Contact: Celeste Fernandez   (202) 822-7823

June 29, 2007

Retired School Employees Meet to Set Policy

NEA-Retired Members Reflect on the Past, Build for the Future

PHILADELPHIA -- Retired public school employees conducted a three-day meeting in Philadelphia, Pa.,  to plan collective action on the issues facing retirees. Issues discussed in workshops and forums were as diverse as affordable senior housing, Medicare, political persuasion and organizing.

NEA-Retired represents more than 250,000 retired public school employees within the 3.2 million- member National Education Association. The theme of this year's meeting is "Reflecting the Past, Building for the Future.”

"Retired education employees improve public education through mentoring, literacy and intergenerational programs, said Reg Weaver, NEA president.  “There is no underestimating the value of making a connection between those just entering the profession and those with a lifetime of experience in the classroom.  NEA-Retired members continue to directly touch the lives of children in public schools today.”

The conference’s keynote speaker was Steve Protulis, executive director of the Elderly Housing Development and Operations Corporation.  A national activist for elderly concerns, Protulis was formerly assistant to the president of the AFL-CIO, and executive director of the National Council of Senior Citizens, one of the nation’s strongest voices for older Americans.

In addition to conducting workshops and forums, NEA-Retired presented its annual Distinguished Service Award to Janet Agnew of South Carolina for her  38 years of service to public education and the Association. Agnew has taught algebra, biology, general science, social studies, and even taught a year in Newfoundland for the Air Force.  She continues to use her talents as an educator to speak to the South Carolina legislature regarding funding for the education of children.  Agnew has also been instrumental in developing an annual training program for the South Carolina Education Association Retired members on how to lobby.

NEA-Retired also presented two scholarships to college students training to become teachers. The Jack Kinnaman Memorial Scholarships were awarded to Kentucky Midway College student Tracey Werkheiser and Indiana’s Manchester College student Jenny Mevis.  Both received $1,000 to help defray their college expenses.

Jack Kinnaman was a longtime leader in NEA-Retired and was especially successful in his work to connect retired educators as mentors with teachers-in-training.

One unique conference activity saw NEA-Retired members make that connection directly. Conference participants joined several hundred NEA student members to spend a day painting and refurbishing Gotwals Elementary School in Norristown, Pa.  Gotwals has a poverty rate of approximately 90 percent with a diverse school population: 46 percent Hispanic, 51 percent Black and 3 percent Caucasian.

"This was our largest conference ever," said President Barbara Matteson, NEA-Retired president. "As the number of retiring public school employees continues to grow, it is vital that retired members remain an active part of the NEA family.  Their experience, loyalty and involvement will be a valuable asset to NEA.”

The meeting concluded with the election of officers.  Tom Curran (Raymond, Maine) was reelected as the NEA-Retired vice president.  Sarah Borgman (Wakarusa, Ind.) and Jean Dobashi (Lihue, Hawaii) were also reelected to serve on the NEA Board of Directors.  Patti Lochner (Ft. Meyers, Fla.) was elected as the alternate.

NEA-Retired exists to meet the needs of retired public education employees. The council works with active NEA members to protect and improve retirement pensions and health benefits—including state pensions, Social Security and Medicare; improve public education through mentoring, literacy and intergenerational programs and activities; and achieve legislative and political action goals for education and education employees. To help support NEA's political action efforts, retired members raised over $15,000 for the NEA Fund for Children and Public Education.

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The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing 3.2 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators
and students preparing to become teachers.