Mark Your Calendars
OctOber-NOvember 2009
Check out our list of events, functions for the upcoming year vOlume 2 | issue 2
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The conversation continues to make sure there’s
Health care for everyone By now you’ve heard a lot
about the health care debate. “Death panels.” “Public option.” “You lie!” We’ve seen a lot in the last few months. What’s undeniable is this: health care reform is coming. Congress is sifting through several options, from proposals regulating costs to setting up a governmentsponsored insurance safety net. Don’t forget that your union – on the national, state and local levels – is advocating for affordable access to quality health care for all Americans. Health care coverage is too important to leave to chance, and it’s up to us to be a part of the discussion to shape the future.
Where does WEAC stand on health care reform? WEAC believes all Wisconsin residents should have guaranteed access to affordable health care that protects choice of providers and the quality of services – providing security for Wisconsin’s families. That’s the core principle adopted by the WEAC Board of Directors to guide our support of health care initiatives. Health care reform is one of WEAC’s top priorities, and we’re not alone. The NEA is also on board with health care overhaul, citing the fact that healthy students are crucial for great schools. The simple fact is that we have too many hard-working people who don’t have access to health care – such as education support professionals who are not given enough hours to qualify for health care – or who are being blocked from health insurance due to pre-existing conditions. And keep in mind: for those who have care, costs are out of control and are unsustainable at their current rate.
To sort through the rhetoric, we’ve provided a breakdown of how health care overhaul will affect you, your family, your students and the community.
More inside ■ Putting some PEP into physical education, page 7 ■ Why I care about health care reform, page 8 ■ Retirees: Health care reform is good for you, too, page 9
What do the plans look like?
There are several versions of proposals in both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives. Some call for a public option – a government insurance program that would compete with private-sector plans. President Obama set out a list of key elements of any health care reform agenda. They include a cap on out-of-pocket health care payments for individuals, a ban on denying coverage for pre-existing conditions, and a mandate that all Americans have insurance. For the latest information about health care reform and what your union colleagues are doing to help, visit www.weac.org/healthcare. continued on page 8
insideandonline A national recognition
Making your job easier
Kicking off a new promotion
Getting wealthy is a little harder
Correctional educator is named Wisconsin's best.
Your union is working to improve education.
UW partnership puts kids on the field at Badgers games.
Bob Moeller lays out his financial principles to follow.
Page 2 www.weac.org/spotlight
Page 4 www.weac.org/capitol
Page 6 www.weac.org
Page 11 www.weac.org/dollars
educators give hope to students behind bars
Member Spotlight DeNeal Ericksen Robert E. Ellsworth Correctional Center Union Grove
“If you want to change the world, start with yourself.”
In a school about 20 miles west of Milwaukee, teachers fret about school funding, test scores and learning disabilities. There are bars on the windows, there’s an electric razor-wire fence around the perimeter, and there are roaming security patrols. But there are also small class sizes, constant collaboration about student aptitude and a winning WIAA soccer team. One thing the teachers at Ethan Allen School, a state juvenile correctional facility for young men, don’t have to worry about is truancy. WEAC members at Ethan Allen and similar institutions across the state guide the education of young adults to the next phase of their lives. “This is a fresh start,” said Mary Joas, a teacher at Ethan Allen who focuses on adult basic reading and math. ■ To read more about teachers at the ethan Allen facility, visit www.weac.org/news.
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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The words dance over the pages of a four-inch thick scrapbook, sprawled open on a table. They are a firm reminder that every person can make a difference. And you can be sure the scrapbook’s keeper, DeNeal Ericksen, does indeed live by those words. Ericksen – Wisconsin’s Correctional Education Teacher of the Year – experienced a whirlwind summer, during which she was recognized nationally for her advocacy and efforts as a teacher to women who are incarcerated. It’s one of many honors bestowed upon her during her career, and ranks right up there with how she felt when a former student inmate named her baby daughter DeNeal. As a teacher at the Robert E. Ellsworth Correctional Center in Union Grove, she faces some of the greatest challenges an educator can encounter. “But it also can have
some of the most amazing rewards,” said Ericksen. A letter from a former student, framed in the album, talks about the impact this teacher has made, saying in part, “…words aren’t enough to describe her true beauty and the wonderful gifts she gives so many women.” For Ericksen, like Wisconsin educators who work in all types of settings, her profession encompasses so much more than standing in front of a classroom. In addition to being an instructor, she is an advocate, an innovator, a realist when she needs to be, but overwhelmingly an optimist. She’s a teacher who cares. “We all want the best for our students. We want them to succeed. We want them to have a chance.” ■ 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.
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Student assessment
Changes to testing are coming You’re going to be hearing a lot about the WKCE pretty soon, and not just because it’s going to be given this month and next. Changes are coming to student assessment that will mean the end of the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examinations and a start to the next generation of testing. The state Department of Public Instruction and State Superintendent Tony Evers promise a big overhaul to student assessment, beginning with phasing out the WKCE. The tests will still be given for at least the next two school years, mostly to meet federal requirements. So what comes after WKCE? Evers is talking about a completely new system that combines state, district and classroom assessments. Much of what we will see comes from the recommendations of the
Next Generation Assessment Task Force. Convened in fall 2008, the 42 experts who made up the committee recommended that the WKCE be removed in favor of a balanced assessment system. Watch next month for more on next generation assessment, and check www.weac.org in the meantime for the latest news. ■
What do you think
The state and federal governments are re-examining the way we test students. What do you think works? Visit www.weac.org/forums and let us know.
Your union is an advocate for professional development Did you know that your union is a fierce advocate for professional development? For decades, professional development has been a key component of your union’s commitment to quality education and with changes to assessment looming, professional development is more important than ever. Professional development is central to everyday work in the classroom. It ensures quality academic knowledge and skills to impart them on students. Closing achievement gaps and making our schools the best they can be start with the dedicated professionals staffing each classroom, and your union has been closely involved in development opportunities to make that success a reality. For more about your union’s work, visit www.weac.org/professionaldevelopment. ■
O n l i n e e x t r A S | Get more from WEAC in Print on the Web neA rA state delegate nominations due December 1
teacher blends students’ ‘Chords of Memory’ into book
Nomination forms for state delegates to the 2010 and 2011 NEA Representative Assemblies are due to the WEAC executive director’s office no later than December 1.
Waukesha South High School educator Pat Gardner, who’s been teaching American history for 15 years, compiled 30 stories from her students covering 27 countries into “Chords of Memory: Immigration Stories of Waukesha Families, Friends and Neighbors.” It’s the culmination of a grant Gardner received to cull her students’ work into a piece of literature the community can use to share her passion.
Forms are available at www.weac.org/ members, through your UniServ office, or through the executive director’s office by calling 800-362-8034 ext. 219. The forms must be postmarked to the executive director’s office no later than December 1. Those postmarked after that date will not be accepted. Visit www.weac.org/members for more information. ■
“I love hearing the voices of the past and bringing them back,” she said. Read more by visiting www.weac.org/news and clicking on “Education News.” ■
Are you interested in becoming a UniServ Director? if so, WeAC is seeking applicants for a staff internship. Find out more by going to www.weac.org and clicking on “WeAC Job opportunities.”
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Making your job easier Your union is working to improve all facets of education
Do you wish you could be eligible for a bigger tax deduction for the school supplies you buy with your own money? Do you think workers should get time off from their employers to attend parentteacher conferences? These things to improve education in Wisconsin are on the move in the state Legislature, and they’re part of what WEAC and your colleagues across the state are fighting for on your behalf. Here are a few of the proposals that would help you in the classroom, all thanks to the hard work and dedication of WEAC members just like you:
5K attendance Kenosha kindergarten teacher Anne Knapp has seen it all too often: a student misses 50 days of school one year, another misses 80. Attendance wasn’t mandatory for 5-yearold kindergarten, and Kenosha kindergarten teacher Anne Knapp repeated absences set leads a group of educators in favor of a some students back bill (now a law) mandating attendance for students enrolled in 5-year-old kindergarten. when it’s time to reach first grade. Knapp hatched the idea in 2007 to pass a resolution at the WEAC RA calling for attendance rules for those enrolled in 5K. This fall, the state Legislature passed a similar bill and Governor Jim Doyle signed it into law. Teachers such as Knapp say the new kindergarten law will put a renewed emphasis on kindergarten as a great first step in schooling.
educators’ tax deduction During a parent-teacher night, Marcia Roberts of Mineral Point Elementary School found that families often could afford only a selection of items for incoming students, putting off buying some
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edgerton teacher Amy Calkins and Mineral Point teacher Marcia roberts talk with state representative Kim Hixson about a proposed tax deduction for educators who spend their own money on supplies for students.
items to later in the year. So Roberts did the only thing she could think of – she bought the supplies herself. More and more, teachers are reaching into their pockets to buy students’ supplies – and now the state Legislature is considering legislation to help out. A measure at the state level will create a $250 state tax deduction mirroring the existing $250 federal tax deduction. The federal deduction is accessible to educators if Congress adopts it each year. Should Congress not renew the federal deduction, the state tax deduction would go up to $500.
indoor air quality Jackie Vandenberg, a 20-year teacher, said she fears the 115-year-old West Bend school she teaches in could be behind some of her respiratory problems. Vandenberg said school building environment issues shouldn’t be factors in education. Providing for our students’ education can mean more than textbooks and curriculum – it can mean a safe place to learn with clean air to breathe. A bill in the state Legislature will provide school districts with guidance from a state task force of diverse members. The task force will develop recommendations for a model management plan for maintaining indoor environmental quality in schools.
Conference and activities leave A bill before legislators would allow parents to take up to 16 hours of leave time from work to participate in their child’s school conferences and activities that cannot be scheduled during nonworking hours. Beth Oswald, a seventh-grade teacher in Evansville, and last year’s Wisconsin Teacher of the Year, said that, in her experience, parents who attend conferences are more likely to share concerns with their child’s homeroom teacher about their child’s academic and emotional well-being – probably because they have attained a comfort level with that staff member. ■ Follow the progress of these proposals at www.weac.org/capitol.
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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. w w w. w e a c . O r g / s h a r e p h O t O s
Follow the conversation online Have a thought on the stories you see here, or on www.weac.org, or on our Facebook page or our Twitter feed? Let us know – in a variety of ways. Since opening our Web stories up for reader comments, we’ve been receiving great comments from readers sharing their thoughts and opinions on the news of the day or blog entries. The new Web – often referred to as Web 2.0 – is about conversation, and comments are one of the ways in which our Web site is encouraging conversation among members (and non-members) around important issues. Comments allow a story to continue. When we posted an article about a bill designed to improve air quality in the schools, it drew this comment from a reader:
The WeA Academy collaborates with the Wisconsin department of Public instruction to host the Japan-Wisconsin education Connection, now in its 13th year. Wisconsin schools have hosted more than 150 teachers through this program since 1997. A luncheon for this year’s visiting teachers was held in Madison on september 21. ■ in a back-to-school food drive, Fort Atkinson educators donated food items while drawing attention to the pre-contract hours they put in to prep their classrooms, go over lesson plans or work on grading programs. They gathered more than 2,400 items for a food pantry, each item corresponding to two hours put in outside of their contract time. ■
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“Respiratory problems among staff and students are common in many school buildings in many areas. It is common for retired staff members to see a huge decrease in such problems once they are no longer working in school buildings.” That’s the great thing about social media: The conversation goes on, and it’s in your hands. So, whether you have an opinion on a hot topic of the day, insight into how issues affect you on a daily basis, or just want to send out a thank you or congratulations, we invite and encourage you to take advantage of the many opportunities to comment throughout www. weac.org and on the WEAC Facebook page. ■
Join us on THe WeB ■ Comment on news stories and blogs at www.weac.org ■ Follow us on Facebook by visiting www.weac.org/facebook ■ Keep in touch with us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/weac
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Kicking off a new promotion uW partnership puts kids on the field at Badgers games Proud partner of Wisconsin Athletics
Students across the state are getting a kick out of WEAC’s newest promotion. Well, they’re getting something after the kick, actually. Seven lucky Wisconsin students are being picked by teachers to be a Kickoff Kid at University of Wisconsin Badgers home football games at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison. The students were selected for their hard work and dedication to school and community. In the promotion, students get to watch the opening kickoff from the field, then run out and grab the tee once the game begins. Those skills came easily to one Kickoff Kid – Caleb Fernholz of Cashton had been doing it for years as manager of his brother’s high school football team. Not that that experience didn’t prevent him from getting a little nervous doing it in front of 80,000 people at Camp Randall. “He was stunned,” said Brenda Fernholz, Caleb’s mother and a teacher 6
For more on Kickoff Kids, including video of the kids' work on the field at Camp randall, visit the Multimedia and social networking section of www.weac.org and click on Contests.
ABoVe: Bailey Zak of sturgeon Bay runs off the field with the opening kick tee at Camp randall stadium as the university of Wisconsin Badgers played Michigan state. ToP: Antonio rhames of Verona waves to the crowd on Camp randall’s scoreboard during the first quarter of the Badgers’ game against northern illinois.
who nominated him to be a WEAC Kickoff Kid. All the Kickoff Kids got to hang out on the field during the player warm-ups. They also waved to fans on the scoreboard video during the first quarter introducing the WEAC-UW partnership.
The Kickoff Kids represent commitment to community. Teachers nominated students (ages 8-13) by writing about what distinguishes them in their school. In addition to Caleb, the Kickoff Kids included Antonio Rhames of Verona, Lucas Jagodzinski of Stevens Point, Bailey Zak of Sturgeon Bay, Justin Biege of Janesville, Ashley Alter of Trevor and Alexandria Knight of Burlington. The lucky students were selected for their academic work, for helping peers in school, and for participating in civic groups providing volunteer work to improve their communities. ■
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putting some pep into physical education Wisconsin is leading the nation in grants transforming gym class A federal agency gives out more than $75 million in grants a year for physical education programs across the country. This year, Wisconsin was awarded more than $3.6 million of that money, far more money than any other state. In fact, Wisconsin traditionally has been at the top in terms of successful annual applications to the Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP), part of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools.
the community. In Waterloo, grants were used to rewrite the physical education curriculum. In Columbus, a lot of changes are happening in and around physical education – from new mountain bikes to a soon-to-beconstructed rock wall. The district, in its second of three years under the grant, was awarded roughly $300,000 a year.
Columbus High school students perform on Bosu Balls purchased with federal grant money. Health and physical education teacher Jason Adams, bottom left, uses an array of new equipment to transform traditional gym class into a wellness program.
Fitness centers at Columbus’s middle and high schools were upgraded with treadmills, elliptical trainers and exercise bikes. New curriculum was added, covering suicide prevention and substance abuse of drugs, alcohol and steroids. Just this summer Columbus bought 60 Trek bicycles, split between the middle and high schools. And the grants didn’t end with gym class. Columbus bought salad bars for cafeterias, removed junk food from vending machines and added a healthy cooking class at the high school. The millions coming into Wisconsin go to fund treadmills, kayaks, mountain bikes, and dozens of other kinds of fitness equipment. While the program is not just for schools (some towns and nonprofit agencies receive grants), Wisconsin’s recipients have been almost exclusively school districts. That money means different things for different districts. In Dodgeland, PEP grants funded a fitness center that’s used by www.weac.org
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At Columbus High School, health and physical education teacher Jason Adams takes students through aerobic exercises on machines, strengthening routines on devices such as Bosu Balls and sports such as indoor golf on some days and health classes such as decision making on others. For physical fitness, Adams is using a $15,000 computer and sensor system to track each student’s progress through the year (including weight and strength) and has heart rate monitors to make sure all
students reach specific target heart rates he set for them. It’s a big jump from the badminton and dodgeball games of the past, but new physical education methods require new thinking. What the PEP grants do, Adams said, is help educators to teach kids a path to lifelong physical and mental wellness. “Instead of just focusing on fitness, fitness, fitness, they create a wellness plan,” said Adams, who’s also a personal trainer outside of school hours. In many districts, equipment brought in with grant money is opened up for use by the community. In Columbus, the future rock wall will be available for community use during certain hours, much like a pool would be. Adams said the district also is planning to lend out some of its equipment, such as disc golf materials. “We’re going to go to town for the community with this,” Adams said. ■ To read more about federal PeP grants in schools, visit www.weac.org/news.
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I already have insurance – what will it mean for me?
Health care costs are unsustainable. Premiums are skyrocketing, and Wisconsin’s health insurance rates have jumped 30 percent faster than the national average. Eight of the 10 most expensive cities for medical care are right here in Wisconsin. Nationally, health expenditures (what’s spent by public and private insurers and out-of-pocket expenses) have doubled in 10 years, and are projected to double again in another decade. Something has to be done to make sure we’re not priced out of insurance and that costs are contained so that those who have insurance can keep it in the future.
I want to keep my health plan. Will I still be able to?
President Obama has made keeping your current plan a key component of any overhaul initiative. Obama has supported the idea of public options or alternatives so that costs and coverage packages remain competitive among private insurers, but keeping existing insurers is inherent to any health care proposal. With competition, costs for existing coverage options go down. They will do so because private insurers will want to stay in line with public prices and offerings.
Got a question of your own you’d like answered? Post it to www.weac.org/healthcare and we'll provide the answer.
Why i care about health care reform We live in one of the best countries in the world, where people’s generosity is known all over the universe, but we tend to forget about our own friends and families who cannot afford to take their loved ones to see a doctor, pregnant women who cannot have the advice or treatment from an obstetrician jeopardizing many times the wellbeing of their unborn, or the elderly who choose which one of their medicines they are going to take because it is impossible to buy all of them. People do not realize that health care is such a basic need and becomes a done deal to some or a death sentence to others. There are hard-working people trying to survive and take care of their families, but because they work 35 hours a week and not 40, they don’t get benefits. When my students don’t have health care and are gone for too many days, they cannot catch up once they are back in school, perpetuating a vicious circle that keeps the poor and the uninsured at a disadvantage – not only physically but also academically. If you cannot be in school, you cannot learn. If you cannot learn, you cannot succeed or advance in life. Health care plays a huge role in my students’ wellbeing and academic achievement. – Edna Feldman-Schultz, world language teacher, Janesville Want to share your story on health care reform? Visit www.weac.og/healthcare and post your thoughts to our forum.
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WHAt yOu neeD tO KnOW AbOut HeAltH CAre reFOrM ■ Costs are unsustainable: You sacrifice salary and benefits every year but premiums still go up. At the rate they’re going, more people will be dropped from plans and more people will be unable to afford the care they need. ■ your colleagues are suffering: some education support professionals are not allowed to work enough hours to be eligible for health care, and some work just to afford premiums. They and their families need the safety and security of quality care. ■ it’s a priority: WeAC, the neA, members across the state – people are sounding the alarm of children who are set back due to lack of health care. now is the time to act. ■ Change is coming: Let’s be part of the discussion to shape the future.
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Why do I keep hearing about ‘death panels’? By using mistruths and outright lies, there are some out there who want to see health care reform defeated – ignoring the real facts that costs are out of control and people are dying because they can’t afford or don’t have access to health insurance. “Death panels” are a fabrication and hold no truth whatsoever. What is true is that a House bill calls for Medicare funding of “end-of-life” discussions between patients and their doctors about such topics as hospice care.
What’s going to happen to my taxes? President Obama has pledged that health care reform will not increase the deficit, and that reform will bring savings to taxpayers. Some plans introduced in Congress are deficit-neutral. Obama recently has promised no tax increases for people making less than $250,000 a year.
What can I do to help? Your colleagues have been out sounding the call for changes. A contingent of members went to Washington, D.C., this summer to join other unions in calling for reform and talking with congressional representatives. WEAC leaders attended a rally this past July advocating for reform. And that’s just the high-profile stuff. You can call your elected officials, write a letter, talk to friends – anything you can to spread the word of why health care reform is in our interest.
retirees: Health care reform is good for you, too President obama and some democrats in Congress are pushing a governmentbacked health insurance plan to cover Americans in dire need of a health care safety net. sound familiar? it should, because Medicare works much the same way. As health care reform looms closer, Medicare will be an integral part of what develops. some estimates put Medicare on a track to bankruptcy, possibly even in the next decade. simply put, health care reform is good for every consumer – even those who are retired or close to retirement. By lowering health care costs across the board, insurance will be better for those on private plans or Medicare. one of the key factors of several health care reform plans is to lower Medicare costs by having insurers bid to be a part of Medicare Advantage. some analysts say the government is subsidizing private plans due to that lack of bidding.
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The truth is that no one is calling for cuts to Medicare benefits or to increase seniors’ out-of-pocket expenses. did you know that AArP – the nation’s largest membership organization for people older than 50 – praises health care reform proposals, noting that they will keep Medicare and Medicaid intact? The group says recent moves by Congress to overhaul Medicare will eliminate out-of-pocket spending for screenings and preventive services, wipe out limits on what insurance companies will pay, and fill the so-called Medicare donut hole – a gap in coverage of prescription drugs. Additionally, don’t believe that you will have sufficient individual protection if you can just make it out the door before your retirement benefits are changed. Why? in
most cases benefits for early retirees are linked to those of active employees. When active employees make tradeoffs at the bargaining table in the form of salary for diminished insurance benefits, any salary gains are not passed on to retirees. To stay up to date on WeAC’s priority of health care reform, visit www.weac. org/healthcare. ■ 9
Are you Jack or Jill? Mistake 1: Spending more than you earn It’s not about how much money you make, it’s about how much you spend. Jack consistently spent more than he earned and he often used credit cards to cover the gap. You can’t increase your savings, make investments, reduce debt, or even make wise spending decisions without first getting a handle on your spending. Start by evaluating what is coming in and what is going out each month.
H
ave you heard the story of Jack and Jill? They started out on equal footing – same school, same job, same salary … but very quickly their financial situations parted ways. Jack made choices that negatively impacted his financial position and future, while Jill avoided common financial mistakes and got on the fast track to a secure future.
Mistake 2: no budget Budgets are the only practical way to get a grip on your spending. Jill used a free budgeting tool she found online to track and reduce her expenses, set financial goals and create a plan to help her achieve those goals. Creating a budget allowed Jill to take control of her personal finances.
Making wise financial decisions early in your career can have a significant impact on your future financial security. But it doesn’t matter whether you’re just starting out or preparing to retire, adhering to sound financial practices can make all the difference in your financial well-being.
Mistake 3: no emergency fund Most experts agree that you should keep three to six months worth of your living expenses in an emergency fund. Jack found out the hard way the importance of an emergency fund when his car needed $700 worth of repairs. Jack paid for the repairs with a credit card that charges 18% interest.
Here are seven financial mistakes that put a damper on Jack’s finances:
Wea Trust offers new long-term care partnership plan The WeA Trust was the first in Wisconsin to offer a true group long term care (LTC) plan, and now it’s one of the first to offer a “qualified partnership plan.”
Medicaid for LTC needs. it’s a dollar-for-dollar arrangement, meaning the personal assets an individual can protect will equal the benefits paid by the Trust group LTC partnership plan.
A partnership plan allows individuals to protect a significant portion of their financial assets should they later need to apply for
To learn more about the features and benefits of the WeA Trust group LTC partnership plan, go to the “news” section at www.weatrust.com.
If it takes Jack one year to pay off the $700, he will have paid up to an additional $126 for the repairs.
Mistake 4: not saving for the future ... now Jill started contributing $20 per pay check to her retirement savings account soon after starting her first job. Jack didn’t think he could afford it. Because she started early – even with a small amount – Jill will reap the benefits of compounding. Compounding is when earnings on your investments are reinvested in your account. The reinvested earnings may also have earnings, and then those earnings are reinvested and … It’s said that Albert Einstein called compound interest the “eighth wonder of the world.”Any small amount you can start contributing now could benefit you more than larger amounts you contribute later on because of compounding. Mistakes 5, 6 and 7 are available at www. weabenefits.com/mistakes. ■
Avoiding the mistakes Learn how to avoid the seven common financial mistakes by attending a presentation at the WeAC Convention in Milwaukee. Two presentation times are available on october 30, at 8:30 and 10:30. You will learn how to: • Avoid the most common financial mistakes made by new members. • set and achieve your financial goals. • Adopt a savings strategy that is right for you. • use available resources to help you make sound financial decisions. start your career on the right financial foot. don’t be Jack! Be Jill!
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“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 October-November 2009
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It may take a long while, but the stock market will come back. I still recommend that you pick first your stable investments carefully using a range of age plus or minus 10% – i.e. a 40 year old would have between 30% and 50% in stable (nonstock) investments. Never be embarrassed about being even more conservative (more in stable), but be careful about being more aggressive.
By Bob Moeller – WeAC Member Benefits Take control of your personal finances
Getting wealthy is a little harder now Welcome back to a new school year. In the financial world, a lot has happened. Less than a year ago, I wrote that five-year CDs were paying about 5%. Today, Bankrate.com tells me that across the country, five-year CDs are about 3.3%.Ten-year Treasury Bonds are now paying about 3.5%.
But many of the principles of becoming wealthy do not change. Those below are some you should consider following:
On September 1, 2009, a newspaper article announced that six-month Treasury Bill rates were the lowest they had been in 50 years at 0.24% per year. That means on a $10,000 investment, you will earn $24 in one year. I bonds are now paying 0%.
• Don’t trust any financial salespeople.
Over the summer I met with hundreds of members individually, and I have seen a lot of money fund-type investments that were earning about 0.1% per year. Can you do better? Yes, if you spend a little time on your investments and/or incur a little more risk. The credit card industry will come under new laws in February, and many are already making changes to preserve their ability to make lots of money by taking advantage of you. There will be higher fees, lower credit limits, higher penalties, more restrictions, etc. Your credit “score” will get even more important. Due to IRS rules, many school districts have dramatically shortened the list of taxsheltered annuity vendors. Many members will be or have been forced to choose a new vendor. My investment seminars will change to reflect these new circumstances.
• Don’t buy what you don’t need. • Don’t buy what you can’t pay for. • Don’t carry balances on your credit cards. • Do resolve to understand your finances. • Do invest more in tax advantaged investments like IRAs, TSAs, 401Ks (spouse). • Look at line 43 of your tax return. If it might be below $67,900 (married) or $33,950 (single) for 2009, use Roth IRAs or TSAs. The time to start thinking about your future financial security is right now. Notice that not a word of this article so far concerns the stock market. I meet with members often who do not directly own any stocks or stock mutual funds and have done quite well. The secret is to carefully monitor your spending habits and pay attention to stable investment rates of return. But will the stock market be a good investment? The last couple of years have made many people rethink stocks. Almost everyone lost money in 2008. Expert investors like the state of Wisconsin Investment Board (your retirement plan money) lost 26% in the Core (about 60% in stocks) and lost 39% in the Variable (100% stocks).
We didn’t need the CARD ACT for our credit card to have it’s act together:
No Annual Fees, Low-Rates, NO GIMMICKS! Get rid of the big-bank credit card in your wallet and apply online for a WEA CU credit card today.
Yes, it takes some of your time to become wealthy. You have to think about it and act. But most of the effort does not require brilliance in investments. It involves planning your life to free up more to invest in simple investment choices (that is a nice way of saying you need to spend less). It involves not being talked into bad investments by salespeople who are basically after a commission. It involves following some simple principles I cover in each seminar about what to do and what not to do. The time to think about your financial future is right now. This article is for information purposes only. ■ Leave a comment at the dollars & sense blog at www.weac.org/dollars.
Free Financial Seminars With Bob Moeller, WEAC Member Benefits Specialist
All seminars are 6:30 to 9 p.m. Pre-registration is required nov. 4: Janesville, 800-354-1843 nov. 5: Milwaukee, 414-259-1990 nov. 10 & 12: Brookfield, 800-354-7816 nov. 17: Madison, 800-728-2287 nov. 19: Portage, 800-845-6745
Visit the new neamb.com now to learn about your NEA Member Benefits. Be sure to register for the October giveaway prizes!
800-457-1142 . weacu.com *Membership eligibility required. Approval subject to normal credit standards.
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October-November 2009
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Mark your calendars for WEAC events Convention, American Education Week, Read Across America – there are a lot of events to keep track of throughout the school year. Here’s a comprehensive list for you to use to mark your calendars:
WeAC Convention, October 29-30
October 29-30: WeAC Convention, Milwaukee
november 6-7: Board of directors and committee meetings, Madison 13-14: student WeA Fall Professional development seminar
Taking place in Milwaukee with workshops and featured speakers, the Convention is the state’s premier professional development opportunity for educators. To find out more, visit www.weac.org.
15-21: American education Week
January 8-9: Board of directors and committee meetings, Madison 22-24: neA Midwest Leadership Conference, Minneapolis
February 19: Western Wisconsin education Conference, La Crosse 19-21: Board of directors and committee meetings, Madison 26: southern Wisconsin in-service organization, Madison 27-28: Winter Conference south, Madison
March
The 88th annual American Education Week will take place with different aspects of school life being spotlighted each day – Open House Day, Parents Day, Education Support Professionals Day, Educator for a Day and Substitute Educators Day. Watch www.weac.org/ aew soon for more information, including a poster you can download and post in your school and suggested activities for staff and community.
33 Nob Hill Road, P.O. Box 8003 Madison, WI 53708-8003 800-362-8034 www.weac.org
American education Week, nov. 15-21
18: neA education support Professionals day
WeAC Winter Conference
2: read Across America
We’ll be holding two regional events this time around, to bring the action closer to you. The first, on February 27-28, is in Madison. The second is in Wausau on March 6-7.
5: Central Wisconsin educators Conference, schofield 6-7: Winter Conference north, Wausau
12: northeastern Wisconsin education Association Conference, Green Bay
read Across America, March 2 The birthday of the beloved children’s author Dr. Seuss is celebrated with a program that focuses on motivating children across the country to read.
13: Local Presidents meeting, Wisconsin dells
April 16-17: Board of directors and committee meetings 16-18: student WeA representative Assembly/outreach to Teach 23-25: WeAC representative Assembly, Green Bay 30: WeAC-retired Annual Conference, Madison
May 2-8: Teacher Appreciation Week 4: national Teacher day
teacher Appreciation Week, May 2-8 Don’t forget to take time to thank a teacher on National Teacher Day on May 4.
July 1-6: neA representative Assembly, new orleans 23-25: Board of directors meeting/retreat, stevens Point 25-28: WeAC summer Academy, stevens Point
Go to www.weac.org/aew soon for an American education Week poster you can download.