Superintendent Ritz in Fort Wayne

Vic’s Statehouse Notes #230 – September 30, 2015

Dear Friends,

All public school advocates in Northeastern Indiana are invited to hear a presentation by State Superintendent Glenda Ritz followed by a panel discussion of leading educators this Saturday (Oct. 3) at 2pm in Fort Wayne.

The panel will discuss solving the teacher shortage. We are delighted that Superintendent Ritz will be available to discuss the commission she has formed to investigate this topic and to brief the group on other current issues in Indiana schools.

We hope you and your friends who support public education will come!

This regional ICPE meeting co-sponsored by the Northeast Indiana Friends of Public Education will be on Saturday, October 3, 2015, at 2 pm (EDT) in the Ivy Tech Coliseum Campus Auditorium, 3800 N. Anthony Blvd., Fort Wayne.

Speakers

After the presentation by State Superintendent Ritz, a panel of experts will discuss the teacher shortage:

• Rep. Melanie Wright, Yorktown (Sen. Kruse and Rep. GiaQuinta were invited but were unable to accept)

• Kathy Carr, Director of Human Resources, Fort Wayne Community Schools

• Karin Huttsell, Teacher, Northwest Allen and Blue Ribbon panel member on the teacher shortage

• Dr. Joe Nichols, Professor, IPFW

Jenny Sanders of the Northeast Indiana Friends of Public Education will moderate the panel. Marilyn Shank, board vice president of the Indiana Coalition for Public Education, will serve as chair of the meeting.

We thank State Superintendent Ritz and all the panel members for accepting our invitation to Saturday’s meeting.

I hope you can support public education in Indiana by coming to our Fort Wayne meeting. Bring a friend who is also ready to join the battle to restore public education to a high priority in Indiana!

If you can’t come to Fort Wayne, please consider coming to one of three subsequent meetings around Indiana:

October 13, 7pm (EDT), Bloomington City Hall

October 20, 6:30 (CDT), Evansville Central Library

October 21, 7pm (EDT), New Albany Schools Service Center Auditorium


Thanks for your advocacy for public education!

Best wishes,

Vic Smith


“Vic’s Statehouse Notes” and ICPE received one of three Excellence in Media Awards presented by Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, an organization of over 85,000 women educators in seventeen countries. The award was presented on July 30, 2014 during the Delta Kappa Gamma International Convention held in Indianapolis. Thank you Delta Kappa Gamma!


ICPE has worked since 2011 to promote public education in the Statehouse and oppose the privatization of schools. We need your membership to help support ICPE lobbying efforts. As of July 1st, the start of our new membership year, it is time for all ICPE members to renew their membership.

Our lobbyist Joel Hand continues to represent ICPE during the interim study committee meetings in September and October. Our work in support of public education in the Statehouse goes on. We welcome additional members and additional donations. We need your help and the help of your colleagues who support public education! Please pass the word!

Go to www.icpe2011.com for membership and renewal information and for full information on ICPE efforts on behalf of public education. Thanks!


Some readers have asked about my background in Indiana public schools. Thanks for asking! Here is a brief bio:

I am a lifelong Hoosier and began teaching in 1969. I served as a social studies teacher, curriculum developer, state research and evaluation consultant, state social studies consultant, district social studies supervisor, assistant principal, principal, educational association staff member, and adjunct university professor. I worked for Garrett-Keyser-Butler Schools, the Indiana University Social Studies Development Center, the Indiana Department of Education, the Indianapolis Public Schools, IUPUI, and the Indiana Urban Schools Association, from which I retired as Associate Director in 2009. I hold three degrees: B.A. in Ed., Ball State University, 1969; M.S. in Ed., Indiana University, 1972; and Ed.D., Indiana University, 1977, along with a Teacher’s Life License and a Superintendent’s License, 1998. In 2013 I was honored to receive a Distinguished Alumni Award from the IU School of Education, and in 2014 I was honored to be named to the Teacher Education Hall of Fame by the Association for Teacher Education – Indiana.

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IRTA Letter to Gov Pence

August 3, 2015

Dear IRTA members:

After reading the Indianapolis Star on Saturday morning, August 1, 2015 I ask that you join me in emailing, or writing, Governor Pence on what he should do with the $210 million dollar surplus that he has sole discretion on how to spend. He mentioned many areas where the money could be used, but not once mentioned that the Pension Stabilization Fund was even in consideration. If you did not write the first time I sent this message out, I ask you to do so now. If you previously wrote the governor, I don’t think it would hurt to do it again.

In 2013 he used all $66 million to pay off prison construction loans and none into the Pension Stabilization Fund. If Governor Pence this year would use half of the surplus amount ($100 million) and pay it toward the PSF, the legislature could then grant a COLA and/or a “13th Check” to retired educators in 2016 without increasing the liability on the pre-1996 Retirement Fund. I will give you bulleted points that you may want to use in your personal emails or letters to the Governor:

• Paying down Pension Stabilization Fund helps long term fiscal health of state and bond ratings
• Legislature would have the opportunity to give a COLA without further burden to pre-1996 unfunded liability
• Over 14,000 retired educators make less than $1,000/month in their pension
• Over 7 years without a cost of living increase
• Retired Educators have lost 16% purchasing power since 2008
• Less spending, less tax revenue

Please remember to write in a polite and positive manner in your own words. Share any hardships that you have experienced due to lack of a pension increase in last 7 years.
Thank you for your support.

Tom Mellish
Executive Director

The Honorable Mike Pence
Office of the Governor
200 W. Washington St., Rm. 206
Indianapolis, IN 46204

or email at http://www.in.gov/gov/2333.htm

Telephone - 317-232-4567

President's Letter, July 2015

Dear Allen County Retired Educators,

Our first of four yearly meetings will be Tuesday, August 18, 2015 a the Lodge at Coyote Creek (formerly Elks Club) at 4935 Hillegas Rd. We will begin our meeting promptly at 11:00 AM. Come at 10:45 to check in an pay your dues!

Please make your reservation with Mary Jo Purvis. It would be a great help if you could contact her by August 12th. If you have special dietary needs, please talk to the wait staff that day. The luncheon will be a delicious buffet with salads and rolls at our places upon arrival.

At our October 2014 meeting, the Lodge at Coyote Creek realized that our service was not what was expected. They were newly opened, and the staff was not coordinated. As an apology, the owners want to offer us all free lunch for this meeting! Instead of paying for your lunch, the AREA board would like to ask you to make a donation to the IRTA Foundation. It is a wonderful opportunity to help many others. If you are writing a donation check, make it payable to Indiana Retired Teachers Foundation. As always, new 2015 retirees will be our guests that day -- make them welcome.

The program for our August meeting will be a presentation by Liz Hincks, Education Coordinator for the Little River Wetlands project at Eagle Marsh. She has a great program to share with us about this important resource in Allen County. Our meeting will conclude with our annual Necrology Service.

Mark your calendars now for the remaining three AREA meetings:

• Thursday, October 29, 2015 at Biaggi's Restaurant
• Wednesday, April 20, 2016 at Rack and Helen's Restaurant
• Tuesday, June 14th at Pine Valley Country Club

Every effort has been made to reserve fine food at a venue that can hold all our members comfortably.

MEMBERSHIP: All members will receive a 2015-16 Directory at the October 29th meeting, or it can be mailed to you by adding $2.00 to your membership dues of $10.00. Please note on this form if any information is a change. Checks payable to AREA. Pay at the August 18th meeting or mail to: Pam George, 6316 Tree Top Trail, Fort Wayne, IN 46845

Click HERE to download a membership form.

AREA Awards - Updated

Allen County Retired Educators will receive four awards at the IRTA Representative Assembly on June 17.

The four awards are:

• A Certificate for Outstanding Performance in Associate and/or Regular Membership Growth

• An Award for Website

• To Steve Keim: A Certificate in Recognition of Your Outstanding Community Service Activities in 2014

• To Carol Buttell: The AMBA Clock Award for Area 2 as One of the Eight Top Volunteers Statewide Due to Your Community Service Activities in Indiana

Congratulations to Steve Keim, Carol Buttell, and AREA for these honors!

[UPDATE: An earlier version of this post indicated that we would receive an award for Newsletter, Participation instead of our web site, which was incorrect.]

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June 16 AREA Meeting

Our last meeting of the 2014-2015 year is upon us already! Your next newsletter and meeting will be very ably handled by our incoming president, Barb Kanning. I have enjoyed serving as your president and I thank you for your attendance at meetings and willingness to help. Tuesday, June 16, we will meet at

Catablu Grille
6372 W. Jefferson Blvd
Fort Wayne.

Please come by 10:45 so we can start promptly at 11:00.

RESERVATIONS: Please make your reservation with Mary Jo Purvis by Tuesday, June 9: 493-4263 or mpurvis1@frontier.com. The cost if $15.00, which can be paid at the meeting. You will have a choice of several meals. If you have special dietary needs, speak with your meal server to substitute within our budget.

FREE LUNCH for 2014 Retired Educators who have not attended any prior AREA meeting. TWO-FOR-ONE deal for MEMBERS who bring a non-member retired principal or teacher. Be sure to inform Mary Jo with your reservation.

PROGRAM: Abigail Savage will speak on the topic "Using BSU Immersive Learning." After studying education in the "immersive way" at Ball State, Abby taught a year in Germany and this past year in Bluffton.

EYEGLASSES: Bring old eyeglasses for Ed DeLong to collect to take to Lion's Club!

THE IRTA REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY will be held Wednesday, June 17, 2015 at Primo South in Indianapolis. Please consider attending! We are allowed 23 delegates. To be a voting delegate, you must be a member of IRTA, but you may attend the meeting without being a member. AREA will pay the $25.00 cost for breakfast and lunch. Carol Buttell will be driving. AREA will be receiving three awards! Please contact Carol by May 27 if you can attend (260-489-55413) or cbuttell@frontier.com.

IRTA MEMBERSHIP - Have you joined? IRTA needs you! Contact Pam George (260-471-5952) or pamgeorgeph@comcast.net

HOPING TO SEE YOU JUNE 16 AT CATABLU!

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Final Legislative Bulletin for 2015

THANK YOU TO OUR MANY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF RETIRED EDUCATORS!! WE DID MANAGE TO GET SOME HELP FROM THE 2015 LEGISLATIVE SESSION, ONLY BECAUSE YOU DID AS WE ASKED—YOU EMAILED AND WROTE UNTIL WE COULDN’T BE IGNORED!

This is a summary of what has happened in the past weeks—sometimes dripping like molasses, and sometimes striking like lightning.

• After our COLA bill was heard in the Senate Pensions and Labor, but not voted on, we were quite concerned.

• We planned our strategy from there by visiting several times with senators that we knew were friendly toward our cause.

• We also asked you to write to all your legislators.

• We visited one-on-one with some senators that weren’t especially friendly, but we tried to get our point across that a COLA was needed.

• Many of you came to the brunch and talked directly to your legislators or sent them notes if they didn’t attend.

• Everyone kept telling us that we had to see what the April forecast of the state’s economy would look like.

• When it came out the week after the brunch as a negative report, that is, the state would be collecting less money than had been hoped.

• At that point, we knew that a COLA was not possible, given the report and the mindset of the Appropriations Committee.

• Nancy testified at the Conference Committee of the House and Senate Budget Conference on April 17. Since we knew the COLA was dead, I made the case for a 13th check.

• Last week we made the rounds again, asking our friends in both the House and Senate to try to move others in our favor.

• Monday, we were told that we were out of the budget. We talked, and talked to any who would listen. Our friends in the legislature were also working behind the scenes.

• Steve was on the phone, dictating various message to Debbie and Julie in the office so they could send them out immediately.

• I was also sending out emails.

• On Tuesday we still thought it was gone. We talked to legislators as they came and went from their caucus.

• In the afternoon, we heard that we were in!

• By midnight on Tuesday, the budget bill had been printed, and it does have money for a 13th check. (A stipend. but they still want to call it a 13th check.) It will be just the same amounts and for the same teaching experience as past bills have been written.

• This may give you some idea of how chaotic these last days of a session can be. However, the session is over now, and it is time for thank you notes to many people.

1. The first thank you that you may want to send is to Steve Beebe. Without his advice and expertise, I feel sure that we would have lost everything. You can send them to our IRTA office and the staff can forward them on to him.

2. Next, please thank our friends in the House! They stayed with their unanimous vote for us, and really held on for us to get something.

Thank:
Chairman Tim Brown, House Ways and Means

Representative Jeff Thompson

Representative Woody Burton

Representative Marin Carbaugh

Representative Robert Cherry

Representative Douglas Gutwein

And your representative, whomever it might be. The House voted out the original bill unanimously.



Finally, thank these senators. If the Senate hadn’t agreed to the 13th check, all the other time and work would have been for nothing.

Thank:
Senator Kenley
Senator Tallian
Senator Walker
Senator Becker
Senator Leising
Senator Rogers

All can be sent to
The Honorable ________
200 W. Washington Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204

If you know their home address, it will be fine to send it there.

Once more, thank you to you and all the people you asked to help. Without you, we could not have done this.

Your lobbying team

IRTA Representative Assembly

Dear AREA Members:

This is a reminder that the IRTA Representative Assembly will be Wednesday, June 17, at Primo South, Indianapolis. Please consider going as a delegate. We can take many. I will be driving and if we need more drivers, AREA will pay for the fuel. Being in attendance gives you a great idea of what IRTA is doing and accomplishing. Coffee, juice, rolls and doughnuts, etc. are available when we get there.

The meeting business is mostly completed by lunchtime and we leave for home soon after lunch. Our AREA incoming president, Barb Kanning, is not able to attend because of a commitment to another conference. I will be attending as AREA president. As last year, "ushers" are needed; we don't need to pay for meals for those who usher. In doing this last year, we found the job to be almost a "no job." IRTA now has 10 areas in the state; one usher stands at each area's section of seats to help members who can't locate their section. AREA members who live north will leave my house at 5:45 A.M. and we will pick up at Comfort Inn at Coventry at 6:00.

Please let me know ASAP (by Saturday night, May 2) if you can attend and if you are OK with being an usher. We will be able to make reservations later, but I need to inform the IRTA office now if we can help usher, how many, and names. Call me at 489-5413 or e-mail cbuttell@frontier.com It could be that enough people have already offered to usher.

Thanks! Carol

Big news from AREA member Mary Lou Morris. Her son, State Representative Bob Morris, informed her that we WILL have a 13th check; it is in the budget!