Issue: 12
   Mary Masterson, Editor
December 7, 2016   
Take Action for Public Education
Say NO to Right-Wing Zealot Betsy Devos as Education Secretary
Add your name to join with educators, parents, students, and all public education supporters to demand that our Secretary of Education and every elected official respect and uphold a vision for high-quality public schools for every single student.


Your Union at Work
Negotiations Survey Forthcoming!!

Your building's  Contract Planning Committee Member will be distributing  Negotiations Surveys to all HCT members in the coming days.
 
Completed forms should be returned to your Contract Planning Committee no later than  Wednesday, December 21st, 2016. 

Please sign the sign-in sheet when you return the form to your Contract Planning Committee members, as indicated below.

Burns Avenue - Lydia Butler
Dutch Lane - Jaimie Fleschner
East - Cathy Carey
Fork - Lisa Iovine
Lee - Danielle Tanzi
OCR - Rob Casale
Woodland - Karen Farrell
Middle School - George Maxwell, Benjamin Sher
High School - Laura Fanelli, Pnina Powell
United as a Community
Hicksville Middle School Unites for a Cause

Support Hicksville Middle School teacher Anthony Tussie in his effort to bring awareness to Down Syndrome.  With your help, Anthony has the opportunity to win a $3000 scholarship/grant!


Please click here and vote for an initiative that was started by Anthony Tussie this fall.
 
Once you click on the link, you'll need to do the following:
  • Find Hicksville MS: Walk for a Cause - Down Syndrome
  • Enter your email address.
  • Click "submit"
You can vote every 24 hours! Last year, our initiative came in  second place and won a $1,500 grant!

Feel free to share this with anyone you know who would be willing to take seconds from their day to help us with this very special cause.

The top 3 videos receiving the most votes by 8:00 PM on Monday, December 12th, 2016 will become the WINNERS.
Recognizing an Outstanding Teacher
This Teacher's On Fire!!!
Diana Germinario congratulates 3rd grader, Alexa Danzi on her winning poster.

Just last spring Hicksville's art educator, Diana Germinario was recognized when one of her students won first place for her watercolor painting in a state-wide Arbor Day poster contest.
 
Well, Diana's done it again! This time however, Diana entered some of her students' artwork in the 2016 NYS Recycles! poster contest, which is sponsored by the Department of Environmental Conservation and the New York Association of Reduction, Reuse, and Recycling. This contest, which is open to all students K-12, is very special, according to Diana, because students can relate to the topic. It's important because it enables children to have a positive impact in helping protect Earth's environment. Diana used this contest to launch an interdisciplinary unit about recycling.
 
From all across New York State the winning students' artwork is now being featured in the 2017 New York Recycles! calendar. This calendar serves as a daily reminder to people in our state to reduce, reuse, recycle, compost and buy recycled products and packaging.
 
Diana has entered this contest with her students for the past six years and has had the distinction of having at least one winner every single year. This year, however, Diana had not one, not two, but THREE students who were winners in this contest!:
  • Dutch Lane student, Alexa Danzi, won first place in the K-3 category for "We Recycle at School - It's a Green Rule!"
  • Burns Avenue student, Emma Paulwell, was runner-up in the K-3 category for "Recycling on the Go!"
  • Dutch Lane student, Teresa Jennings, was runner-up in the grades 4-6 category for her poster entitled, "Don't Waste Food, Donate It!"
The winners were invited to Albany with their families for an awards ceremony. During the awards luncheon they gave a short speech and were presented with their posters which had been professionally framed.
 
We, at the Hicksville Congress of Teachers are especially proud of Diana Germinario for inspiring, guiding, and providing enrichment opportunities for her students and creating memories for them which will last a lifetime.


Recognizing Another Outstanding Teacher
Another Winner!

Kudos to  Middle Schoo l art teacher,  Caryn Gottlieb 's student, Tatiana Aquino who won first place in the  2016 New York Recycles! poster contest, Grades 4-6 category, for her entry entitled,  "New York Recycle!"

Benefits Enrollment Period
HCT Excess Major Medical Insurance Plan
Individual and Family Coverage Available
Coverage effective January 1, 2017
If you wish to change from Single to Family coverage, 
this is the time to do it.
In order to be eligible for this Excess Major Medical insurance, you must have the major medical underlying coverage available through the District.  If you choose not to accept the District's coverage and you are covered under your spouse's insurance, you may participate in this plan, as long as your spouse's plan is comparable to the District's and it is approved by the insurance company.
                               
If you are eligible and do not enroll at this time,
you will be required to wait until   next year - December 2017.
 

ENROLLMENT DEADLINE IS JANUARY 5, 2017

Contact the HCT office at 516-937-1288 
for enrollment and payroll deduction forms.
Reminders
Orange is the World
On Friday, December 9th, the HCT is asking all members to WEAR ORANGE support of the 16 Days of Activism and as a culmination leading up to Human Rights Day.
Click here  to donate and to find out more about the initiative.
403(b) Plans in the News



The New York Times has published a number of articles in the past few weeks that pertain to 403(b) plans. These articles have reinforced the notion that selecting the appropriate 403(b) provider for supplemental retirement savings can be a challenging task. While recent legislation has been passed to help clean up the industry regarding disclosure of fees, compensation and even accepting a fiduciary role, governmental 403(b) plans have remained mostly exempt from these regulations.

In light of recent concerns, Stacey Braun Associates will present a 403(b) Provider-Specific Workshop to our members at the December General Membership Meeting on Monday December 19th, at 4 PM, Hicksville High School (location TBD). 

Stacey Braun Associates has created a 403(b) Provider-Specific Workshop for local associations that discusses the most popular 403(b) plans available for that local, including associated fees and other costs of investing with those providers. This is a great opportunity for members to figure out their true cost of savings for retirement as well as if a change may be needed.
News Around the Schools


Congratulations to Johanna Mauro (East Street) on the purchase of her new home.

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