New Retirees Breakfast

The Barron County Retired Educators’ Association’s Annual Breakfast recognizing recent educator retirees will be held August 16, 2012, at 9 a.m. at the Rolling Oaks Restaurant west of Barron on Hwy 8.  Recently retired teachers, administrators, and staff members will hear a brief message from President-elect of the Wisconsin Retired Educators’ Association, Vic Bekkum.  Retirees and current BCREA members attending the breakfast are asked to RSVP to Barb Millerman, Membership Chair, at 715-637-4114 or bamillerman@hotmail.com by Thursday, August 9.  The cost of the breakfast for current members is $6.50.

BCREA Executive Committee Meeting

The Barron County Retired Educators Association Executive Committee met on Wednesday, June 20th at the Perkins Restaurant in Rice Lake.  All current officers were present.  Also attending were Vic Bekkum and Steve Eichman. The agenda consisted of planning dates, locations, and programs for the 2012-2013 meetings; planning the Retirement Breakfast for new retirees; and choosing a nominee for vice-president.  Officers will be contacting potential locations for the meeting and people to present the programs.  Look for the finalized list of dates, locations, and programs that will be coming out prior to or at the first meeting of the year.  More information to follow.

May 10th Meeting Program

Monika Audette and Ted Lewis presented a program on Barron County Restorative Justice Programs.  A short video on "Teen Court" was shown to the group.  Mr. Lewis spoke on several programs that are part of Restorative Justice.

A handout was distributed on types of volunteers needed for the program; how to get their newsletter; and how to donate money to help sustain the program.

For information about volunteering, etc. call (715) 736-0940 or visit their website at www.bcrjp.org.  

State Budget Hurting Education

New study says little doubt remains

that budget hurts kids and their schools 

The evidence keeps piling up -- the cuts to public education in the 2011-13 budget are not good for children, their schools, or their communities.

Two of Wisconsin's leading education professionals studied the impact of the budget and published a policy brief entitled, "Making Matters Worse: School Funding, Achievement Gaps and Poverty under Wisconsin Act 32." The findings were startling but not unexpected: Reductions in state aid and revenue limit authority -- leaving school districts with $1.6 billion less revenue -- are and will be devastating, especially for children from poverty.

James Shaw and Carolyn Kelly wrote the policy brief for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis. It examined the impact of the budget on school funding, teacher quality, student learning, and property taxes. Shaw and Kelly are state educators with expertise in school reform and school leadership development.

The pair's key findings are:

• State budget cuts hit high poverty districts the hardest.
• High poverty districts have less state revenue to support the needs of children and taxpayers in high poverty districts pay taxes at increasingly higher rates.
• Reductions in employee compensation hit high poverty districts the hardest.
• Reductions in the size of the workforce hit high poverty districts hardest.
• Act 32 (the budget) increases funding gaps for poor and minority students.

In other words, “this study paints a grim picture of funding gaps in Wisconsin public education. … The reductions in state support for public education threaten to increase achievement gaps, and challenge Wisconsin’s constitutional and long-standing commitment to equal education opportunity.”

Read the full working paper.

Convention Attendees

Jim Perala, Vic Bekkum, and John Osterloth attended the 61st annual WREA "Reinvention Convention" representing the Barron County Retired Educators.  The convention was held at the Appleton Paper Valley Radisson Hotel.  The three day convention took place from May 1st though the 3rd with more than 300 attendees. 

Next Meeting

The Barron County Retired Educators’ Association will meet on Thursday, May 10, at Rolling Oaks Restaurant,

450 W. Division Ave., in Barron beginning at 10:30 a.m. with lunch at noon.  An informative program will be

presented on Restorative Justice programs.  All retired teachers, administrators, and staff are invited. 

The cost of the meal is $10.  Reservations may be made by calling Barb Millerman at 715-743-2390

or e-mailing her at bamillerman@chibardun.net no later than Sunday evening, May 6.