Look for materials to help plan an effective parent conference from TEA in your school mailboxes around conference time on September 14th.

Hitting members’ mailboxes is the new special membership edition of teach, TEA’s monthly publication.  This month’s issue features an article on classroom bullying prevention strategies, members describing their reasons for belonging to our association, and much more!  If you’re not a member, or if you just joined, see this month’s issue by clicking here.

Welcome back to a new school year!  As we all work hard to get our classrooms and lesson plans ready for the year, don’t forget to take care of yourself and your colleagues by joining our association.  BCEA is working to protect the contract that benefits every teacher all year long.  Look for professional development opportunities sponsored by BCEA during the year as well.

TEA is active in Nashville, keeping us informed on education legislation and advocating for better laws and budget resources.  TEA also sponsors Conferences and Professional Development Workshops to keep us up-to-date on our profession.

As a member, don’t forget to use your Member Benefits to get discounts on products and services you already use, like  Restaurants, Shopping, Hotels, Car Rentals, discounted Insurance rates, Home or Auto Financing special rates.  Check out the Member Benefits section of the TEA website for more information. Some of our members use these services to save more money than they pay in dues!

Benefits of membership in BCEA & TEA  include:

• Maintaining and increasing funds for public schools
• Increasing Teacher Salaries, Insurance and Retirement Plans through TEA’s 60, 80, 90 Initiative
• Retaining the Fiscal Soundness of the Teachers’ Retirement Plan
• Retaining Tenure Rights (currently under attack)
• Retaining Teacher Duty-free Lunch, Planning Time, Sick Leave
• Monitoring of Class Size and Teacher Workload
• Retaining Rights to Bargain Local Contracts
• Locally Negotiated Health Insurance
• Locally Negotiated Health Insurance for Retirees
• Locally Negotiated Retirement Incentive
• Locally Negotiated Life Insurance
• Locally Negotiated Language on Vacancies, Transfers, Layoffs/Recalls, Reassignments
• Locally Negotiated Sick Leave ABOVE State Requirement
• Locally Negotiated Personal Leave ABOVE State Requirement
• Locally Negotiated Language to Protect Transfers/Replacements Resulting from NCLB
• Locally Negotiated Language Regarding Faculty Meeting Days and Time Lengths
• Locally Negotiated Participation in Sick Leave Bank
• Representation at County Commission and School Board meetings
• Legal Representation
• Liability Insurance
• Monthly periodicals
• Accidental Death and Life Insurance
• Dues Tab Life Insurance
• Job Related Injury Insurance
• Home/Vehicle Protection Plan
• Instruction and Professional Development Workshops

“It costs too much.”

How many of us have thought this?  Especially this year, when budgets are so tight.  But you can’t afford not to join! Think about it this way:

Dues for a full time teacher are only $1.35 per day.  That’s a large coke or a cup of coffee.  Don’t you spend that on a daily basis for things much less important that your Association?  Instead of caffiene to get you through the day, you’re making your day easier.  Because of that $1.35, you get a break during the day at lunch time.  You know that if you were falsely accused, TEA will be there with legal assistance.  You know, because of your  contract, that you won’t go to work tomorrow and be told you’re moving to another school or  have to sit through three-hour long faculty meetings every week.  You have Dues-Tab life insurance to help your family if necessary.

“But I get most of those things for free already!”

It’s not free.  Would you expect the teacher next door to buy you a coke every day?  Because when you’re not a member, that’s effectively what you’re doing–letting the teacher next door pay for you.  Without a strong membership base, we aren’t as effective at the negotiating table.

“I just don’t have the money.”

Some BCEA members recoup more than the cost of their dues by taking advantage of the special rates for financial products and ACCESS discounts offered through the association.  Check the TEA website or contact the Association Representative in your building to find out how.

Thank you teachers for another great year!  As the school year winds down, teachers are busier than ever.  Over the summer, you find professional development opportunities,  take college courses, and begin planning for another school year.  BCEA leaders will be attending local negotiations meetings, learning more about leadership at the Summer Leadership Academy, and even represent us at the NEA Representative Assembly.

Be sure to  do  your part!  Join your association.  Sign up for email updates to this page so you can stay informed of BCEA events over the summer.  Check the TEA page for summer legislative updates.  Don’t forget to take advantage of your member benefits as you plan your summer vacation–look there for discounts on tickets, shopping, or dining out!

Take advantage of the benefits available to you through your Membership. One benefit is the NEA A+ Auto and Home Insurance program managed by California Casualty.
Call now for your free, no-obligation quotation 1-877-331-8951
* Low rates with your NEA member discount
* Multi-policy discounts for Auto & Home coverage
* Discounts for family members who are good students or mature drivers
* Theft of personal property from your vehicle covered up to $500 – including school supplies
* Identity Theft Resolution Services included with auto or home policies at no additional cost.
* Deductible waiver for vandalism in a school parking lot or within 500 feet of a school or school event.
* Visit our web site at www.calcas.com/jkremer

If you would like to obtain a No Obligation Quote, please dial 1-877-331-8951
We serve the people who serve our communities.

Planning to retire in this year?…next year???…in a few years???
New to teaching—-need to know about TCRS??!!
Come to the Informational Workshop!

When: Thursday, March 5, 2009 4:30-6:30
Where: Maryville High School, Ruby Tuesday Room
Presenter: TCRS Benefits Consultant, Nashville, TN

Hot Topics

• Eligibility Requirements
• Selecting Options
• Computing Your Benefits
• Understanding the Formula
• Early Retirement
• How and When to File
• Vesting
• Buying Back Time
• Your Questions

Each attendee will receive the latests TCRS Retirement Booklet!!

RSVP
Reba Luttrell, TEA UniServ
rluttrell@tea.nea.org

Did you know your association membership helps you keep up to date with education news? As part of your NEA membership, you have access to The Opening Bell email, which is a “is a digest of the most important education news selected from thousands of sources by the editors of U.S. News Custom Briefings. ” Here’s a sample of the articles summarized in the most recent email:

Economy squeezes education budgets

Cooking class, club popular with the guys, too

Are ‘Millennials’ the Smartest or Dumbest Generation?

Don’t worry, you can unsubscribe if you don’t need to get any more email!

In local news, the BCEA membership team is working overtime to reconcile our membership records and submit them to TEA on time. Please thank your reps when you see them for volunteering to do this for our organization!

Your local association representatives have been advocating for you all summer.  Support them by becoming part of your association! See your building rep for more information.