WEACinPrint October 2009

A national recognitionCorrectional educator is named Wisconsin's best.

Page 2www.weac.org/spotlight

Making your job easierYour union is working to improve education.

Page 4www.weac.org/capitol

Kicking off a new promotionUW partnership puts kids on the field at Badgers games.

Page 6www.weac.org

Getting wealthy is a little harder Bob Moeller lays out his financial principles to follow.

1www.weac.org/dollars

insideandonline

The conversation continues to make sure there’s

Check out our list of events, functions for the upcoming year

Page 12

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 government-sponsored 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.

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

OctOber-NOvember 2009

vOlume 2 | issue 2

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.

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.

What do the plans look like?

Health care for everyone

continued on page 8

Mark Your Calendars

MemberSpotlight

WEAC in Print (ISSN#1531-6831)

is published by the Wisconsin Education

Association Council, an affiliate of the

National Education Association, as a service

to members of its affiliates. WEAC in Print is

published in September, October, November,

December, February, March, May and June.

Copyrighted 2009 by WEAC, 33 Nob Hill

Rd., PO Box 8003, Madison, WI, 53708-8003,

608-276-7711 or 1-800-362-8034.

All materials in this periodical may be

reproduced by members for distribution to

students or by WEAC affiliate associations

for their own publications. WEAC dues

include $6.27 for a subscription to WEAC

In Print. Periodical postage paid at Madison

WI and additional mailing offices.

Postmaster: Send address corrections

to WEAC In Print, P.O. Box 8003,

Madison, WI, 53708

Mary Bell, PresidentGuy Costello, Vice PresidentBetsy Kippers, Secretary-TreasurerDan Burkhalter, Executive DirectorKim Haas, Public Relations DirectorBill Hurley, EditorMatthew Call, Public Relations Specialist Laura DeVries, Graphic Design Specialist

Contributing writers: Bob Moeller e-mail: [email protected]

October-November 2009 | WEACinPrint2

“If you want to change the world, start with yourself.”

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.” ■

DeNeal EricksenRobert E. Ellsworth Correctional Center

Union Grove

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 [email protected].

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. ■

educators give hope to students behind bars

To read more about teachers at the ethan Allen facility,

visit www.weac.org/news.

All materials in this periodical may be

reproduced by members for distribution to

students or by WEAC affiliate associations

for their own publications. WEAC dues

include $6.27 for a subscription to WEAC

In Print. Periodical postage paid at Madison

WI and additional mailing offices.

Postmaster: Send address corrections

to WEAC In Print, P.O. Box 8003,

Madison, WI, 53708

www.weac.org | October-November 2009 3

Student assessment

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

Changes to testing are coming

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. ■

Your union is an advocate for professional developmentNext 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. ■

O n l i n e e x t r A S | Get more from WEAC in Print on the WebneA rA state delegate nominations due December 1

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.

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. ■

teacher blends students’ ‘Chords of Memory’ into book

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.

“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.”

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.

Whatdo you think


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 qualityJackie 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 leaveA 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. ■

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 parent-teacher 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 attendanceKenosha

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-year-old kindergarten, and repeated absences set some students back 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 deductionDuring 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

Your union is working to improve all facets of education

Follow the progress of these proposals at www.weac.org/capitol.

Kenosha kindergarten teacher Anne Knapp leads a group of educators in favor of a bill (now a law) mandating attendance for students enrolled in 5-year-old kindergarten.

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.

easierMaking

yourjobeasier

Share Your Photos

To share photos of activities in your local association or school district, please e-mail

photo files to [email protected].

w w w. w e a c . O r g / s h a r e p h O t O s


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. ■

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:

“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. ■

Follow the conversationonline

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

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.


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

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. ■

Kicking off a new promotionuW partnership puts kids on the field at Badgers games

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.

Proud partner of Wisconsin Athletics


Kicking off a new promotion

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 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

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-be-constructed rock wall. The district, in its second of three years under the grant, was awarded roughly $300,000 a year.

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.

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. ■

Wisconsin is leading the nation in grants transforming gym class

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.

putting some pep into physical education

To read more about federal PeP grants in schools, visit

www.weac.org/news.

Proud partner of Wisconsin Athletics


President obama and some democrats in Congress are pushing a government-backed 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.

retirees: Health care reform is good for you, too

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.

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.

continued from page 1

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.

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 well-being 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’ well-being 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.

Why i care about health care reform

Got a question of your own you’d like answered? Post it to www.weac.org/healthcare and we'll provide the answer.

I already have insurance – what will it mean for me?

I want to keep my health plan. Will I still be able to?


President obama and some democrats in Congress are pushing a government-backed 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.

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. ■

retirees: Health care reform is good for you, too

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.

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.

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.

Why do I keep hearing about ‘death panels’?

What’s going to happen to my taxes?

What can I do to help?

O U R P A R T N E R S


Are you Jack or Jill?

Have 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.

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.

Here are seven financial mistakes that put a damper on Jack’s finances:

“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

Watch Carrie’s and other members’

stories in their entirety at

weatrust.com

Avoiding the mistakesLearn 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!

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.

Mistake 2: no budgetBudgets 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.

Mistake 3: no emergency fundMost 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.

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. ■

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.”

A partnership plan allows individuals to protect a significant portion of their financial assets should they later need to apply for

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.

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.

your$A magazine from WEA Trust Member Benefits

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in print!


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%.

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%.

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 tax-sheltered 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.

But many of the principles of becoming wealthy do not change. Those below are some you should consider following:

• 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.

• Don’t trust any financial salespeople.

• 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).

By Bob Moeller – WeAC Member BenefitsTake control of your personal finances

Getting wealthy is a little harder now

Free Financial SeminarsWith Bob Moeller, WEAC Member

Benefits SpecialistAll seminars are 6:30 to 9 p.m.

Pre-registration is required

nov. 4: Janesville, 800-354-1843nov. 5: Milwaukee, 414-259-1990

nov. 10 & 12: Brookfield, 800-354-7816nov. 17: Madison, 800-728-2287nov. 19: Portage, 800-845-6745

Leave a comment at the dollars & sense blog at www.weac.org/dollars.

Visit the new neamb.com now to learnabout your NEA Member Benefits. Be sure to register for the October

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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 (non-stock) investments. Never be embarrassed about being even more conservative (more in stable), but be careful about being more aggressive.

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. ■

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. ■

October29-30: WeAC Convention, Milwaukee

november6-7: Board of directors and committee meetings, Madison

13-14: student WeA Fall Professional development seminar

15-21: American education Week

18: neA education support Professionals day

January8-9: Board of directors and committee meetings, Madison

22-24: neA Midwest Leadership Conference, Minneapolis

February19: 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

March2: read Across America

5: Central Wisconsin educators Conference, schofield

6-7: Winter Conference north, Wausau

12: northeastern Wisconsin education Association Conference, Green Bay

13: Local Presidents meeting, Wisconsin dells

April16-17: 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

May2-8: Teacher Appreciation Week

4: national Teacher day

July1-6: neA representative Assembly, new orleans

23-25: Board of directors meeting/retreat, stevens Point

25-28: WeAC summer Academy, stevens Point

Mark your calendars for WEAC eventsConvention, 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:

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read Across America, March 2The birthday of the beloved children’s

author Dr. Seuss is celebrated with a program that focuses on motivating children across the country to read.

WeAC Winter ConferenceWe’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.

Go to www.weac.org/aew soon for an American education Week poster you can download.

teacher Appreciation Week, May 2-8

Don’t forget to take time to thank a teacher on National Teacher Day on May 4.

American education Week, nov. 15-21

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.

WeAC Convention, October 29-30

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.

WEACinPrint October 2009

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