Need money? LEA Rapid News

LEA Membership Enrollment

Price is what you pay, value is what you get.

LEA members Scott and Paula Buckner put together a nice presentation about the value of membership.

Please feel free to share with members and non members.

CLICK HERE for the Buckner's Presentation

Recruit new members between NOW and September 30th.
(applications must be at LEA by 4 PM on Sept 30)

Get a $25 VISA Gift Card per member who joins.

Your name must be on top of the new member's printed application

Click Here for Enrollment Form

September 19, 2014

This issue:

What do you know about your Association's value?QUESTIONS about your health insurance?

LEA Leadership

Please check the list of important contract dates and deadlines for the the 2014-2015 school year.

MEMBER RELATIONS

Member Needs Help
2014-2015 Professional Agreement
SAVE $$$

COMMUNICATION

Check out the LEA, NEA, NSEA websites for up to date information

Resources
Teacher/Member Information
$$$$ Savings

COMMUNITY

Harvest of Books
Operation Warm

SAVE WITH

MEMBER BENEFITS

The Canine Scrub
PJ Babycakes
Hicken Hot Hands
Camp BowWow
Horace Mann
First Nebraska Educators Credit Union
LPS Employees Credit Union

SAVE THE DATES

Information Below

September 25 FR Council---Meet the Candidates and EHA Presentation about Blue Cross/Blue Shield

September 26 New Member FAC at LEA

October 5-19 Harvest of Books

October 8 Retirement Seminar with Horace Mann

October 8 - 17 LEA Negotiations Survey

October 16 FR Council

October 18 Probationary Teacher Training

Shredding Event

October 29 Retirement Seminar with Roger Rea

2014-2015 LEA/LPS Professional Agreement

is on the LEA Website.

CLICK HERE

So much valuable information available with a click!

LEA Leadership

President
Jenni Benson - LEA Office
jenni.benson@nsea.org

Vice President
Deb Rasmussen - Goodrich

Secretary/Treasurer
Linda Freye - Maxey

Directors-at-Large

Michael Geist- Lincoln Southwest
Todd Sievers - Kooser
William West - Park

Elementary Level
Julie Colby - Everett
Chris Martin- Fredstrom
Jules Spickelmier- Everett

Middle Level
Lesa Christiancy - Scott

High School Level
Rita Bennett - Entrepreneur Focus Program
Marge Keep - Lincoln East

LEA Staff

Executive Director
Dan Studer

dan.studer@nsea.org

UniServ Director
Matt Erb
matt.erb@nsea.org

Associate Staff- Finance
Elaine Koch
elaine.koch@nsea.org

Associate Staff- Governance
Emily Sears
emily.sears@nsea.org

QUESTIONS about your health insurance?

Local View: Holding the Line on Health Care Costs

Lincoln Journal Star September 16, 2014

By CRAIG R. CHRISTIANSEN, MIKE DULANEY and JOHN SPATZ

Most of us wouldn't make a significant purchase without comparing the cost and quality of the options available. We research everything from cars to television sets before we buy. Yet when it comes to our health care - some of the most important decisions we make - we are often in the dark about the value we get for the money we spend. The same medical service can be performed at equal levels of quality by two different providers - but at very different prices. Higher costs don't always mean higher quality.

Nationally, nearly $3 trillion, or one-sixth of the U.S. economy, was spent on health care in 2011. In one way or another - through health insurance premiums, doctor and hospital charges, taxes and other fees - those are costs we all pay. And if left unchecked, health care is expected to become even more expensive in the future. As costs increase, they will continue to cause hardships for the most vulnerable, especially working families and seniors who face making the choice between basic necessities and paying for needed care.

That is a future we want to change.

As the health and dental insurance provider for more than 80,000 Nebraska school teachers, school employees, administrators, retirees and their dependents, the Educators Health Alliance works very hard to ensure our members have access to quality, convenient health care that is provided at a reasonable cost.

To help contain costs across the state, we've initiated many unique programs and benefit options for our members, including wellness programs, generic drug incentives, disease management programs, and biometric screenings. And, we're proud to have partnered with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska since 1968 to continually provide additional options that provide the best care for our members.

Unfortunately, we've found that not all health care providers in our state are working to contain costs in the same way. Denver-based Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI), the national health care provider with hospital and physician affiliations across our state, maintains significantly higher costs than other Nebraska providers.

In fact, costs charged by CHI affiliate Alegent Creighton Health in Omaha, are significantly higher than other Nebraska providers. Services provided to our members by Alegent Creighton Health/CHI cost $12 million more a year than similar services offered by their competitors. That is a number that bears repeating - $12 million more for the same services our members could receive from another provider. Those are real, significant dollars that impact every teacher and school district we protect in Nebraska.

These negotiations affect your local hospital because that facility is part of the CHI network. On behalf of our members, we appreciate and fully support Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska's efforts to reach a new agreement with CHI that would bring its costs in line with other physicians and hospitals. We agree with BCBSNE that it would be irresponsible to allow one provider group to charge 10 to 30 percent more for the same care we can receive elsewhere.

As negotiations between the two parties continue, we remain hopeful an agreement will be reached. Both CHI and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska are valuable partners in providing health care services for our members.

By working together we can all find a way to hold the line on rising costs in Nebraska while providing quality care. That's an agreement that benefits us all.

The authors are members of the Educators Health Alliance, which is a non-profit corporation that sponsors health plans insured by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska. Created to provide quality, affordable health care for Nebraska educational employees, EHA is managed by a board of directors selected by the Nebraska State Education Association, the Nebraska Council of School Administrators and the Nebraska Association of School Boards.

==========================================================================================

Blue Cross/Blue Shield

Benefits Q and A

September 25 @ Faculty Representative (FR) Council

4:15 PM

Lincoln High School Cafe

(Park in the front parking lot)

The Educators Health Alliance (EHA) is the group that manages the health policies for most education employees in Nebraska. EHA is comprised of the School Administrators Association, the School Boards Association, and the Nebraska State Education Association. There are over 70,000 members in the Blue Cross/Blue Shield group.

If you have questions about CHI and the changes in coverage please read these links below.

Blue Cross/Blue Shield CHI Information

Educators Health Alliance Information

Harvest of Books Raffle

Dr. Seuss Quilt

Winner to be drawn October 16, 2014

Donated by the LEA Delegates to NEA Representative Assembly

^{Raffle Tickets}

^{$1 Each or 6 for $5 or 15 for $10}

^{To buy tickets see your}

^{LEA Faculty Representative}

Founded in 1997 by Dan Studer, former Lincoln Education Association President, the Harvest of
Books Inc., is a program developed to help promote a life-long love of reading for children. The
Harvest of Books is sponsored by the Lincoln Education Association. KFOR 1240 AM radio is a
promotional sponsor.

The goal of the Harvest of Books, Inc. is to provide every first grader in the Lincoln Public Schools and
Lincoln Parochial and Private Schools with a minimum of one new book of their own to take home, to
enjoy, and to share with their family. Since its beginning, Harvest of Books has provided over 150,000
brand new books to the children of Lincoln. In 2012 7,062 first and second graders took home a book
in 57 public, private, and parochial schools. In addition, the Lincoln City Libraries donate a book bag
and Raising Cane's donates bookmarks to every first and second grader.

During an annual, designated period of time near the first two weeks of October, community members
have the opportunity to buy a book for a first or second grade student. Community members may go
to any participating bookstore in Lincoln, choose a children's book, and purchase it at the discounted
price the bookstore offers (25%) as part of the Harvest program. The bookstores then insert a
nameplate within the book's cover upon which individuals can write their name or company on the
nameplate as the donor of the book(s). The bookstore sets aside the Harvest books at their store and
volunteers from the Lincoln Education Association collect and distribute the books to first and second
graders throughout the public, parochial and private schools sometime during the week of
Thanksgiving.

Individuals who prefer to send a donation for the purchase of Harvest books and leave the shopping
to LEA volunteers may do so by sending a check to the "Harvest of Books" in care of the Lincoln
Education Association, 4920 Normal Blvd., Lincoln, NE 68506 at any time throughout the year.

Purpose of the Contribution:
Donations to the Harvest of Books go directly toward the purchasing of books for the first and second
graders of the Lincoln Public, Private and Parochial Schools.

Budget for the Organization and this Project:
The number of first and second grade Lincoln students varies from year to year and LEA relies
completely on donations. The Association's goal is to always be able to provide, at a minimum, one
book for each first grader. When donations allow, LEA strives to place a new book into the hands of
every second grader's hands, too, as part of the annual harvest.

How can You and/or Your Organization Assist with the Harvest of Books?
The smiles, the cries of joy and surprise, and children across Lincoln diving into a new book that is all
their own because of the Harvest of Books could not be accomplished without the financial support of
generous donors, both individuals and businesses, throughout Lincoln (and even outside of the city).
Surprisingly, for many children in Lincoln, the Harvest of Books donation is their first and sometimes
the only book they can personally call their own and can share with their family.

Many adults recall with fondness the joy of their first book and want to help re-create that joy for a
child today. Still others want to honor the passing of a friend or loved one who loved reading by
making a donation as a memorial, knowing that their donation will not only honor the deceased, but
help spread that person's personal love of reading to a child, possibly making a life-long difference in
a child's life.

Please help us with this worthy enterprise by purchasing books during the Harvest this fall or by
sending a donation or memorial to the Harvest of Books at any time of the year. By doing so, you not
only will add to the program's success, but you will enrich the life of a child - a child who will forever
remember receiving a beautiful gift from a total stranger. What a special memory to create for a child,
and what a special gift to give!

=================================================================================

Operation Warm--IAFF

Local 644 has teamed up with Operation Warm, a charity the IAFF has partnered with, to raise money to provide new, American made, union made coats to kids in need. For the 1st annual Operation Warm coat drive, Local 644 has selected Elliott Elementary as the school with one of the greatest needs in Lincoln. Elliott has an enrollment of over 400 students with 92% receiving reduced cost or free lunch. We would love to outfit each child at the school with a new coat. These union/American made coats cost $34, 100% tax deductible! There are 12 colors, 6 for girls to choose from and 6 for boys to choose from. Each coat is specifically made for each child, with each coat sized, having a personalized tag and the child picking out their color. Your donation can be made out to Local 644 and sent to Mike Wright at our hall or you can also go to www.iaff644.org and click the Operation Warm link to access the donation page. Make sure to designate your tax deductible donations for Lincoln Firefighters. If you need a receipt for your donation please contact me at anytime. If you donate through the Operation Warm website, you will receive a confirmation e-mail/receipt. If you have questions please contact me. Thank you for considering our charity.

Thank you,

Miguel Chavez

402-650-3847

mchavez@iaff644.org

Firefighters Union Hall

241 Victory Lane

Lincoln, NE 68528

Member Needs Help

LEA member needs help from colleagues in the form of donated annual leave. As per the provision in the negotiated agreement pertaining to the voluntary transfer of leave for catastrophic illness, I am forwarding this appeal on to LEA Members.

Individuals may voluntarily transfer any amount of their annual leave (not accumulated leave-- IRS regulations won't allow that) to a colleague in need within the bargaining unit. Leave that is not used by the individual this school year will be returned to the donors.

Please contact LPS Human Resources directly by calling Kyla Jensby at 436-1593 to request a Voluntary Leave Transfer Donor Application or e-mail her at kjensby@lps.org

My name is Abbi Newby. This is my first year with Lincoln Public Schools. I am a vocal music teacher at Dawes Middle School and a member of LEA.

My husband and I are expecting our first child September 17th and recently found out that because I am new to the district I will not qualify for disability because new employees disability insurance effective date is October 1.

This, unfortunately, means that my maternity leave will go unpaid. I am wondering if there is a way I can post my situation to other LEA members asking if anyone would be willing to donate a day of annual leave?

Any help and/or support is very much appreciated!!

Thank you!

Abbi Newby

Important Contract Dates 2014-2015

On or About Deadline for certificated staff to have been notified who their appraiser will be and to have

October 1 reviewed the appraisal process.

October 10 Deadline for certificated staff to submit appraisal goals to their appraiser for the year. Goals may be requested earlier, but cannot be mandated until the end of first quarter.

Oct 17; 4:00 p.m. Deadline for Secondary Teachers to submit 1st quarter student grades.

Oct 21; 4:00 p.m. Deadline for Elementary Teachers to submit 1st quarter student grades.

Click Here for 2014-2015 Dates

RETIREMENT SEMINARS

Thinking about Retirement?

It is NEVER too early to plan for retirement.

Horace Mann agents Candy Specht and Bryan Nieman will be presenting a workshop at the LEA office about retirement. They will be talking about the Public Employees Retirement System as well as preparing for retirement. Their presentation is informative for those considering retiring soon as well as those who may just have questions. Information is the key for successful planning.

Wednesday October 8, 2014

4:15 PM - 5:30 PM

@ the LEA Office (4920 Normal Blvd)

Attendance Limited to the First 40 Attendees

Click Here to RSVP

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

NSEA Retired President Roger Rea will be presenting a workshop at the LEA office about retirement. Roger is an expert on the Public Employees Retirement System. His presentation is informative for those considering retiring soon as well as those who may just have questions. Information is the key for successful planning.

Wednesday October 29, 2014

6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

Click here to RSVP

What you will learn:

How to calculate your retirement benefit
Factors that affect the amount of your retirement benefit
How the 8 payment options differ
Tips on who to name as your primary beneficiary
Health insurance options after retirement
Answers to your questions

Scholarship Opportunities

The LEA Foundation has added another opportunity to apply for a scholarship. In the past we have taken applications in the spring only.

This year we are opening up the Barbara Buckingham Patronsky Scholarship for a

December 1, 2014 application deadline as well as the spring.

Click Here to Apply

The Lincoln Education Association Foundation (LEAF) is offering at least one and possibly more scholarships in the amount of $500 in memory of Barbara Buckingham Patronsky as established by her husband, Richard. Barbara, an elementary teacher at Morley and Riley

Schools, died of cancer in September, 1975. She was a vivacious person with a variety of interests who loved life and participated in a wide range of pursuits -- backpacking in Colorado, canoeing down the Niobrara ,composing creative writing for enjoyment, viewing and participating in theater, and traveling in Europe and the United States. Barbara followed up various academic interests through university classes, in-service offerings and private study. She was a prolific reader.

The purpose of the scholarship is to broaden the horizons of a practicing Lincoln teacher member, especially if the activity involves travel, one of Barbara's loves. The donor of the scholarship hopes it provides recipients with enrichment in the form of a college course or academic program in their major field or, perhaps, in a field other than the one they practice daily. The broadening of horizons will, no doubt, benefit the recipient personally by opening new vistas, but will also expand their professional capabilities as they grow in experience.

In order to be eligible for designation as a Barbara Buckingham Patronsky Scholarship applicant, the educator must meet the following criteria:

1. be an LEA member,

2. be a practicing classroom teacher (this criteria was set by Mr. Patronsky),

3. complete an application that includes the writing of an essay explaining the plans for using the scholarship and how these plans will broaden horizons for the individual (the recipient of the scholarship will be determined largely on the content of the essay), and

4. agrees to provide proof of completion and follow up in the form of a letter about the experience. If proof of completion and follow up in the form of a letter about the experience is not completed, the recipient must return the $500 to the LEA Foundation.

The scholarship money will be paid directly to the recipient. The scholarship is to be used for a course or program sponsored by an accredited college, e.g., graduate or undergraduate course(s), travel - study, etc. The scholarship is tax free to the recipient.

===========================================================================================================

NSEA Members:

Are you taking a Fall course that applies towards salary advancement, professional growth, an additional endorsement or degree?

Check out this Opportunity!

The Professional Development Fund

Scholarship is available to certificated NSEA members enrolled with single or family membership in Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Nebraska health care who are taking a Fall semester graduate course for credit.

For details, or to apply Click Here

Online submission deadline is

Tuesday, September 30, 2014.

Questions?

Call Sally Bodtke at NSEA Headquarters at 1-800-742-0047, or e-mail her at sally.bodtke@nsea.org

SHREDDING EVENT!

FREE Shredding Event

Freewill donation to the Harvest of Books

Saturday October 18th

9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

4920 Normal Blvd

(East Parking Lot)

No paper limit! Volunteers to unload. Just drive through!