nsea the voice dec 09

December 2009 � The NSEA Voice �

The

VoiceThe Nebraska State Education Association � December 2009

� The NSEA Voice � December 2009

On the Cover:Michael Fryda’s career plans were altered when he discovered how much he enjoyed teaching.

For the story, see

Page 8.

THE

VOICE Nebraska State Education Association

605 S. 14th Street, Suite 200Lincoln, NE 68508-2742 · www.nsea.org

(402) 475-7611 · (800) 742-0047

Volume 63, No. 4ISSN Number: 1085-0783USPS Number: 000-369

Executive Director Craig R. ChristiansenAssoc. Executive Director Neal ClayburnCommunications Director Karen KilgarinAssistant Comm. Director Al Koontz

NSEA BOARD OF DIRECTORSPresident Jess Wolf, HartingtonVice President Nancy Fulton, Wilber-ClatoniaNEA Director Mark Shively, OmahaNEA Director Leann Widhalm, Norfolk

Offi cial publication of the Nebraska State Education Association, Suite 200, 605 South 14th Street, Lincoln, NE 68508-2742. Periodical postage paid at Lincoln, NE, and additional mailing offi ces. Postmaster: send address changes to NSEA Voice, Suite 200, 605 S. 14th Street, Lincoln, NE 68508-2742.

Published 10 times yearly according to this schedule: September, October, November, December, January, February, March, April, May and August.

Payment of annual NSEA membership dues entitles Nebraska educators to receive The Voice. Total cost of producing 10 monthly issues of The Voice each year is about $4.84 per member.

Advertising rates of The Voice are available from the assistant communications director. All advertisements and advertisers are screened prior to publication. Appearance of an advertisement in The Voice does not necessarily imply NSEA endorsement of either the product being advertised or the views being expressed.

Great Public Schools For Every Child

Be the First to Know:Get NSEA Text Alerts

It just became easier to be “in the know and the fi rst to know.”

NSEA now offers text message alerts! NSEA has created three text messag-ing groups, and members can sign up for one, two or all three options.

The all-member group will receive short text mes-sages on general information relating to NSEA activities. The legislative group will re-ceive texts pertaining to state and federal lawmaking. The SEAN (student) group will focus on events and issues for that NSEA affi liate.

“We will not bombard our mem-bers with text messages,” said NSEA Director of Communications Karen Kilgarin. “But we do want members to receive timely updates on legislation or reminders about important events.

“This service will be a useful communication tool, especially for those mem-bers who use text messaging as a primary form of com-munication,” said Kilgarin.

To sign up for the text messaging service, provide the requested information at this Web site:http://www.nsea.org/text.

htmMembers can also sign up

by e-mailing their fi rst and last names and a cell phone number to Kristi Capek at:

[email protected] can easily unsubscribe,

if desired. They can either reply to a received text message with the word STOP, visit the NSEA Web address used to sign up and follow the link to the form to STOP messages. Or, just call NSEA, provide your cell phone number, and request messages stop.

Keep Tabs on News with NSEA, Legislature

The NSEA Board of Directors has approved matching funds grants to several local associations this fall as their school districts attempt levy override elections or school bond elections.

NSEA will match the donations of local association members in such election campaigns. At the board’s September and October board meet-ings, several such matching fund re-quests were approved. They includ-ed:� The Ord Education Association,

$2,000 for a $9 million school bond election that passed.� The Sutton Education Associa-

tion, $500 for a levy override election. The district sought to add 20 cents to the allowable levy for a fi ve-year pe-riod. The measure passed.� The Grand Island Northwest Ed-

ucation Association, $350 for a $6.7 million middle school bond issue. The

bond issue failed.� The Paxton Education Associa-

tion, $500 for an $8.2 million bond election to renovate existing facilities and to add four classrooms and work space. The bond issue passed.� The Superior Education Asso-

ciation, $375 for a bond election. The bond issue passed.� The Holdrege Education As-

sociation, $700 for a $17.3 million bond election to build a consolidated elementary school and complete reno-vations at the high school. That bond issue failed in September.

The matching funds are to be used for the purchase of advertising or sig-nage in support of the local bond issue or levy override election, and may also be used for printed materials, promo-tional meetings and mailings to voters.

For more details, contact NSEA’s Cathy Schapmann at:

[email protected]

NSEA Matching GrantsAid Locals in Elections


‘...to

shortchange

our children is

tantamount to

bringing ruin to

the democracy

we hold so dear.’

Remember the Big Picture

NSEA PresidentJess Wolf

The Legislature has done its job in Special Session, slicing $334 million out of a state budget that was already as lean as a circus thin man.

NSEA leaders and Government Re-lations staff worked hand-in-hand with Gov. Dave Heineman and Sen. Greg Adams, chair of the Legislature’s Edu-cation Committee, to make certain that cuts in state aid to education were min-imal. The results: There will be no cuts in state aid for the current school year.

As for 2010-11, state aid will remain at this year’s level ($933 million), sav-ing the state about $32 million over the state aid formula’s projected output of $965 million.

While the fi nal fi gures are not cata-strophic, we all know and understand that any cuts to education will not only hurt children, but those cuts also threat-en our state’s long-term economic and social well-being.

The Tough PartNSEA’s message to the governor, to

state senators and to the public at large during this budget-cutting process has been simple: school districts, commu-nity college boards, and four-year in-stitutions must make any budget cuts resulting from the Legislature’s action as far from the classroom as possible.

Now comes the tough part – getting local decision makers to heed that call.

I won’t deny that this is a diffi cult task, one I would not relish if I were in the shoes of those with the authority to make such decisions. Perhaps a simple reminder about the role education plays in the development of the youth in our state would be of help. Perhaps a re-minder of education’s role in the “Big Picture?”

That role, quite literally, is very sim-

ple: the future of our society, and our democracy, depends upon the educa-tion of our children.

The fact that our society has been successful lends credit to the vision and foresight of those past decision makers who have, to this point, made the right calls on education and education spend-ing in Nebraska. The education offered to Nebraska’s children is among the best in the nation, but I believe there is a delicate balance between maintain-ing the quality we provide today, and slipping into mediocrity. And here’s the danger: to shortchange our children is tantamount to bringing ruin to the de-mocracy we hold so dear. Indeed, it is not too bold a statement to say that to fail to educate our children properly threatens the stability of our democ-racy and our society.

Cool, Logical ThinkingTherefore, “cuts far from the class-

room” mean just that. Those in charge of budgets must fi rst consider reducing portions of their school budgets that least affect classroom outcomes. Areas that ought to be explored for cuts fi rst in-clude curtailing non-student travel costs; limiting purchases to items needed in the classroom; forgoing major property im-provements until better fi nancial times; and dipping into cash reserves. Dare I say it? Use the stimulus dollars for their intended purpose: to preserve jobs and stimulate the local economy.

There is no doubt that public educa-tion will face other challenges in the future. Indeed, this fi nancial challenge is far from over. But with cool heads and logical thinking, we can overcome those hurdles – as long as we keep the “big picture” in mind and let it lead our education spending decisions.

From the President


Maintain Membership:Issues Can Crop up on Your Return

When a school employee is in the midst of planning for a leave or sabbatical, the last thing on the employee’s mind is what happens after the employee returns to the job.

So NSEA’s Director of Member Rights Trish Guinan has one item to add to the pre-sabbatical check list: maintain your NSEA membership.

That’s good advice, considering that many school employees encounter salary, sick day or other issues that need to be resolved once they return to the job. In most instances, those are the types of entanglements that NSEA can resolve quickly.

“There are many issues that can come up when members take a leave of absence or sabbatical,” said Guinan. “The main problems are encountered when members come back: what’s the status of sick days – did they accumulate while the member was on leave? There are always questions about assignments,

salary schedule standing or how salary is calculated. And sometimes, there are questions about whether there is back pay owed to the employee.”

NSEA’s Member Rights team, as well as the NSEA UniServ corps, is very adept at tackling those kinds of issues. Thus, continued Association membership not only gives the member the value of professional expertise, it also saves the member the time and trouble of resolving such issues alone.

Guinan said leave can be taken for a number of reasons. Medical leave for personal health is common, as is taking leave to raise children, and medical leave to care for elderly parents. Military leave is also becoming more common, though such leave may not fall along semester breaks.

“The bottom line is this: no matter what kind of leave you’re considering, maintain your NSEA membership,” said Guinan. “It will save you time and trouble when you return.”

For more questions, call your NSEA UniServ director, or Guinan, at 1-800-742-0047.

Taking Leave? Consider this Advice

It’s in your mailbox.The new, 2009-10 NSEA Access

Membership Card should have arrived at your home address on about Dec. 1. The card opens a whole new world of savings to NSEA members, and offers the opportunity to save much more than the cost of membership each year.

And in the cur-rent state of the economy, nothing is more important than saving when shopping.

NSEA’s Ac-cess Card serves double duty. It’s both an Association membership card and a discount card than can be used at thousands of mer-chant sites across the country. Wheth-er you’re shopping for new clothes, or dining out, looking for hotel discounts or buying home electronics, your NSEA Access Membership Card can save you cash.

The card you just received is valid through December 2010. All NSEA members, including first-time mem-bers, can access the same savings by

using their individual 10-digit Associ-ation identification number, which ap-pears on the card and above the name on every Association mailing.

To start saving, members must acti-vate their card once it arrives. It’s easy

to do, by following these steps:

Log on to the NSEA Web site at:

www.nsea.orgEnter your

member ID num-ber (located on the front of the card or on the mailing label above your name).

Create your personal account by following the registration instructions.

You can also activate your account by calling the toll-free number listed on the back of each card.

Some merchants require that you present your card at the time of pur-chase. Others require that you print a coupon from the Access Web site, so be certain to check the individual merchant page on the Web site for specific instructions.

Start saving!

NSEA Access has ArrivedYour Savings Can Begin with 2009-10 Card,

Which Arrives in Your Mailbox This Week Another half-dozen Nebraska school districts have settled contracts deserving of ‘Gold Star Settlement’ status.

Such settlements have significant language or contract enhancements and are unofficially designated as ‘Gold Star’ settlements by NSEA.

These settlements join dozens of oth-ers that have seen increases of $1,000 or more on base salary this year.

For a complete report, go to:www.nsea.org

Among the latest settlements:Arlington

Base increase: $1,025, or 3.4%.New Base: $31,170.

WausaBase increase: $1,000, or 3.5%.New base: $28,400.

ESU No. 5, BeatriceBase increase: $1,370, or 4.5%.New base: $31,675.

WestsideBase increase: $2,700, or 8.5%.New base: $34,200.

North Loup ScotiaBase increase: $1,000, or 3.7%.New base: $27,800.

Millard09-10 increase: $1,649, or 5%.New base: $34,383.10-11 increase: $1,649, or 4.8%.New base: $36,032.

More SettlementsHit ‘Gold Star’ Status

Contracts Improved


Sometimes the best defense is a good offense.

When the Nebraska Legislature met in special session last month to solve the state’s budget crisis, NSEA put on a well-coordinated offensive. Looking to defend a vital state aid package, as well as to preserve teaching jobs essential to quality education, NSEA had two criti-cal goals.

First, NSEA urged policymakers to maintain the state’s commitment of $933 million in state aid for this school year, and to make the smallest possible cut to the $965 million state aid package for 2010-11.

Second, NSEA asked that lawmak-ers encourage school districts to make budget cuts for 2010-11 as far from the classroom as possible.

Both goals were met. Senators left the $933 million state aid package for this year untouched. Then, in 2010-11, state aid will remain static – at $933 million. While that’s a $32 million re-duction from the $965 million in needs projected by the state aid formula, it was a victory for public schools. Sena-tors went elsewhere to plug the rest of the state’s $334 million budget hole.

“The state aid cut for 2010-11 will cause pain and program cuts,” said NSEA President Jess Wolf. “But the cuts to state aid could have been much, much deeper.”

Wolf noted that education jobs saved will help the economic recovery, as well as the state’s revenue shortfall.

“Education jobs saved and education dollars spent on Main Streets across Nebraska will contribute to the econo-my and to state sales and income tax re-ceipts,” said Wolf. “Public education is part of the budget solution in both prob-lems: spending cuts and tax revenue.”

NSEA’s quick action on the second goal – cuts away from the classroom – will help soften the effect of 2010-11 state aid cuts on the state’s public school classrooms.

Capitol BlitzAs the Special Session got into full

swing, NSEA worked with Lincoln Sen. Amanda McGill on an amendment

that highlighted the need to keep state aid reductions as far from the classroom as possible. The amendment went so far as to outline where cuts might be made. It also required districts to make public proposed budget cuts, and penal-ized districts that did not first cut non-instructional items.

Then, working quickly to garner broad support, NSEA lobbyists went on an early morning blitz, contacting near-ly every one of the state’s 49 senators. That effort drew 10 co-sponsors for McGill’s amendment and another 20

senators who said they would support, or were leaning toward supporting, the amendment.

‘One Chance’While McGill announced before-

hand that the amendment would be withdrawn before a vote, the issue was front and center in the Legislature for more than 90 minutes. And the point was made: education cuts should come as far from the classroom as possible.

“I believe the Legislature needs to make it clear to school districts that any

State Aid DefendedNSEA Lobbying Efforts in Special Session Minimize State Aid Cuts,

Bring Attention to Pushing Cuts Away from the Classroom

Sen. Amanda McGill of Lincoln introduced an amendment to LB5, the Legislature’s bill designed to slow the growth of state aid, during the Special Session in November. McGill’s amendment, developed with NSEA’s help, pushed school districts to make any budget cuts resulting from state aid cuts as far from the classroom as possible. Here is what McGill and some of her colleagues said about the amendment:

“I believe the Legislature needs to make it clear to school districts that any cuts that result from leveling this state aid be made as far from the classroom as possible.”

Sen. Amanda McGill, Lincoln

“I support Sen. McGill’s amendment because, first of all, it is our constitutional obligation to provide an appropriate education. Money is the only tool we have to ensure that is done.”

Sen. Tom White, Omaha

“I think education is the foundation for all the other issues that we deal with in this body. If we have an educated populace, we’re going to eliminate a lot of other services that people may need one day down the road. So any dollar that we invest in education is a dollar well spent. And that will give us a great return on our investment.”

Sen. Annette Dubas, Fullerton

“I want to give school boards one more chance. But this is a shot across the bow. If you don’t do this right, I’ll guarantee you the Legislature will be back, because we’re spending a billion dollars in your districts.”

Sen. Galen Hadley, Kearney

McGill White Dubas Hadley


The most valuable asset owned by any educator is the job they per-form each and every day of the work week. And without a doubt, the best way to protect that job is to join NSEA.

In these harsh eco-nomic times, and with a $32 million reduction in state aid to schools next year, teaching jobs will almost certainly be at risk across the state next spring. That’s the time of year when the school district budget-ing process for 2010-11 will begin to come into focus.

With that in mind, NSEA’s Board of Directors has opened an almost never-used, mid-year membership campaign for non-members. Be-ginning on Monday, Nov. 23, and through Friday, Dec. 18, non-mem-bers may join NSEA and NEA at a pro-rated cost.

The reasoning behind the member-ship campaign is simple, said NSEA Executive Director Craig R. Chris-tiansen.

“If there are educators out there who are not members now, they will risk their jobs next spring when school boards begin to make budget-cutting decisions,” he said.

“We’re offering this one-time membership window as a service to our colleagues,” said Christiansen.

“New members will also bolster the strength of our organization.”

The campaign offers member-ship for the remaining nine months of the fi scal year to nonmembers at

75 percent of the cost of a full-year member-ship. Educators who join NSEA during the campaign will be full members, eligible for

all NSEA services, including UniServ assistance and legal services. How-ever, those new members will not be eligible for legal services for incidents or accusations that occurred prior to membership.

Local dues will be billed at the lo-cal association’s discretion.

The dues dollars spent will be well worth the cost when a teacher’s in-come is on the line. With a 142-year record to stand on, NSEA is the most effective agent in defending teachers and other public school employees facing job loss.

NSEA President Jess Wolf has al-ready e-mailed local association pres-idents, urging them to make contact with every potential member in their school district.

“We’re asking local presidents to begin the campaign by inviting every non-member to become a part of the NSEA family,” said Wolf. “We need them, and they need us.”

cuts that result from leveling this state aid be made as far from the classroom as possible,” said McGill.

“A high school junior does not benefi t if the pre-calculus class or the computer class she had hoped to take is cut and then restored after she has graduated,” said McGill. “The fact is that our children have one chance at a quality education. And we, the Legis-lature, have an obligation to provide that education.”

Monitoring CutsOmaha Sen. Tom White agreed, and

noted that education is a constitutional obligation of the state.

“I support Sen. McGill’s amendment because, fi rst of all, it is our constitu-tional obligation to provide an appropri-ate education. Money is the only tool we have to ensure that is done,” he said.

Kearney Sen. Galen Hadley issued a warning, noting that state aid is a nearly $1 billion a year line item for the state.

“I want to give school boards one more chance,” said Hadley. “But this is a shot across the bow. If you don’t do this right, I’ll guarantee you the Legisla-ture will be back, because we’re spend-ing a billion dollars in your districts.”

‘More Than a Request’Before McGill’s amendment was

pulled, there was further evidence that senators were interested in the concept. Sen. Ken Haar of Malcolm was particu-larly supportive of the amendment pro-vision that required school districts to report how and where cuts were made. He said state senators need to know how the cuts will affect education.

“My hope is that at some point we could make that more than just a request to school districts, but require some kind of reporting by school districts to show how they’ve dealt with this,” he said.

Two years ago, NSEA leadership expanded the Association’s then-relatively small Government Relations Committee to 24 members. The committee is charged with keeping lines of communication open to state senators and policymakers.

That expansion assigned one committee member to every two legislative districts. The logic at the time was that 24 members would be manageable, both in numbers and cost.

However, two unexpected events have happened since. First, the Government Relations Committee has held recent meetings through Webex technology, which has not only worked well, but has saved travel costs and member time. Second, the 24 members of the committee seem to be active

in their own legislative district, but not quite so active in their neighboring assigned district.

With those facts to consider, the NSEA Board of Directors in October voted to expand the committee to 49 members, with one member from each of Nebraska’s 49 legislative districts. Also on the committee are the NSEA Board offi cers, the NSEA executive director and members of the NSEA Government Relations staff.

If you are interested in serving on the Government Relations Committee in the future, or are interested in becoming an NSEA CyberLobbyist, please contact NSEA’s Cathy Schapmann at:

[email protected]

Want to Be Politically Active? Join NSEA’s GR Committee!

Membership DriveWill Save Jobs

NSEA Board OKs Use of Mid-Year Campaignto Help Protect Jobs Expected Next Spring


On his way to a career in scientific research, Michael Fryda discovered his true first love: teaching.

That discovery led him to another passion: assessment.

OK, so perhaps teaching isn’t Fry-da’s first love, but his decision to switch from a career in science research to a ca-reer in the classroom was momentous.

“Other than marrying my wife,” he said, “it was the best decision I ever made.”

It has also turned out to be quite ben-eficial for students at Westside District 66 High School in Omaha, where Fryda teaches. Those students now have the 2010 Nebraska School Teacher of the Year at the head of their natural science classroom.

Fryda was selected for the honor in late October, and was introduced along with three other finalists at a luncheon at the Nebraska Governor’s Mansion.

Other finalists were Tom Jaworski,

Adams Central High School; Wanda Stelk, Grand Island Public Schools; and Amanda Stalnaker, Millard Public Schools (see sidebar).

‘Having a Blast’Fryda earned a bachelor’s degree in

zoology from the University of Wiscon-sin-Madison, and was recruited to pur-sue his PhD in science research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Even though he comes from a fam-ily of teachers, Fryda didn’t consider a teaching career. It wasn’t until he took a job as a teaching assistant at UNL that he changed course.

“I was sitting there as the teaching assistant in classes, and having a blast doing that,” said Fryda. “But I knew I didn’t have the tools to do a good job.

“I knew I was missing the teaching skills.”

After earning a master’s degree in secondary education, with an endorse-

� Natural Science teacher, Westside District 66 Community Schools, Omaha.� Bachelor’s degree

in science (zoology) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Master’s degree in sec-ondary teaching (biolo-gy) from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. Added endorsement in Assessment Leadership from UNL. Working toward a doctorate in science education and assessment at UNL.

Career� Westside High School 9-12 science

teacher since 2003. Natural Science Team leader at Westside since 2005.

Other Facts� Has served on the State Science As-

sessments Committee for five years.� Has served on the Westside Com-

munity Schools District Grading For Learning Task Force since 2006.� Has been a member of the West-

side Community Schools Staff Develop-ment Cadre since 2007.� Has been a PowerSchool Web

GradeBook pilot participant and trainer since 2007.

Fryda

The Fryda Files

On the spot: Nebraska 2010 Teacher of the Year Michael Fryda does most of his assessment of student learning in the classroom as he interacts with students.

True Love2010 Teacher of the Year Loves His Profession

Page 8 � The NSEA Voice � December 2009


ment in biology, he was hired at West-side. In his first year he developed a passion for improving assessment, an aspect of teaching that, Fryda says, has “always been so much more about the letter grade than the actual learning. We need to turn that around.”

He’s since added an assessment lead-ership endorsement to his resume, and is working on his doctorate in science education and assessment.

Oral FeedbackHis keen interest in assessment was

focused when a student questioned why he was receiving failing grades in Fry-da’s biology classroom. The teen could answer questions and explain concepts to support his answers. But he didn’t do well on homework or tests.

That student’s question more than caught Fryda off guard. It was a forma-tive moment that pushed him to ques-tion his assessment methods.

Traditionally, students who fail to meet homework and testing expecta-tions are punished in the form of poor or failing grades, said Fryda, even though some students are not yet cognitively able to be responsible.

“I’ve seen nothing in my seven-year career that shows that punishing kids has made them more responsible.”

So Fryda constantly seeks verbal feedback from his students. He’s a bundle of energy moving around the classroom, constantly challenging his students to answer questions, and to substantiate those answers. Proficiency is determined on the spot.

“Most feedback is oral, right at the point of instruction,” he said.

“Kids learn quickly that they can’t stand up here and spit out a right an-swer,” he said. “They have to answer questions and need to be able to defend their answers.”

That method changes the paradigm by valuing genuine understanding over completion of work.

“The teaching profession cannot af-ford to neglect such important reform, because it has the power to improve stu-dent achievement for all students,” said Fryda.

Concerning the bright student who failed at traditional assessment meth-ods: “I had plenty of oral evidence that he heard and understood the work,” said Fryda. “I gave him a passing grade.”

Common GroundIn his Teacher of the Year applica-

tion, Fryda said highly qualified teach-ers who know how to improve student learning are the heart of a strong teach-ing profession. For his part, Fryda wants to change teaching for the bet-ter.

“Classroom practices that improve student learning are the real measures of individual teacher success and pro-fessional accountability,” he wrote in his application.

All teachers, he said, have used strategies that could use improvement.

Teachers are sometimes reluctant to change methods, and that caution indi-cates exactly how much is at stake.

“We may not agree on what is best for children, but we are reaching com-mon ground on what it means for stu-dents to be successful in the nation’s classrooms,” he said.

“I believe we can improve education one highly-qualified teacher at a time,” he said.

Spoken like someone who loves his profession.

Growing Responsible Citizensand Problem Solvers

Finalists Push Students to Work Hard, ExcelFour Nebraska teachers were finalists for the 2010 Teacher of the Year Award. In

addition to winner Michael Fryda, they included Thomas Jaworski, a grades 5-12 instrumental music teacher for the Adams Central Public Schools near Hastings; Wanda Stelk, a K-5 media, technology and gifted educator at West Lawn Elementary School in Grand Island; and Amanda Stalnaker, a grades 6-8 special education teacher at Millard North High School. Fryda, Jaworski and Stelk are NSEA members.

Jaworski says that while he teaches music, he also teaches students to be responsible citizens.

“This development of citizens as individuals has led to the building of a band program that regularly steps onto district and statewide stages with success,” wrote Jaworski in his Teacher of the Year application.

Jaworski feels it is his “duty to educate to the best of my ability all the children that enter my classroom.

“My responsibilities begin by helping each child develop self-confidence at the beginning level,” he wrote.

Jaworski is past president of the Genoa Education Association, the Weeping Water Education Association, and the Adams Central Education Association, as well as the Nebraska State Bandmasters Association. His Adams Central band marched at President Obama’s Inauguration in January and his Weeping Water band marched at President Reagan’s Inauguration in 1985.

Wanda Stelk has the special interest of her second grade teacher to thank for her desire to teach. In second grade, her family moved from Nebraska to South Dakota, where she found herself behind other students.

“She worked with me every day after school to get me caught up,” said Stelk. “The special interest shown in me greatly contributed to my desire to teach.”

In middle school and high school, a math teacher and a French teacher were influential. “Their teaching styles, mastery of the curriculum and love of students continued to feed my desire to teach,” she said.

With those influences, Stelk’s “main focus in education has been to provide the best learning experiences for my students, both in and out of the school setting.”

When she left the classroom in 2001 to become an integration specialist, she knew she had to gain additional training. Her graduate work in gifted education led to a doctorate in education studies from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

She’s also gained the understanding of what it takes to be a good teacher.“It is through good teaching that students learn to believe in themselves and gain the

skills necessary to work with other people, become thinkers and problem solvers, and develop admirable work ethics,” she said.

StelkJaworski

December 2009 � The NSEA Voice � Page 9


NSEA’s Member Rights Depart-ment helps hundreds of members re-solve workplace issues every year.

The department works closely with NSEA’s 18 UniServ directors to make certain that workplace conflicts are re-solved fairly and quickly, so that mem-bers can focus on their job: teaching.

Here are summaries of three cases.

Medical Leave DeniedAfter the Fact

When a member in central Nebras-ka applied for a three-day family ill-ness leave, her building principal gave her the A-OK. The leave slip was then forwarded to the main office, but the member never received a final veri-fication. The member took the leave, and returned to school to find out that the leave had been denied by a mid-level manager at the central office. The member called NSEA.

With her NSEA UniServ director at her side, the member met infor-mally with the school superintendent and business manager to review what happened. After that discussion, the district offered a compromise: the district would allow two days of paid leave under the family illness policy, and the member would use one of her personal leave days for the third day.

NSEA Works for MembersMember Rights Wins Exemplify Some of the Reasons for Membership

District officials put that proposal in writing, and the member, willing to ac-cept that offer, signed off, preserving further loss of personal days or pay.

Unjustified Improvement Plan Dropped with NSEAWhen an NSEA member at a Ne-

braska community college was placed on a Personal Improvement Plan by his administrator earlier this semes-ter, the member turned to NSEA and called his UniServ director.

“It seemed to the member, and to his NSEA UniServ director, that he had been placed on a Personal Im-provement Plan for unjustifiable rea-sons,” said Trish Guinan, NSEA’s di-rector of Member Rights.

According to the local associa-tion’s contract with the college, the issue did not fall under allowable grievances. But because there were no other options for resolution, the UniServ director coached the member through the first, informal, step of the grievance process, which the member then handled on his own.

“The result was exactly what the member had asked for in his grievance – the Personal Improvement Plan was withdrawn,” said Guinan.

Both the member and the UniServ director deserve accolades for a job well done, said Guinan.

Member’s Pay GradeCorrected, Thanks to NSEA

In another higher education case, an NSEA member at Metro Community College was not placed on the appropri-ate base salary level at the time of hire, which was not discovered until two years later, during a salary promotion application. The member called NSEA.

It took a review of the member’s academic credentials, verification of those credentials, plus a meeting with Metro Human Resources administra-tors, to clear up the issue. The member was placed on the correct salary level – moving up two pay grades and nearly $10,000 – in early November. College administrators also agreed to pay the member at the correct pay grade, retro-active to the start of the fall quarter.

“Light the Torch for Literacy” is the theme for the Nebraska State Reading Conference, to be held Feb. 25-27 in Kearney.

If your principal is interested in seeing research-based instruction on everything from RTI to comprehen-sion strategies, there is something at the conference that will meet those needs. Amazing learning opportu-nities are being scheduled through workshops and sessions by nationally known speakers, authors and illustra-tors. There will also be an exposition with displays of the latest educational products.

Check the Web site for speakers, sessions and registration details:

www.nereads.org

Reading ConferenceSet for February


Legendary Lobbyist Herb Schimek, Teacher, Education Advocate, to Retire

Herb Schimek is, first and foremost, a teacher.He owns two college degrees in education. He taught for

two years in Colorado, seven more in Nebraska.Schimek’s biggest teaching success, however, has come in

the past 38 years, as he taught state policymakers about the need to fund, protect and improve public education. His work touched every teacher and student in Nebraska in that time, and will shape the state’s education policy for years to come.

On Dec. 31, he will retire as NSEA’s first – and only – direc-tor of Government Relations. He has accomplished much.

In the late 1960s, he was part of a tidal surge that turned the administrator-led NSEA into a teacher-led Association.

As a leader in the Hastings Education Association (HEA) at about the same time, Schimek – along with Hastings col-league and future NSEA Executive Director Jim Griess – led the HEA to the then-new Commission of Industrial Relations to resolve a bargaining impasse. The HEA, one of the first local associations to seek such relief from the CIR, won that case.

He was a key actor in the passage of the state’s first fair dismissal law in the 1970s, and has influenced virtually every education-related bill before the Legislature since 1975.

He has been relentless in pursuit of a slow, deliberate im-provement of the state’s teacher retirement system. Schimek helped to elect scores of education-friendly candidates to of-fices from school board to governor – even president.

“Herb’s advocacy for Nebraska teachers and students can-not be overlooked when considering those who have made major contributions to the state’s public schools,” said NSEA President Jess Wolf.

Groomed for PoliticsWith a smiling demeanor, a mischievous twinkle and

guided by a favored idiom – Schimek says battles on behalf of teachers and public schools are fought “on the side of the angels” – he was destined for a political life.

The oldest of four sons, Schimek’s father was a jobless German teacher who went to work for the railroad in North Platte in the 1930s. Before dinner, the brothers read Drew Pearson’s Washington Merry-Go-Round column in The North Platte Telegraph. Dinner conversation focused on politics. After dinner, the brothers washed dishes. Father then super-vised homework.

His maternal grandfather was a Howard County office-holder and Republican Party stalwart.

“I grew up in politics,” Schimek said.

Early UniServBy the late 1960s, teaching at Hastings, Schimek had tried,

and failed, to get on the ballot for the NSEA Board of Direc-

Standing tall: Herb Schimek’s 38-year career at NSEA has been spent working to improve public education in Nebraska. Much of his work has been focused on lobbying the Nebraska Legislature.

On the Side of Angels

‘An IntimidatingForce for Good’

“Herb has also been a powerful voice for teachers with the Nebraska Legislature. One of his legacies will surely be his successful advocacy for teacher retirement benefits.”

Former Lt. Gov. Maxine Moul

“It’s hard to picture the Rotunda without Herb Schimek. My guess is he’ll still be weighing in here and there. My hope is he’ll continue to offer the valuable insight that has helped Nebraska become a better place for more than three decades.”

Former Governor and U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson

“When I first met Herb Schimek in 1982 as I was organizing a campaign for Governor, I thought he was

a boxer. I actually wonderednose if I behaved badly. I had is gentle as ...... well, he’s as when he’s trying to get Nebdeserve, and as tough as he resistance. He is an intimidati

Former Governo

“The ability to move


Membership Guru JohnsonWill Retire at End of Year20-Year NSEA Career Will End in December

When Marlene Johnson started work in NSEA’s membership and accounting department 20 years ago, handwritten ledgers were the rule of the day; a computerized

membership process was yet to be developed.Headed toward a Dec. 31 retirement date, Johnson has seen

the Association’s membership database evolve into a web-based system that is much easier to manage and manipulate.

All along, Johnson enjoyed working with NSEA members. She always put members first.

“Our members are our customers. That’s how I’ve always looked at it,” she said.

Johnson started as a temporary employee at NSEA, logging membership information during the busy membership season. When a job in NSEA’s Communications Department came open in 1989, she was hired. Within a year, she had transferred back to

membership.There, she dealt with 17-digit source codes for each local association; large

membership ledger books; and bundles of membership forms that had to be mailed to NEA Headquarters. Only one computer in the building was connected to NEA, and it was in another department.

When Johnson learned that the Iowa Education Association was piloting a computerized membership program that connected with NEA, Johnson urged NSEA leaders to take a look. They did, and NSEA was soon on board.

Johnson has also processed and managed the Association’s lifetime retired membership data – a subset of Association membership that has grown from 100 members 20 years ago to more than 4,500 today.

“Marlene has been solid as a rock in our Membership Department. She knows the system inside and out, and is reliable, dependable, always on time,” said NSEA Executive Director Craig R. Christiansen.

In her retirement, Johnson and husband Dean hope to travel, spend time with grandchildren and finish some of the family lines in her genealogy research.

tors. All but three or four of 22 board members were administrators.

“They had nomination boards from each NSEA District, but you could never find out when or where those boards were to meet,” he said.

A year later, Schimek wrote each history teacher in the district, seeking campaign help. He got on the ballot, and was elected. By the end of his first term, most administrators on the board had been replaced by teachers.

In mid-1971, Schimek joined NSEA’s small staff as one of the first UniServ directors, and was soon in-volved in campaigns and elections. One of NSEA’s first efforts was to change the tenor of the State Board of Educa-tion, which had fired the commissioner of education in the midst of a meeting.

NSEA candidates were victorious, bringing more balance to the board.

Dog Food for DinnerIn 1974, the Nebraska Supreme

Court ruled that a school district could fire a teacher for any reason – or for no reason at all.

That sparked NSEA to lobby the Legislature to pass a fair dismissal law. Schimek was in the middle of the lobby push that received unexpected help.

“It was a tight vote in the Legisla-ture, but it passed because some school boards that wanted to get rid of one or two teachers gave dismissal notices to their entire faculty,” he said.

Schimek drove one senator to Grand Island to watch a hearing on the dis-missal of the senator’s nephew.

“He gave us his vote, and the bill passed with 32 (of 49) votes,” he said.

That statute, still in effect, gives Nebraska teachers facing reduction-in-force or dismissal the right to a hear-ing to determine whether the dismissal is justified. Hundreds of teaching jobs have been saved over the years, thanks to that legislation.

His personal crusade has been to improve retirement benefits.

“I used to get calls from little old ladies who had taught for 45 years. They’d retire, and get a retirement ben-

efit of $20 a month,” he said. “They’d be eating dog food, crying on the tele-phone to me. I’d be crying with them.”

Taking baby steps, and a non-parti-san approach, NSEA has made a 35-year push to improve retirement bene-fits for teachers. With Schimek leading the battle, the state’s teacher retirement system now provides much-improved retirement benefits to school employ-ees.

Pack Up, LeaveSchimek has worked with hundreds

of elected leaders over the years. Lob-bying success, he said, is about rela-tionships.

“We pass bills because of relation-ships we build with senators,” he said. “You provide them with information, and if you don’t know the answer to a question, you tell them so, and you find the answer. If you lie to them, you might as well pack up and leave town.”

Not all senators understand the importance of public education when they walk through into the legislative chamber.

“We’ve had to work with new sena-tors to educate them about education,” he said.

That is, after all, what Herb Schimek does best: teach.

Johnson

ered if he might hit me in the ad no need for concern. Herb as gentle as he needs to be

Nebraska teachers what they he has to be when he meets dating force for good.”rnor and U.S. Sen. Bob Kerrey

ove important education

legislation was very dependent on Herb. Because he was so trusted, he could deliver criticism of certain parts of a bill and we could work together to improve the outcomes. Having Herb help was like enlisting an entire army!”

Former State Sen. Ardyce Bohlke

“Herb has always worked hard to help Nebraskans understand education issues. I congratulate him

on a fine career and wish him the best of luck in retirement.”

Former Governor and U.S. Sen. Mike Johanns

“Over the years, Herb snagged better lives for thousands of present and future Nebraskans. We were glad to help him do that and will miss his drive to do more.”

Former State Sens. Bob Wickersham & Sandy Scofield


Every educator – and every educational support profession-al, as well – should keep and have easy access to a ‘profession-al papers’ file that includes all records and documents relating to your employment status.

Of importance, according to NSEA Director of Member Rights Trish Guinan, are copies of all papers, letters, docu-ments or responses to queries that are submitted to administra-tors. Copies of such paperwork can help resolve disputes down the road.

Of particular importance to education support professionals: copies of correspondence to or from other school personnel.

Find your contract and place it in a file or plain, heavy-duty manila envelope. Check off the other items, below, as you col-lect them for your file:

Professional Paperwork� Your teaching certificate or licenses.� Your work resume and employment history.� Your record of education, including college transcripts;

diplomas; post-graduate hours; trainings; technical or voca-tional certificates.� Letters of appointment or hire, plus your record of ap-

pointment or hiring as shown in school board minutes.� Minutes of all board action affecting your contract status

and duties.� Records of non-college seminars and workshops.

Contract-Related Items� Your employment contract and supplemental contracts.� Your salary schedule and placement information.� Your annual salary notice, as supplied by your employer.� Records relating to retirement benefits.� Your record of accumulated sick leave, plus your record

of sick and personal leave used.� Current and past teaching or work schedules and assign-

ments.

Member Rights Paperwork� Records of disciplinary techniques and methods used in

handling student problems. Note date and witnesses involved.� A record of assaults, violence or workplace thefts.

Documentation� Correspondence to or from school administrators.� Letters of praise or of reprimand.� Records and notes from all evaluations.� Dated notes from conferences with supervisors.� Awards, commendations and honors.� School-related insurance policies.� A school calendar.Don’t forget to keep NSEA’s phone number in a prominent

location in the file: 1-800-742-0047.You may also want to review your school’s personnel poli-

cies, and collect and file any general school policies on dis-cipline; corporal punishment; student suspension; access to school records; etc.

Questions? Call your UniServ director at 1-800-742-0047.

Professional Papers:Keep Them HandyFiling Now Can Resolve Disputes Later


When Lincoln hosts the Special Olympics USA Na-tional Games next July, the event will need thousands of volunteers.

With that in mind, NSEA’s Board of Directors has ap-proved a statement of support for the Games, encouraging NSEA members to volunteer.

The board action also created a committee that will work to encourage members to volunteer. NSEA President Jess Wolf appointed Jenni Absalon of Lincoln and Jean Anderson of Kearney to co-chair the committee.

“I think our members understand the value of these games. They also understand what a huge undertaking this is,” said Wolf. “It’s my hope that our members will volunteer in droves.”

Largest Ever EventThe Special Olympics USA National Games will be the

largest event ever held in Nebraska, and one of the biggest sporting events in the United States. More than 8,000 volun-teers are needed, said Deb Stroh, director of volunteer services for the Games.

The Games will take place July 18-23, 2010. Competitions and events will take place throughout Lincoln.

Special Olympics USA National Games are held every four years. In 2010, 3,000 athletes, 1,000 coaches, 800 officials, and more than 15,000 family members and fans will attend. Ath-letes will compete in swimming, basketball, bocce, bowling, flag football, golf, power lifting, rhythmic gymnastics, soccer, softball, tennis, volleyball and track and field.

Using Olympic-style sports as the catalyst, Special Olym-

pics works to enhance and improve the lives of people with intellectual disabilities. Competition provides ath-letes continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage and build self-confidence. Special

Olympics also offer programs that foster health and wellness. The Healthy Athletes Program provides free health screenings to all athletes during the week of competition. The Athlete Leadership Program, through partnership with the Gallup Or-ganization in Nebraska, teaches athletes public speaking and to be self-advocates.

Private AirliftOther unique opportunities will occur around the Games.

Many athletes will arrive via the Cessna Citation Airlift at Duncan Aviation. The services of more than 300 private jets, donated from across the United States, will transport athletes and coaches. Planes are expected to take off and land at Lincoln Municipal Airport every 90 seconds, for 12 hours straight.

During the week prior to the Games, the Final Leg of the Law Enforcement Torch Run will take place. More than 200 law enforcement officers from across the country will carry the Flame of Hope across 70 Nebraska counties.

“The 2010 Games would not be possible without the help of many dedicated volunteers,” said Stroh. “We would welcome any and all volunteers from the Nebraska State Education As-sociation.”

Online registration and additional volunteer information is available via the Games Web site at:

www.2010specialolympics.org

Special Olympics Needs Your HelpNSEA Board of Directors Urges Members to Volunteer for National Games

The 2010 Mid-Winter Workshop of the Nebraska Speech-Language-Hearing Association is Friday, Feb. 12, at Kearney. The theme is ‘The Basics: School-Based Management of Students with Feeding/Swallowing Problems.’

Speakers are Illinois State Univer-sity’s Dr. Rita Bailey and Dr. Maureen Angell. Their work focuses on the latest ways to improve eating and swallowing skills in school-age children with a wide range of skills and disabilities.

The workshop opens at 8 a.m., and ends at 3:30 p.m., at the Kearney Holi-day Inn. For rooms, call 1-308-237-5971. Mention the conference name for the $78.95 room rate. To register, call Angie at 1-402-476-9573, or go to:

www.nslha.org

Speech-Language-Hearing Workshopin Kearney Feb. 12


By Kurt GenrichEHA Plan Advocate

It’s a time of celebration, parties and get-togethers, but are you worried about personal issues such as your or your spouse’s job, finances, or family stress?

This is a very hard time for many in the teaching profession. Within the EHA plan, anti-depressant drugs are the third-most prescribed drug. This time of year, many are worried that their stu-dents will have enough to eat over the break, or have Christmas presents under the tree. Here are some ways to manage your stress at this time of year. � Acknowledge your holiday blues.

Express your feelings. If you need pro-fessional help, such services are cov-ered through your EHA health plan or through your school’s Employee Assis-tance Program. � Set realistic expectations for your

holiday gatherings. Don’t try to recre-

ate a favorite holiday from years gone by. Reduce time spent with difficult family members or co-workers.� Focus on the good in your life, the

relationships that you value, and the true reasons why we celebrate the season. � Eat and drink in moderation dur-

ing the holiday. Find time for regular exercise. Take a walk before or after your holiday gathering meals. Many times, over-eating and drinking will lead to further depression.� Make time to nurture yourself.

Find quiet moments in a book or hobby. While the holidays are times to gather with family and friends around you, the time you spend on yourself, in activities

that bring you pleasure, relax or restore you, can make you a better host or guest this holiday.� Reach out in your community.

Volunteer to make this holiday more joyous for the less fortunate in your town. There are many organizations that could use your help and would wel-come your time and effort, including retirement homes.

Happy holidays, and good health!

The Educators Health Alliance has contracted with Kurt Genrich to serve as the EHA Plan advocate.

Genrich will work with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska plan partici-pants to answer questions and promote the plan. The EHA Board is comprised of six NSEA representatives and three each from the Nebraska Association of School Boards and the Nebraska Council of School Administrators. NSEA Execu-tive Director Craig R. Christiansen chairs the EHA Board of Directors.

Call Genrich at 1-866-465-1342; on his cell phone at 402-217-2042; or e-mail him at:

[email protected]

Genrich

Holiday Blues? This is the season!

NSEA-Retired will again make a retirement planning seminar available to local associations.

More than 100 sessions have been held in areas all across the state with an audience of more than 4,000 NSEA members over the past six years.

The retirement planning seminar covers the following topics: the ben-efits that you will receive from the School Employees Retirement Sys-tem; how your retirement benefit is calculated; tips on the eight payment options and whom you should name as your primary beneficiary; health

insurance after retirement; and an-swers to your questions. The session generally lasts about 75-90 minutes.

NSEA-Retired is cooperating with NSEA Districts to make presentations to local associations who want to provide retirement planning informa-tion for their members. The Districts are helping to underwrite the cost of bringing the sessions to members in those districts.

If you are an active teacher, or if you know of a need in your area to have retirement planning informa-tion in a specific local, contact your

district president to learn more about the process for bringing a retire-ment planning seminar to your local. District Presidents and their contact information are listed in the NSEA pocket calendar, or you can find con-tact information on the NSEA Web page at:

www.nsea.org/members/districtsYou may also contact Roger Rea,

NSEA-Retired president, by email at:[email protected]

In the subject line of the email, please put “Retirement presentation for (name of your local).”

Retirement Seminars Available for Local Associations

BCBS Q&A

NSEA UniServ Director Jerry Hoffman has authored a chapter in a new textbook, Institutional Analysis and Praxis: The Social Fabric Matrix Approach.

The chapter title is Application of the ithink® System Dynamics Soft-ware Program to the Social Fabric Matrix to Analyze Public School Sys-tems.

Hoffman’s chapter first looks at how Nebraska’s state aid to schools

formula is created from social beliefs expressed in state constitutional con-ventions and early territorial reports. For example, how the belief in free education delivers the system of prop-erty taxes. Next, the ithink® Analystprogram is used to model the flow of laws, rules and regulations that form the school funding formula into an economic system.

Published by Spring Science+Business Media, LLC, the

book “contains both extensive appli-cations of the Social Fabric Matrix Approach to contemporary issues, and chapters that embed applied research in relevant theoretical, philosophical, and methodological frameworks.”

Hoffman has been with NSEA as a UniServ director for three years. His Missouri Bluffs UniServ unit in-cludes Dodge and Washington coun-ties and the northern edge of Douglas County.

NSEA’s Hoffman Author of Chapter in New Textbook


Snookie’sSnippets

In tough fi nancial times, when you need a coupon to save a few dollars, or a competitive home or auto insurance quote, go to the exclusive Web site for NEA members:

www.neamb.comThe site has

something to offer each member. But not every member has the same needs, so we’ve added a more versatile range of products and features – personalized to cover every aspect of members’ lives.

The more you learn about NEA Member Benefi ts, the more you will:� Save time and money.� Receive expert advice on

budgeting and managing debt.� Save up to 70 percent on items

from hundreds of retailers.� Connect with fellow educators.� Tap hundreds of free resources.� Use informative articles, videos,

and how-to-guides.Take advantage of the benefi ts that

your membership has to offer. No dues dollars support NEA Member Benefi ts.

Did You Know?Member Benefi ts offers these plans:� NEA Dental, Vision Insurance:

This plan offers NEA members and their immediate family access to dental plans and vision insurance. Visit the Web or call 1-866-984-7730 for details.� NEA Vision and Prescription

Savings Plan: This plan provides discount pharmacy benefi ts to cut your out-of-pocket costs. Call 1-800-342-7188 for details.� NEA Hearing Aid Savings Plan:

Members and their family can enroll and receive a free hearing screening at a local provider’s offi ce. For details, call 1-800-286-6149. � The NEA Academy: Check on-

line professional development courses designed for NEA members. Visit:

www.nea.org/academy

Member Benefi ts SweepstakesRegister at the Web site to win one of

eight $250 VISA gift cards. Register at:www.neamb.comSnookie Krumbiegel is Nebraska’s

NEA Member Benefi ts representative.

Krumbiegel

More and more homeowners are fi nding that their home’s equity can be a powerful fi nancial tool. You can lever-age your home’s equity to help you get onto solid fi nancial footing. Refi nanc-ing your current mortgage may be a step that can help you:� Consolidate high-interest loans

or bills into a single, more manageable monthly mortgage payment.� Lower your interest rate.� Reduce your monthly mortgage

payments.� Reduce the term of your existing

mortgage to pay it off faster.� Access available funds for tuition

costs, home improvements, or to cover large expenses.

Consolidate Your DebtHigh interest rates on credit cards,

loans and other debt can create a signifi -cant drain on your resources, and often make it diffi cult to get ahead. Refi nanc-ing may provide you the opportunity to consolidate your debt. There may also be tax advantages.

Refi nancing can offer a variety of benefi ts, but like any money man-agement tool, it may not be right for your specifi c needs. Call us for a free consultation. A home mortgage con-sultant will be happy to discuss the

options open to you.

When Should YouConsider Refi nancing?

Our home mortgage consultants will walk through the fi nancing options available to you when you are consider-ing a refi nance. Here are a few of the factors they will look at:� Interest Rates: If rates are at least

.5 percent lower than your current inter-est rate, it may be a good idea to con-sider refi nancing.� Length of Time in the Home:

The longer you remain in your home, the more likely your refi nancing will pay off. If you’re thinking about moving within 5 to 7 years, perhaps you should consider other debt consolidation op-tions, such as a home equity loan, or line of credit instead.� Loan Term: The amount of time

needed to repay a loan is called the term. When interest rates are low enough, you may shorten the term of your loan without having to greatly increase your monthly mortgage payments. The short-er the term of the loan, the less you pay in interest for that loan.

To learn more about refi nancing, call the NEA Home Financing Program at 1-800-632-4968 and speak with a home mortgage consultant.

Refi nancing RewardsHomeowners Can Reduce Mortgage Term,

Borrow Against Home’s Value

NEA Member Benefi ts

In the excitement of the holidays, it’s easy to overspend your budget.

Follow these timely tips to get the most out of your holiday spending, and fi nd more such tips on the NEA Member Benefi ts Web site at:

http://www.neamb.com/home/602_4520.htm� Assess your budget,

track your spending: No more than 1.5 percent of your gross income should be spent on all holiday items – includes gifts, travel, decorations and entertaining.� Curb spending on gifts and

other holiday cheer: Sometimes shopping at a store after 6 p.m. the day before an advertised sale is

benefi cial. The registers maybe programmed for the next

day’s big sale, meaning the consumers will often get these sale prices before they are even posted. Shopping

online may also keep your spending under control (no sights,

sounds or smells can entice you to spend impulsively).� Partying on a budget: Random

gift exchanges – by drawing names – you buy for only one person.

Avoid Holiday OverspendingThese Consumer Tips Can Save You Money!


Taxes on Social Security StudiedLegislative Interim Hearing will Investigate Changes

NSEA-Re� red Corner

Of special interest to retirees across the state is the Thursday, Dec. 10, hearing by the Legislature’s Retire-ment Committee on Legislative Reso-lution 106.

Introduced by Sen. Abbie Cornett of Bellevue, LR106 is an interim study to examine the economic impact of retirement income on the State of Nebraska tax revenues, and the most appropriate way to tax such income.

For the 2010 legislative session, NSEA-Retired leaders and members will continue their efforts to lobby the Unicameral to pass legislation that will exempt all, or part, of the state income tax on Social Security and Nebraska public employee pension incomes. Nebraska is one of the few states in the nation that continues to tax retirees for all of their income from Social Secu-rity and public pension sources.

Join NEA-Retiredand NSEA-Retired Now

You may join your Retired Asso-ciations at any time, at any age, dur-ing your active education career. And there is no better time than right now, during your best earning years.

The best option? Join NEA-Retired and NSEA-Retired as Pre-retired Life Members (offi cially known as Life Subscribers) for a one-time cost of $400 (plus local dues where applicable).

To join, go to the NSEA Web site and click on ‘Membership Informa-tion’ to see the nearly 50 benefi ts you enjoy now and can continue to enjoy during your retirement. Remember, you must be a member of NEA-Re-tired and NSEA-Retired to continue these benefi ts after you retire.

With your NSEA-Retired member-ship, you’ll continue working with colleagues in the NSEA and in your school district; you will continue to have an impact on your profession in public education; and you will contin-ue helping the young people to whom you gave so much of yourself during your career.

Yes, join the 4,154 retired members and the 1,402 pre-retired subscribers of the nationally recognized partner of NEA-Retired—your Nebraska as-

sociation of retired friends and col-leagues.

That NSEA Web site address to sign up for NSEA-Retired member-ship is:

www.nsea.org/members/retired

Watch for Events Coming UpIn the January issue of The Voice,

members will fi nd the nomination coupons for those retired members interested in running for vacancies on the NSEA-Retired Board of Direc-tors. Also in that issue: nomination

coupons for those who wish to be considered as delegates to the NSEA Delegate Assembly and the NEA Rep-resentative Assembly.

Don’t forget to mark your calendar for two upcoming events: the NSEA-Retired Lobby Day in Lincoln on Tues-day, Feb. 9, and the NSEA-Retired Eastern Nebraska Conference and An-nual Meeting in Lincoln on Thursday, April 15. More information on both events will follow in this space.

— Tom Black, [email protected]

At the SEAN Delegate Assembly in April, NSEA-Retired Vice President Jim McDermott presented four $750 scholarships to SEAN students for use during their student teaching semesters. Pictured, from left, are Rita Vogel, UNK; McDermott; Cody Waldman, UNK; and Annie Peters, Hastings College. Not pictured is Mandy Sanders, College of St. Mary.

NSEA-Retired to Give SEAN StipendsCollege juniors or seniors preparing to teach during the 2010-11 academic

year may want to consider applying for a SEAN-NSEA Retired Scholarship.Four $750 scholarships will be awarded, based on both fi nancial need and

essay question answers.Applicants shall be juniors or seniors who will student teach in 2010-11, and

who have been a member of the Student Education Association of Nebraska (SEAN) for at least two years, including the current academic year.

Three letters of recommendation shall accompany the completed application form: one letter from a faculty or staff member; one letter from a local SEAN chapter offi cer; and the third, a recommendation from the chapter advisor.

Completed applications and letters must be postmarked by Feb. 1, 2010. Download the current application from this Web site:

http://www.nsea.org/members/sean/awards/SEAN_Scholarship.htmFor more details, contact Tamra Mick at 1-800-742-0047 or via e-mail at:

[email protected]


Fund Helps Kids in NeedNSEA Children’s FundOffers Clothing, MoreWhen a tornado struck near a rural

Nebraska town early last spring, it not only injured three young siblings, it carried off and destroyed most of their clothing.

A teacher turned to the NSEA Children’s Fund, and asked for help. The response was quick: a voucher for clothing was sent, and the family got the basic necessities from Target in short order. The teacher’s note of thanks was brief:

“I recently took these three students shopping, and I just wanted to convey to you how grateful they were for the clothing items they were able to purchase,” she wrote. “Having new clothing items never completely solves the financial and emotional dilemmas that families face, but it sure does help ease some of the struggle.”

The Children’s Fund can make a difference in a child’s life.

Every NSEA member is aware of children who face such struggles. They know children who are underdressed in cold weather; children who eat well only when school is in session; and children who can’t see the front of the room clearly because they receive no eye care.

Teachers frequently spend their own cash to help these children. But teachers can’t help every child. That’s why NSEA created the Children’s Fund in 1994. Donations to the Children’s Fund have provided hundreds of thousands of dollars to help children in need. In just the past two years, the Children’s Fund has provided nearly $120,000 in relief.

Contributions are tax deductible — and it’s important to note that every penny contributed goes to help children. NSEA picks up all administrative expenses.

For teachers to receive funding to help a child, there is no red tape, no form to fill out. Simply contact the NSEA at 800-742-0047 and ask for Sally Bodtke. Or e-mail her at:

[email protected]

On the road...literally: Lincoln Education Association President Jenni Absalon, left, and LEA associate staff member Teresa Greve donned costumes recently to raise money for LEA’s annual Harvest of Books Campaign. Absalon wore the LEA ‘Star’ mascot costume, and Greve wore the Cat in the Hat outfit. They stood on the median of a nearby intersection,and with the help of KFOR Radio, raised more than $800. The campaign distributes books to all first and second grade students in Lincoln each year.

Deserving notables who have con-tributed to the betterment of public education in Nebraska will be honored at NSEA’s 2010 Delegate Assembly — but only if they receive your support!

Any NSEA member may nominate an individual or group for the awards. In all cases, send nominations by Sat-urday, Feb. 6, 2010, to: NSEA Awards, Suite 200, 605 S. 14th St., Lincoln, NE 68508-2742. Nominations may also be submitted online, with any required sup-porting material mailed to the NSEA. The online forms for the awards may be found at the ‘Call for Nominations’ link on the NSEA Web site at:

www.nsea.orgNSEA members are eligible for:�NSEA Rookie of the Year.�Award for Teaching Excellence.� Education Support Professional of

the Year.Finalists for these awards will be

notified in March. Winners will be an-nounced at the Delegate Assembly in Lincoln April 16-17, 2010. Each win-ner receives a $250 cash award, and each finalist earns a $100 cash award. In addition, the winner of the Award for Teaching Excellence will compete for the NEA Teaching Excellence Award and a $25,000 prize.

Though there are no cash awards for these honors, NSEA members are also eligible for these awards:� Community Service: Recognizes

NSEA members and/or local associa-tions actively involved in non-paid vol-unteer work outside of classroom duty hours. An essay of no more than 200 words explaining the nominee’s quali-fications must accompany the entry.� Local Public Relations: Recog-

nizes local associations for outstanding communication within the association, and promotion of educational excel-lence in the community. Examples of dated material should be included.

These awards will also be presented:� Friend of Education: Local as-

sociations are encouraged to nominate either an individual or organization that has made a statewide contribution to education/educators.� Media: Recognizes a newspaper,

television or radio station for outstand-ing work in covering education and promoting community involvement in education. An essay of no more than 200 words must accompany each entry. Examples of dated material may be in-cluded.

For details, call the NSEA at 1-800-742-0047.

Rookie, Teaching Excellence, ESP Nominees SoughtWanted: Award Nominees


Mailed By: The Nebraska State Education Association Suite 200, 605 S. 14th St., Lincoln, NE 68508-2742

Speakingof Teaching

“Once children learn how to learn, nothing is going to narrow their mind.

The essence of teaching is to make learning contagious, to have one idea

spark another.”— Marva Collins,

American educator

Helping ParentsFrom L. Carvel Wilson, a middle school geogra-

phy teacher in Syracuse, UT:

“Parents, in many cases, want to know how to help their student succeed in your class. Finding common ground with parents in ways to help their child will alleviate many problems and confl icts as the year proceeds. Parent-teacher conferences are critical to es-tablishing this common ground.

“Most of the time, my students attend with their parents. Dur-ing the conference, I ask the student direct questions, leading him to explain to his own parents what he is doing in the class. This takes the focus from teaching styles, content or even com-munication issues and puts it squarely on the shoulders of the

student, who has ultimate responsibility for his own success.

“We then talk together about how to set high goals and achieve them, or about how to adjust attitude and behavior to achieve success. I let them know the easiest way

to contact me (email), and assure them of quick responses. Teaching is already diffi cult enough without power strug-gles, which we seldom win.

“Unless there is a major behavioral problem or a moral issue at stake, you should be able to fi nd common ground with parents. If nothing else, there is always your concern and caring for their child and your desire to help their child succeed in your class and in life.”

Sign up for Works4Me at this link:http://www.nea.org/tools/Works4Me.html

Family of Teachers

It’s in their blood! At a 2008 reunion of the Riley Family, members realized that they combined for more than 180 years in the teaching profession. And that total didn’t include years spent in education by those not present or by those who are now deceased.

Pictured, in front, from left, are: Jeane Suhr, eight years of teaching, currently teaching English language learners with the Scottsbluff Public Schools; Loli-ta Biehl, four-plus years in rural schools in Nebraska; Laverna Amann, 17-plus years teaching in Nebraska schools; Harriett Jay, 27 years with the Lincoln Pub-lic Schools; Collette Suhr, 27 years as a para-educator with the Gering Public Schools; and Andrea Jay, 12 years with the Mullen Public Schools.

In the back row, from left, are: Cathy Hanson, former substitute in Nebraska schools; Kim Aden, 22 years with the North Platte Public Schools; Linda Woot-ers, retired after 27 years in Nebraska and Oklahoma schools; Gary Wooters, retired after 12 years in Nebraska schools; Gregg Wolfram, 25 years of experi-ence in Las Vegas; and Neil Jay, 13 years as a substitute in Lincoln.

If you have a family of teachers, snap a photo and send it to Family of Teach-ers, c/o NSEA, 605 South 14th St. Suite 200, Lincoln, NE 68508-2742.

Former SEANMembers:Rememberthe Rebate!

Get Your Money Backon Your SEAN DuesAre you a fi rst-year teacher, fresh

out of college?If so, and if you were a member of

the Student Education Association of Nebraska during your college years, you may be eligible for a rebate on your SEAN dues.

NSEA offers a one-time, $10 rebate for every year you were a member of SEAN. And this year, NEA is offering an additional $20 rebate for each year you were a member of SEAN. If, as a student, you were a member of SEAN all four years of college, the rebate of $30 for each year could total $120!

For a rebate form, contact your local association president, or download the form from the NSEA Web site at:

http://www.nsea.org/members/treasurer.htm

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