Hugh M. Spoljaric, President
Kingston Teachers’ Federation
“Footprints”
First and foremost, I want to thank everyone for their kind expressions to me since I decided to join others in retiring this year. It’s been a good year; good classes, progressive issues, and culminating events. Although unrecognized until it was discussed with my family, the time was right. From the beginning, we set goals, established principles, and energetically pursued our visions for the profession, and I think, for the most part, we succeeded. And, it is that feeling of accomplishment that allows me to feel satisfaction.
Society defines who we are at the time and it shapes who we will become. And, there are unplanned impacts on our lives that reshape who we are. The key, I think, is to always try to take a negative and to make it into a positive. It’s not so much the good cards you may be dealt, but the ability to play a bad hand well. And, like any strong structure, a good foundation forms the base for growth.
The KTF was born in 1943, but never became the bargaining agent for the teachers until 1968, Four years later NYSUT was formed from the merger of the NYS Teachers Association and the United Federation of Teachers. I was always proud to be a national AFT local with a small number, 781, as it signified the efforts, enthusiasm, and spirit of those who led the KTF in those early years. Social and political dynamics are closely related to physics where acceleration, momentum, inertia, velocity, mass, and volume can characterize movements. Nothing changes unless acted upon by an equal or greater force. Then, it powers, and grows, and becomes a new norm. There is presently a growing discontent among college youth to the direction of society. Physics will determine its success over the next five years. Seeds of discontent cause change. People, members like all of us, can make a difference. We are proof that positive change for the common good can happen. We reach maximum mass with vision, energy, commitment, passion and fortitude for our common good.
In life, as we travel toward a setting sun, we need to look back and catch the full scope of the footprints we have left behind, for ourselves and for others. In forming this path, it’s important to know where one wants to be and when one want to be there. I’m content and I’m there.
And, that’s the Bottom Line.
LONG TERM CARE INSURANCE
June 22 is fast approaching
and that means time is running out for all eligible active members to add a
spouse/family member or to increase their coverage in the Kingston Trust Fund’s
LTCI with John Hancock. The additional coverage and addition of a spouse will
be automatically
accepted**
up until June 22, 2007.
Due to the fact that over 200 members
had errors in their original registration form, 80 registered who did not meet
the criteria of being a Trust medical policy- holder, and 30 were late
registrants, enrollment benchmarks have been severely tested. Corrected
information is still being inputted into the final list, but everything should
now be in place.
ENROLLING
IS EASY! To learn more, to request an enrollment kit for a family member,
or to enroll in additional coverage by June 22:
*Visit the Kingston Trust Fund Group Long Term Care Web
site at:
http://enroll.jhcorpchoice.com
(user name-kingston; password--mybenefit
*Call the John Hancock Customer Service
Center at 1-800-711-9407,
Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 6:30 pm
If you’ve already submitted your
enrollment spousal/family or additional insurance request, you’re confirmation
will arrive soon.
Any voluntary additional deductions for
extra coverage will be via payroll deduction equally through 21 paychecks.
Those retiring will pay directly to Hancock.
**Employees
age 70 or older or under age 18 will need to provide proof of good health and
be accepted for coverage, including core coverage.
NEW RETIREES
SPOLJARIC RETIRES, WHITE STEPS DOWN
Hugh (Stu) Spoljaric, President of the KTF for the
past 17 years has announced his retirement after 38 years of service to the
KIngston Schools and ESP President Joan White, presently retired, has stepped
down. Both will leave office on June 30.
Lauri Naccarato, 1st Vice
President of the KTF, will assume the leadership of the KTF and Laurie Rosen was elected the
new President of the ESP.
APPLE GALA XIV
Apple Gala XIV is set for Wednesday, June
20, 4-7 pm at Wiltwyck Golf Club. In addition to Spoljaric, KTF Secretary Nancy
Chando and teachers John Adams, Diane Backofen, Barbara Celuch, Kathy Cypin,
Jane Eakins, Cecily Frazier, Karen Goertzel, Elaine Habernig, Karen Krom, Matt
TenEyck, Kathleen Wise, and Maureen Young; ESP members Jan Ackert, Sandy
Carlson, Marietta Carpino, Patricia Corriere, Janice Kelly, Beverly Perry,
Nancy Scheurzinger, Arlene Schule; Principal Gail Aidala; and Edwin Senft,
Jerry Smith, and Albert Vedder.
Community Honorees are
City Judge Ted Feeney, Babe Ruth volunteer Barbara Rosenthal, and Kathy Keyser
from Assemblyman
Cahill’s office.
Kingston Trust Fund
307 Wall Street, 3rd Floor
Kingston NY 12401
(845) 338-5422
E-Mail: KTF781@aol.com
**Open Enrollment Deadline Nears**
The
deadline to enroll or make changes to your medical, prescription drug, and/or
dental insurance is June 30, 2007.
Any member
is welcome to evaluate their current insurance needs.
Contact the
Trust Office for plan descriptions and enrollment forms.
No action
is required to continue the same health and dental enrollments currently in
effect.
Medical & Dental
Insurance
Full-time Student
Documentation
Effective
July 1, 2007, a deadline to submit Fall 2007 and future
semester documentation has been added to the plan.
Documentation for the Fall
2007 semester is October 31, 2007. Any documentation received after October 31,
2007 will result in no coverage retroactive to
September 1, 2007 (the start of the semester
coverage). Instead, the child’s
effective date will be the first day of the month after the documentation is received.
The new deadline for Spring 2008 documentation is February 29, 2008.
Out of
Area Registration for:
17 & 18 year old college students
Any child attending college outside a 75-mile radius of Kingston, NY should be registered as an Out-of-Area college student. Members complete a NHAI dependent verification form providing the student’s name and school mailing address. Submit the completed form to the Trust Office.
HMO
College Graduates
Parents of college graduates
covered by CDPHP, GHI or MVP must contact the Trust Office to report the
graduations. Coverage ends in the month of graduation for HMO members and COBRA
eligible occurs
HMO Employee MONTHLY contribution rates for 2007-08 are:
KTF (Teachers Bargaining Unit)
MVP
Single $33.80 Family $87.43
ESP
Bargaining Unit
CDPHP
Single $14.78
Family $37.93
GHI Single $18.17 Family $46.33
Active
employees use payroll deduction to pay their contributions. Direct payment for the full 12-month period
can be may to the Trust Fund.
Payroll
deduction is determined by:
Monthly Cost x12 months =Total $$
Total $$/20 paychecks=Check deduct
CDPHP: Changes
eff. 07/01/2007
$25 PCP co-payment
$25 Specialist co-payment
$240 Inpatient Hospital co-payment
$100 Emergency Room co-payment
$ 75
Surgery co-payment
$100 Ambulatory Surgery co-pay
CDPHP: PRESCRIPTION DRUGS:
Local Pharmacy
$ 5
Generic Drug co-payment
$25 Brand Name Drug co-payment
$40 Non-Formulary Drug co-payment
CDPHP:
Mail Order
2 ½ times the local pharmacy co-pay
MVP: Changes eff.
07/01/2007
MVP: PRESCRIPTION DRUGS
$ 5
Generic Drug co-payment
$20 Formulary Brand Name co-pay
$40 Non-formulary brand name drugs
MVP: Mail
Order
$20 Generic Drug co-payment
$40 Formulary Brand Name co-pay
$80 Non-Formulary BrandNamecopay
ANNA TUCKER PASSES AWAY
Anna Tucker, one of the
founders of the Kingston Retired Teachers’ Federation, passed away on May 30 in
Florida after a short illness.
She had taught math at St.
Ursala’s Academy in Kingston before joining her husband, English teacher Bob
Tucker, with the Kingston Schools. She taught at Miller School and at Kingston
High School.
She
resigned her position at President of the KRTF in 2004 when she and Bob
permanently relocated to their home on Florida’s west coast.
Her husband, Bob, and her
daughter survive. Another daughter, Maggie, predeceased her.
UPDATES…………….
IN-SERVICE CARDS
June 30 is the FINAL DEADLINE for submission of any versions of the old
pink, blue, yellow, beige, etc. In-Service cards.
After June 30, the old cards will not be accepted. Cards submitted by June 30
will have those hours credited toward their next grouping of 45 hours.
BEREAVEMENT DAYS
Teacher
unit members are allowed up to five (5) days, if necessary, for bereavement
based on deaths of immediate family members. In 1993, the KTF negotiated to
have the language changed from ‘funeral’ to ‘death’ as many members were having to deal with necessary issues several months
after the event. The days are specific and, as a courtesy, informing the
district ahead of time would be appreciated.
Like any benefit, if it is not protected and
managed, it will end up on the table of the next negotiating session.
NYSUT BENEFITS
Rates
will change later this year for these NYSUT Member Benefits endorsed voluntary
and group benefit plans:
VOLUNTARY TERM LIFE INSURANCE: The plan
will experience a 10% rate reduction due to positive experience. The decrease
takes effect Sept 1 for payroll deduction and Nov. 1 for direct billing.
VOLUNTARY CATASTROPHIC MAJOR MEDICAL
INSURANCE: The plan will increase 7% to meet plan obligations. The increase
takes place July 1 for direct billing and Sept. 1 for payroll deduction.
TRUST HEALTH PLAN
The NEW
Trust Health Plan for Medical and Dental Booklet will be distributed to
enrollees before the end of school. Active members will receive their plan book
on CD.
Retirees
will receive a hard copy that will be mailed to them.
MOORE
DAYS SICK BANK DRIVE
Moore Days Sick Bank Chair Glenn Gallagher
has announced that a drive will be held in the fall. To remain a member,
teachers must donate a day to the bank. Retirees recently gave up to the
maximum of 50 days each of all days above and beyond those compensated for
payment.