The Connection 1136 N. Military Ave. Green Bay, WI 54303 920-496-2440 800-472-5582

December 20, 2019

WEAC Region 3 represents public education employees in a large territory stretching from Florence to Port Washington, and from Menominee to Washington Island.

The Region 3 office will be closed December 23 through January 1.

Registration coming the week of January 6! We hope you marked your calendar for this one! Sessions planned for Saturday, January 25: Healthy Working Relationships Retirement 101 Beating Back the Bully Principal Co-Teaching: An Honest Look Special Ed. Law and Violent Student Behaviors Mindfulness for Teachers and ESP Building Union Power Spanish for Educators Comments from last year: Very informative. Very relatable presenter. Thanks!! This was great. I learned a lot and it was very helpful! Got more out of this class than I have in all my other classes I have taken.

Is Your License Background Check Due in 2020? Teachers are required to submit a background check to the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) every five years. For lifetime or master educator license holders, the year in which you submit your background check corresponds to the year your license would have expired prior to the lifetime license law going into effect. For example, if you last renewed your license in 2015 you are due for a background check in 2020. For provisional license holders your background check is due 5 years after your lifetime license begins. The DPI accepts background check applications between January 1 and June 30. It is strongly recommended that you submit your background check well before the June 30 deadline.

Applications are only accepted online by logging into your Educator Licensing Online ( ELO ) account. The cost for a background check is $45. Not sure when your license background check is due? You can check DPI’s online database  here . If you are a WEAC member with questions related to your license or the background check process, please email baasj@weac.org .

Do you want to attend a FANTASTIC conference? Submit your application today! 4 members will be chosen to attend the Labor Notes 2020 Conference Friday (after school) April 17 through Sunday, April 19 in Chicago. Winners will attend the conference with Regional Directors Kathy Rohde and Kristin Lytie. Transportation, lodging and food are included. Send a short (2-minute) video to Kristin Lytie by Monday, February 10th. For details about what to include in your video application, click here . For more information about Labor Notes, click here . To see the schedule from the 2018 conference, click here .

Register: https://tinyurl.com/weacdaretothink For a flyer with details, click here .

The WEAC Region 3 Office at 1136 N. Military Ave. is a drop-off site for blankets.  Locals can consider a public relations campaign to collect blankets! Contact region3@weac.org for pickup!

Leaders for Just Schools set for January 25 On Saturday, January 25, 2020, WEAC will be holding a one-day, drive-in training of Leaders for Just Schools: Equity Cadre at the Wintergreen Resort and Conference Center in Wisconsin Dells from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. This opportunity is for educators who have an interest in and a commitment to WEAC and NEA’s work on Racial Justice in Education and Equity. Join us for this important one-day convening of an equity cadre.  Register now.

Political Action

WEAC Watches Legislative Action on Matters Pertaining to Public Education The Senate Education Committee met 12/19 to vote on a seclusion and restraint reporting bill. The bill ( SB-527  /  AB-585 ), which can now be taken up by the full Senate, would impose additional requirements on schools. It also changes where data on incidents of seclusion or physical restraint is housed to the DPI.  The Assembly Education Committee held a public hearing on the bill December 17. The Senate Ed Committee will also vote on these bills: SB-498 Suicide Prevention Grants (Darling, Alberta) Grants to support peer-to-peer suicide prevention programs in high schools, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. SB-496 ID Card Info (Olsen, Luther) Requiring that student identification cards include contact information for suicide prevention hotlines. SB-414 Cursive Writing (Olsen, Luther) Incorporating cursive writing into the state model English language arts standards and requiring cursive writing in elementary grades. The Assembly Ed Committee has also held public hearings on these bills: Revenue Limit Ceiling (SB-437 / AB-473). The revenue limit ceiling for school districts. Online Learning (SB-595 / AB-662). An online early learning pilot program and making an appropriation. School Revenue Limits (SB 494 / AB-553). The school district revenue limit adjustment for energy efficiency projects. See all the bills we’re watching at www.weac.org/bills

Live Webinars Scheduled for January 2020 ETF is offering a series of 30-minute, live, interactive webinars designed to increase your understanding of Wisconsin Retirement System benefits. Individuals can also ask questions at the end of these sessions. WRS Effective Rates and Annuity Adjustments https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/7285201721289566467 Do WRS accounts receive an investment return? Do investment returns affect how much a retiree will initially receive when they begin their pension? Do those retired in the WRS receive adjustments to their monthly pension amount over the years. 5 Basic Steps to Your Retirement https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/7406123811089226755 Consider this webinar your quick reference guide to starting the retirement process within the next 12 months. We’ll review: choosing a termination date, how to request a retirement estimate – and how to read and understand it. We’ll also cover how to schedule a retirement appointment and – drum roll here – how to submit the retirement application. Beneficiary Designations–What Happens to My Account When I Die? https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/1021550059663838723 Do you have a beneficiary designation on file with ETF and does it reflect how you would want your WRS death benefits paid? This webinar reviews the importance of having a beneficiary designation on file and keeping it updated as life events occur. Preparing for Your Retirement https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/2062561071726664450 Who should attend? Employees who are planning to retire in the next 1 - 10 years. Learn about your steps to retire with the WRS. Attend this event by live webinar! You will learn about the impact of contributions and investment returns on your account, when you can retire, your WRS annuity options, returning to work after you retire, what happens to your account when you die, health and life insurance, and more. Questions are welcome during and after the event!

Hi All, I'm looking forward to some days of relaxation and reflection and rejuvenation. I wish you the same. See you next year! Peace,  Kathy Rohde Uniserv Director Region 3 WEAC

WEAC Region 3 region3.weac.org 1136 N. Military Ave. Green Bay, WI 54303 Connect with us ‌ ‌ ‌