District 19 E Blast Newsletter Volume 1 / Number 2: January 2015

Happy New Year Members and Friends of TRTA District 19. We are now in the busy time for our organization with the retirement seminar, state convention and spring leadership training happening in the next 100 days or so. Our original goal was to have an issue out between each of our four

summer to keep everyone on their toes and to announce any special events we have planned between July and September.

Please share this e blast with your colleagues and friends. It will be -­mail

coordinators;; as well as, to District 19 officers and chairpersons, to TRTA staff and officers, to El Paso area media, to Region 19 staff and to superintendents and staffs at the local ISDs in El Paso. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the editor, Ron Leiman, ronleiman@yahoo.com .

District 19 Retirement Seminar Once again the El Paso Retired Teachers Association (EPRTA), El Paso Lower Valley Retired Teachers Association (EPLVRTA) and Ysleta Retired School Employees Association (YRSEA) will sponsor this seminar conducted by staff from the Teacher Retirement System (TRS).

If you or someone you know is retiring or considering retiring anytime in the next five years, please encourage them to make a reservation and attend this informative meeting on Saturday, February 28, 2015.

Registration begins at 8:30 AM with the seminar from 9:00 AM Noon.

The seminar will be held at Vista Hills Elementary School

at 10801 La Subida Drive (off of Lomaland).

Please RVSP prior to February 21, 2015, so we have enough handouts for all attendees. You can contact one of the following individuals to make your reservation or have your seminar questions answered.

Norma K. Irwin 594-­8426 nkisped@aol.com

Sally Soderstrom 779-­6785 annstrom70@aol.com

Page Morgan 821-­7913 ay400@att.net

Bobbie Estrada 592-­6015 estradabobbie96@yahoo.com

District 19 Fall Conference Was Colorful and Informative on October 14

Ray Spivey, TRS, speaks to our members in the morning session. (RL)

Our first keynote speaker was Patricia Macias, TRTA 2nd Vice President, who brought us news from Austin. Patricia is primarily responsible for the

s during her two year term for 2014-­16. (RL)

Ray Spivey, spoke to us about the success of TRS Funding in 2014 and the problems facing us with TRS Care for 2015 and beyond. Although the fund will likely be positive through 2015, by the end of 2017 there will be a shortfall of nearly $ 875,000,000. TRS is considering paring down nine options before the new State Legislature convenes in January 2015. (RL)

Prior to registration, a technology session was conducted and attended by (left to right) Johnny Macias, Patricia Macias, Bobbie Estrada, Sally Soderstrom, Lila Murphy, Becky Martinez and behind the camera, Ron Leiman. (RL)

Over 100 members attended the conference at the Wyndham Airport Hotel. Everyone enjoyed an excellent luncheon featuring sirloin tips, scalloped potatoes and carrot cake. Here President Norma K. Irwin is calling the meeting to order. (RL)

Cliff Pickett gave our invocation and led us in the pledges. (DM)

In addition to our keynote speakers, State Representative Marisa Marquez and State Senator Jose Rodriguez spoke to us about the upcoming Legislative Session. Here Senator

Rodriguez answers a question from an audience member as Ray Spivey, Norma K. Irwin and John Porter look on. (RL)

State Representative, Marisa Marquez, speaks of her support for education, teachers and retired teachers. (DM)

State Senator, Jose Rodriguez, represents our interests in Austin. (DM)

Dr. Armando Aguirre, Executive Director at the Region 19 Service Center, was a special guest of District 19. (DM)

After lunch and reports, officers for 2015-­16 were elected. Left to Right: Beverley Mueller, 2nd Vice President;; Norma K. Irwin, 1st Vice President;; Ron Leiman, President and Erma Nelson, Treasurer. Not Shown: Sandra L. Fernandez, Secretary.

Gifts and a drawing concluded the conference. (RL)

Please note the photo credits with the initials for Don Mammei (DM) and Ron Leiman (RL).

Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) State Convention on April 6-­8, 2015 We will gather in Austin this year for new concept type convention with two days of meetings and meals followed by a Rally Day at the State Capitol. Approximately 18 of us will represent El Paso at this event.

TRTA State Memory Book 2015 Our electronic submittal has been sent and accepted at TRTA about three weeks ahead of the deadline.

District 19 Spring Leadership Training Tuesday, May 5, 2015 Please set aside the 9 AM 2 PM time block for this gathering of the leadership from EPRTA, EPLVRTA and YSREA.

We are currently working with the Region 19 Service Center staff to host our seminar at their facilities on Boeing.

Nancy Byler, TRTA 1st Vice President, will be our guest at both a Monday evening gathering and then at the seminar.

Retired Teachers at the Ball Park Please hold Wednesday, August 26, 2015 for what hopefully will be our first district outing in recent times. We are negotiating with the Chihuahuas staff to reserve a section of seats on ground level behind 3rd base for us. Details will be released in our next E Blast.

District 19 E Blast Distribution We will be expanding our release beginning with this issue. Please note that this will be e-­mailed as a Word document and as a pdf attachment to each of the local unit electronic newsletter facilitators. They in turn will e-­mail it to the members. The district president will also release it to the members of the executive board. The editor will also be releasing this to select individuals in the Media, Region 19, YISD and SISD. This group will be expanded as contacts are made by District 19 representatives.

We hope that many of you have opened and enjoyed our e blast to this point. Once again all errors are the responsibility of the editor, Ron Leiman.

Our next issue will be released between the Retirement Seminar (2-­28) and the TRTA State Convention (4-­6).

Ron Leiman