tier options.

For example, Nexium is a drug used to treat excess stomach acid and it is in Tier 3 of the WEA Trust drug plans. While drug copayments

vary by plans, a common Tier 3 copayment is $25. However, the total cost of Nexium for a 30-day supply is $194, which means the health plan pays the remaining $169. That’s significantly more than Tier 1 alternatives to Nexium.

“Higher drug costs to your health plan cause higher health insurance premiums, so the copayment savings you receive now will end up costing everyone more later,” says Paul Rosowski, R.Ph., M.S., the WEA Trust Manager of Clinical Pharmacy.

What to do • Don’t be swayed by copayment offers. If you are taking an older medication that you and your doctor know is working, be skeptical of manufacturer enticements to try a “new and improved” drug.

• Drug companies spend billions to promote their new drugs, but newer is often not better.

There is convincing evidence that many older drugs are as good as, or better than, expensive new medications. And compared to newer drugs, older drugs have a longer safety record.

• When you receive a new prescription from your doctor, don’t hesitate to raise cost concerns and ask if there are lower-cost options for your condition. ■

The mandatory insurance law was passed last year as part of Act 28, which also raised minimum limits on auto insurance for medical payments and uninsured and underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage.

Additionally, Act 28 included new rules that required UM and UIM coverages to “stack” or be added together for up to three vehicles, doubling or tripling the coverage for multiple-vehicle households. The result of stacking is that you may have more coverage than you want, so adjustments may be required to ensure you have the right amount of protection.

What members need to do: • Make sure your family has auto insurance at all times. If you need insurance, WEA Trust Member Benefits can provide same-day coverage with no down payment and same-day proof of coverage.* • Have proof of insurance in each vehicle to avoid fines.

• Discuss with your insurer how the law changes have impacted your coverage and explore the options available to find the right balance between your coverage needs and cost.

• Call WEA Trust Member Benefits at 1-800-279-4010 if you have questions about Act 28 or need help evaluating your coverage options, or sign up for a personal phone consultation at weabenefits.com/ consults at a time convenient for you.

Underwritten by WEA Property & Casualty Insurance Company. *Subject eligibility and underwriting.

■

O U R PA RT N E R S

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Celebrating 40 Years

of serving Wisconsin public school employees!

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use the $50,000 again to buy a much, much higher paying annuity. But, this payment is $61 per month less than the New York Life deal, even though your heirs do get all your original purchase money back at the end.

By Bob Moeller – WEAC Member Benefits Take control of your personal finances

Lifetime income possibilities

I

receive some of the AARP publications, and enjoy reading them. Recently there was an ad from New York Life regarding an annuity product which has “earned the endorsement of AARP.” The product was the “AARP Lifetime Income Plan with Cash Refund.”

While AARP has been criticized in the past for receiving a large portion of its income from these “endorsed” products, my comments here are strictly from the viewpoint of how you should approach the purchase of any financial product. Lifetime annuities are a big seller these days, and while I discourage the use of variable (stock market) annuities, a good, simple guaranteed payment annuity might be attractive.

You should never buy any annuity or other life insurance company product without comparing it to similar products offered by other companies.

So I got quotes on this annuity product for a 60-year-old female. New York Life is a financially strong insurance company. Its offering for this person, assuming a $50,000 payment, was as follows: 1) The person would get a monthly income for life of $248.24. 2) If she happened to die before getting back the entire $50,000 (which would take about 201 months or not quite age 77), her beneficiaries would get the rest of the $50,000 paid to them. In the insurance industry, this is called an installment refund-type annuity.

The offering is easy to understand, but is it a good deal? Here’s how I would analyze it:

Individual summer appointments available While all of Bob Moeller’s UniServ office appointments are filled, there are still spots available in Madison for July and August. At these, Moeller discusses whatever a member wishes to discuss financially. There is no charge and nothing is sold.

If interested just call toll-free 1-800-362-8034.

First, I went to ImmediateAnnuities.com and put in the person’s age and the dollar amount. I instantly was informed that one of the insurance companies ImmediateAnnuities.com deals with would pay $277 per month under the same installment refund terms. That is 11.5% more.

That means that over a 20-year remaining life span, the buyer would receive $6,900 more via ImmediateAnnuities.com. Is the money as safe?

The State of Wisconsin insurance security fund essentially insures the product up to $300,000.

Safe enough for me.

What other options might I consider?

Using Google for “Treasury Rates,” I find that a 30-year Treasury Bond is paying about 4.5% annual interest. Thus, you could earn $187 per month for 30 years and use NONE of your principal. At the end of the 30 years, you could

Lower loan rates mean lower monthly payments now THAT is something to smile about!

800-457-1142 . weacu.com *Membership eligibility required. APR = Annual Percentage Rate. Approval subject to normal credit standards.

Offer valid for a limited time. Repayment example: 4.5% APR at 36 months is $29.75 per $1,000 borrowed.

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June 2010

Next I check out top-quality AAA and AA+ long-term bonds. I picked long term only because I am comparing to a lifetime annuity.

I find just a few. For example, Microsoft is an AAA-rated company. Its 29-year call protected (can’t be called in before maturity) bond sells for $1,020 and pays a 5.2% coupon (5.2% of $1,000) which results in a 5.028% yield to maturity. My income on $50,000 would be about $212 per month, and I would get back about $49,000 in 2039. My heirs would of course get the bonds if I died. This payout is starting to get closer to the $248 per month promised by New York Life and I get back almost all of my principal instead of none of it if I live too long.

Next, I look at a GE bond, rated AA+ and maturing in 2037. I would get an effective yield to maturity of 5.93%, resulting in a monthly income of $247 per month compared to New York Life’s promise of $248 per month. I am also confident my heirs will get back my initial payment versus maybe getting back none of my initial payment to New York Life.

This is by no means a criticism of New York Life or of the AARP. It is simply a reminder that frequently there are deals more beneficial to you with no real increase in risk. But you have to do some research.

Note: Prices and returns change frequently.

These prices were as of early May 2010.

This article is for informational purposes only. ■

Leave a comment at the Dollars & Sense blog at weac.org/dollars.

NEA members save up to 15% when using the CDP number 50655 at over 8,100 Hertz locations worldwide.

Visit hertz.com/neamb for extra savings!

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2010 WEAC Summer Academy

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trong local associations lead to a stronger WEAC organization. The focus for this year’s Summer Academy will be building the capacity of our locals. Tracks will be offered to provide local leaders the tools, resources, and support they need to build the effectiveness of their local. Tracks will be focused on responsibilities specific to their leadership role in the local union. Teams of leaders from each local are encouraged to attend!

Summer Academy returns to the Holiday Inn Stevens Point Convention Center Hotel July 25-28. Registration for 2 1/2 days of training and meals is $50. Double lodging for three nights is $125, and singles are available for an additional cost. When four members register at the same time as a team they receive one free registration and one free double room, a savings of $175!

Information and resources for every membership group are included in four tracks: • Local Officers – two development courses

• Bargaining Team Members – Bargaining A-Z and Special Issues in Collective Bargaining • Association/Building Representative Training • Communications and Public Messaging for Leaders & Activists National Board Certification candidates will have available expert guidance and support to begin their journey during the Candidate Preparation course. For the first time, the UniServ presidents’ annual retreat will be held as part of Summer Academy. Add in the fun events and time to network, and Summer Academy shapes up to be a great event!

33 Nob Hill Road, P.O. Box 8003 Madison, WI 53708-8003 800-362-8034 www.weac.org

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Building effective locals!

Sign up now to avoid being on a waitlist!

Event registration closes July 16.

Detailed information, printable information sheets and registration forms, and online registration is available at weac.org/summeracademy. ■

Family/school/community engagement is key to a child’s success After a day-long summit, more than 190 Wisconsin parents, teachers and community and elected leaders issued recommendations to help increase family and community engagement in student education.

“Wisconsin’s great schools are a result of a long history of strong family and community engagement,” WEAC President Mary Bell said. “But with new challenges facing our state and increasing challenges facing our families and our schools, talking together about how we focus on our

Sponsors of the summit included WEAC, the NEA, the Office of Governor Jim Doyle, and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

children and their success is even more important than ever.”

The Family/School/Community Engagement Summit was held at the Waukesha County Technical College campus in Pewaukee.

The summit is just one way your union is engaging families and communities to be a part of our public schools.

To read more about the 16 recommendations made at the Family/School/Community Engagement Summit, visit weac.org/news. ■