Monday, September 26, 2016

RA CHARITY -- KANSAS CITY METROPLITAN SAFE HAVEN FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN

NEWHOUSE
who they are-
Since 1971, Newhouse fills a community need as a safe haven for women and children fleeing the immediate threat of domestic violence.  With assistance from local law enforcement, each year the staff welcomes as many as 1,000 women and children, often with nothing more than the clothes they are wearing.  Newhouse provides for their immediate physical needs of food, clothing, and shelter as well as comprehensive counseling to meet their serious emotional and physiological needs.

who they serve-

  • Each year, Newhouse serves over 10,000 women and children by providing safe shelter, an emergency hotline, and assistance in the domestic violence court system.
  • Seventy-seven percent of those served come to Newhouse from the Kansas City Metropolitan Area.  Others have been reported from as many as 28 states.
  • The average age of a woman in safe shelter is 37 and the average child age is 6 years.
  • Eighty-four percent of the women are unemployed with an average household income of $3,711.
Newhouse provides safe shelter 24 hours a day, 3 meals a day-365 days a year.  Newhouse also provides clothing and other immediate needs plus a caring environment.
Additionally, Newhouse provides court advocacy, continuing education and job skill training, comprehensive therapy, and outplacement services are also provided by Newhouse staff.  These serves are necessary to equip women with the tools to make positive choices and lead self-sufficient lives.

what they need-
Daily Shelter Needs:
Laundry pods, for single laundry loads
Personal care items:  shampoo, body wash, deodorant, lotion, toothbrushes and toothpaste
Pajamas for women and children
Hair products for all ethnicities
Purses and wallets (can be gently used)
NEW women's underwear
Lip balm
Facial tissues
Used cell phones (working or not)

CHANGE OF PRE-RA DATE!

Please note that the date of the West Central and North/Northwest Pre-RA has been changed to October 17. 

All delegates should plan to attend.  The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m., preceded by a light supper at 5:00 p.m.

MNEA BOARD OF DIRECTORS SEPTEMBER MEETING NOTES

Visitors:
Steve Geiger from MPSO and Thomas Greene from the Future Leader’s Academy

Reports:
President’s Report: 
President Charles Smith talked about his recent visit to Finland.  He financed the trip.  He is looking forward to sharing more information about his visit with us in the future.

Executive Director Report: 

DeeAnn Aull has met with all staff in her time as Executive Director. There will be an all staff meeting at the end of October to begin planning for the upcoming year.

We have received a $105,000 extension for our "Teacher Words Matter" campaign.  This year’s campaign will begin in December. We have received a $50,000 EFT/New Educators grant. Kristin Owen and Alice Flores will be working with Rockwood, Pattonville and Hazelwood to try to flip more educators to EFT.  We have also received a $20,000 Institutional Racism/Social Justice grant.

Educators Rising: The group is working hard toward attracting more locals and members.

$250,000 has been given to the Chris Koster campaign from NEA and another $250,000 will be given to the campaign this week. MNEA is collecting contributions between $5 and $25 for the Clean Campaign which will be working towards campaign reform and redistricting in 2018.  We are trying to get the grassroots campaign going.

Collective Bargaining Updates:  DeeAnn Aull shared a Field Report with the Board highlighting what is going on in the UniServ Units.  The Board was very appreciative of the report.
  
Business Items:
Approval of Capital Budget:  Karen Struemph presented the proposed Capital Budget for the fiscal year ending 8/31/17.  Budget passed.

2016-17 Legislative Platform:  The Legislative Platform was presented by MNEA Legislative Committee Chair Patrick Layden and staff member Otto Fajen.  The Legislative Platform passed as amended.

Ballot Issue Crisis Fund:  Motion passed to recommend to the Fall RA to continue the Ballot Issue Crisis Fund. 

Ash Grove Affiliation:  The Board approved affiliation of Ash Grove.

Recommendation of New Member Benefit Partner: The Board approved Gallagher Affinity as a new member benefit partner.

Discussion Items:
2017-18 Draft Calendar:  The calendar was distributed to the Board.  Board members need to look through the calendar and send Charles any changes that might need to be made.  The Board will vote on the calendar at the November Board meeting.

Shirley Cromer Award nominations are due 10/01. Please look for experienced members to nominate. 

Leila Medley QLA nominations due 10/01.  Information for this award can be found in the Timeline for Action.

Horace Mann Teacher Nominations are due 12/15. 

Revised Budget Timeline:  There is one change.  January 10 needs to be changed to Jan. 11.  There will be a Board Conference Call meeting at 7:00 PM on January 11 to approve the revised budget.

Fall RA details: The Fall RA is at the Westin Crown Center this year.  If you are going to room with another Board member, you can let Karen know, and she will make your room reservation for you.  If you are planning to room with someone from your local, it is easier to make your own reservation and voucher your half of the room.  MNEA only reserves a block of rooms for Friday night not for Saturday night. Please remember to bring items for the PAC auction. You can make lunch reservations online.

Capitol Action Days:  Board members need to check the dates that are in the Board packet.  We need to choose the dates for the 2017-18 year.

PR Campaign:  The Board watched 3 video clips of ads that ran in the KC area for the “Read to Achieve” campaign.

NEA Summit:  The Summit will be February 24-26, 2017 in Orlando, Florida this year.

Information Items:
A membership status report was handed out.  This report will authorize delegate attendance at the Fall RA. 

Cat Tour:  February 27 - March 3, 2017. Applications for the tour are on the website. They are due January 2.


Pre-RA dates have been set and are in the Board packet.  Board members should try to attend the Pre-RA for their area.  The charity for the RA is Newhouse, a women’s and children’s shelter in the KC metropolitan area.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Program will be held on January 15, 2017.  More information will be coming out a later date.

The MNEA Board Meeting Conference Call is on January 11, 2017 at 7:00 PM.

MLT/WLT West conference will be held in San Diego, CA, on December 9 -11, 2016.

President Smith gave Board members a booklet: “Taking Restorative Practices School-Wide.”

Saturday, August 20, 2016

Thinking about retirement?

Discover your retirementality at one of the MNEA retirement workshops 


This free workshop is provided by the Park Hill NEA, Missouri NEA, and our approved benefit providers. PSRS will also present useful information to help you plan for your future.

Money is important, but other preparations will make your retirement rewarding. This workshop is designed to answer your questions and help prepare you for transition from “Making a Living” to “Retirement Living.” This workshop goes beyond your PSRS benefits, but a portion of this workshop is presented by a PSRS counselor.

Topics Include:
          1) Defining what your new retirement may look like
          2) What to think about before taking the leap into retirement
          3) Benefits from Social Security, PSRS, and Missouri NEA
          4) Hear a review of PSRS/PEERS options and rules
          5) Review of PSRS Rule of 80 vs. Rule of 86
          6) Will you have enough money to retire?
          7) Positioning your investments to last

This workshop will be helpful to MNEA members who plan to retire in the next one to five years.

MNEA Pre-Retirement Workshop                                    To Pre-Enroll Contact:
Thursday, September 15, 2016                                          Jill Owens, PHNEA President
5:00-7:30pm (light meal served)                                       (816) 359-6043
Park Hill South HS Media Center                                     owensj@parkhill.k12.mo.us
4500 NW River Park Dr.
Riverside, MO 64150

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

CEA NEEDS OUR HELP!

Per an email to our West Central president, Rebeka McIntosh from Linda Innes....

Could you send out an email to the West Central Conference inviting anyone who can come to our board meeting on April 25th at Boone Elementary located at 89th and Wornall @ 7 pm? We are working on collective bargaining and our district lawyer, board, and superintendent have taken the MSBA collective bargaining policies and warped them to the point that much of them are unconstitutional. CEA wishes to convince the board that these policies need to be changed back to their original form that MSBA gave them so that collective bargaining can actually happen.

To get to the board meeting enter the front doors. Immediately take a left and go down a sloping hallway headed west.  When you get to the T-juncture of the hallway, take a left and you will go directly into the boardroom. 

Linda Innes
CEA President

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

DID YOU MISS IT THE FIRST TIME IT WAS IN TOWN?

If you were unable to attend the presentation held at the West Central office in February on Retirementality, you won't want to miss your next opportunity. This is NOT a sales pitch. This is excellent information which will leave you really thinking about what you want your retirement to look like and how to make it happen.  I've copied the flyer information below but want to point out a difference in opinion..the flyer says, "If you're thinking about retiring in the next five years you should attend this workshop."  I honestly believe that this is a great workshop regardless of how close or far you are from retirement.  This workshop will help you to formulate a plan so that even when you are in your 20's you can lay out your retirement goals, then make decisions to help you meet them.  You don't want to miss this presentation brought to you by MNEA and MNEA Financial Member Benefit Partners:

Discovering Your Retirementality!

If you are thinking about retirement in the next five years, you should attend this workshop being presented in your area. You will hear from financial planning experts and a PSRS counselor to help you prepare to enjoy your retirement. Go to www.mnea.org/missouri/Retirement-Workshop.aspx to register online. (Must be logged in to Members Only to access online registration.) If you have questions, contact Pam Koetting at 573-644-9601 or pam.koetting@mnea.org or Karen Sholes at 573-644-9604 or karen.sholes@mnea.org.

March 31 - 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. - Staley High School Special Events Center, North Kansas City School District, 2800 N.E. Shoal Creek Parkway. 

Members can register online at https://www.mnea.org/Missouri/Retirement-Workshop.aspx (You must be logged in to Members Only to register.)

HOPE FUND IN NEED

Our HOPE Fund is in need of donations!  Please reach out to your members to make donations through www.mnea.org or ask that they send donations for the HOPE Fund through your delegates when they attend the Spring RA.

  • EDCOMMUNITIES LIVE
    POWERED BY EDUCATORS
    You will love the “unconference” format of MNEA's edCommunities Live in Independence April 16. EdCommunities Live transforms the NEA edCommunities into a live in-person sharing and learning event. This event is free and open to all educators.FIND OUT MORE >
  • JOIN MNEA
    FIVE MONTHS FREE
    Join Missouri NEA now as a first-time active member*, and you will receive early enrollment benefits FREE between April 1 and Aug. 31. As an early enrollee, you will have reduced dues and you do not begin paying until September. Join the organization working for you.   FIND OUT MORE >
  • MNEA WINS VICTORYAdvocacy pays off for early childhood educators and alternative school teachers once excluded from participating in the federal Teacher Loan Forgiveness program. When MNEA learned that an antiquated policy was discriminating against some school employees...FIND OUT MORE >
  • READ TO ACHIEVE CONTESTIf your school is within the KCTV5 viewing area (greater Kansas City), teachers at your school are eligible for a chance to win $1,000. The Read to Achieve contest is co-sponsored by Missouri NEA and Kansas NEA.FIND OUT MORE >

MNEA - HOPE FUND

Posted Date: 2/5/2016

Through its Humanitarian Outreach Project for Education Fund, Missouri NEA assists students and schools.
The HOPE fund aids students who have been affected by a natural disaster, hardship or other special circumstance with school-related expenses such as the purchase of school supplies or clothing.
The HOPE fund also provides financial assistance for educational-related supplies to schools that have been damaged or destroyed by fire or natural disaster.
Requests for assistance should be directed to MNEA President Charles Smith by completing the application form.
The HOPE Fund accepts charitable contributions. You may designate your contribution for a special cause or in honor/memory of a loved one. Missouri NEA will send a notice of the contribution to the recipient(s) indicated on the contribution form. You can either choose to contribute online with a credit card or download a mail-in form (pdf). Contributions are tax deductible.