Category Archives: OEA-R News

OEA-R Racial and Social Justice Committee Book Study

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Join the OEA-Retired Racial and Social Justice Committee Book Study for another year of exciting discussions!

All OEA members are invited to join us on this journey. We aim to inspire engaging conversations on books that relate to everyday experiences on the topics of racial and social justice. This will help us learn from each other and grow in understanding.

All sessions will be virtual on Zoom and most sessions will take place the third Monday of each month from 7pm-8pm with exceptions for holidays.

The January and February 2024 dates will occur on: 
Tuesday, January 16th at 7pm, Monday, February 26th at 7pm

Book Reading Schedule:

  • Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann (January/February 2024)
  • White Rage by Carol Anderson (March/April 2024)
  • You Don’t Even Know Me: Stories and Poems by Sharon Flake (May 2024)
  • Change Sings by Amanda Gorman and Getting Away with Murder: The True Story of the Emmett Till Case by Chris Crowe (June 2024)
  • One Person, No Vote by Carol Anderson (July/August 2024)

A certificate of attendance will be issued to all participants based on the hours they attend. Approval for CEU credits is dependent upon your local LPDC committee.

* If you have registered for an event before, you do not have to register again.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Please contact Bob Maher, Co-Chair, OEA-Retired Racial and Social Justice Committee, rm823990@ohio.edu     with questions regarding the study.

Understanding the Impact of GPO/WEP

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Stop Penalizing Our Active and Retired Educators!

Information Webinar

2023-2024 OEA-R RA Delegates

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The following members were elected to represent the interest of OEA’s Retirees at the Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 OEA Representative Assemblies:

The OEA-Retired Guidelines state that the following members of the OEA-Retired Advisory Council shall serve as automatic delegates by virtue of office:

OEA-Retired Advisory Council

Chair, Mary Binegar

Vice Chair, Phil Long

Secretary, Judy Buschle

Past President/Chair,  John Hoyes

CAPITAL Representative, Carol Dixon

CENTRAL Representative, Barry Alcock

ECOEA Representative, Kathleen Purdy

EOEA Representative, Rita Walters

NCOEA Representative, Judy Novak

NEOEA Representative, Donna Smoot-Walters

NWOEA Representative, Lisa Scott Marshall

SEOEA Representative, Jeff Slattery

SWOEA Representative, Becky Brown

WOEA Representative, Joni Watson

At-Large Representative, Carol Kinsey

ESP At- Large: Becky Cashell

OEA Board of Directors Representative, Deloris Rome Hudson

Higher Education: Vacant

OEA-R Retired Delegates

Peg Ham – NEOEA

Jeff Corbin

Marti Franks – NEOEA

Christina Wall Swank

Bill Lavezzi – NEOEA

Nancy Wonson – NEOEA

Gretchen Washington

Willie A. Terrell, Jr.

Becky Mayer-Radel

Hank Haynes – NEOEA

Jené Wilson – NEOEA

Steven Mitchell – NEOEA

Lori Moodie

Doris L. Moore

Cheryl W. Hill – NEOEA

Ed Sims

Chuck Steinbower

Norman Hillstrom – NEOEA

Wil Vickery

OEA-R Retired Alternates

Gerry Curran

John Ververka – NEOEA

Janel Travis

Clarice Thomas

Valenta G. Ward-Gravely – NEOEA

Damian Dagenbach

Yuverdia O. Irving

Congratulations to the Delegates and Alternates!

The following Delegates represented NEOEA at the December 2, 2023 OEA-RA

Marti Franks

Peg Ham

Hank Haynes

Cheryl Hill

Norm Hillstrom

Bill Lavezzi

Steven Mitchell

Donna Smoot-Walters

John Veverka

Jené Wilson

Nancy Wonson

 

 

REMINDER – OEA Fund House District Screening Committees

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REMINDER

OEA Fund House District Screening Committees

It’s not too late to volunteer!

Get your name and address to OEA-R now: oea-retired@ohea.org

OEA-R Members have the opportunity to serve their colleagues and the education community at large by serving on an OEA Fund House District Screening Committee.

Elected and appointed officials control nearly every decision about public education.  OEA Fund Screening Committees screen and endorse candidates for the Ohio Legislature that are pro-education and pro-union.

The screening meeting includes representatives from each OEA local association within the house district and is usually scheduled for late afternoon/early evening and may take 1-2 hours.

Each committee invites candidates for Ohio House District Representative to complete a questionnaire on issues from OEA’s education policy agenda for public education in Ohio.  This includes: funding, charter schools, collective bargaining rights, school safety, etc.

OEA Governmental Services Staff provides the committee a district profile that contains the political make-up of the district, important information about an incumbent’s voting record, and their willingness to work with OEA members and staff on legislative issues.  Issues such as candidate’s competitiveness and chances of winning are also considered.

The committee members interview each candidate, asking the same questions based on the questionnaire.  After a thorough discussion, a decision is made for: Endorsement, No Position, or No Endorsement.  Endorsed candidates are eligible for campaign contributions from the OEA Fund.

The OEA Fund is the state political action committee (PAC) for members of the Ohio Education Association.  It is funded with voluntary contributions from OEA members, members’ families, and OEA staff.  Voluntary contributions support candidates that support the Association’s educational policy agenda.  No dues money is permitted to be used.

Members may contribute by clicking on the purple “Donate” button at the top right of the OEA website https://www.ohea.org/.

 

OEA Fund Reorganization for 2023-2024

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House District Screening Committees are being re-formed for the 2023-2024 Campaign.  As usual, this will be the most important election of our lives.  Please consider volunteering to serve and represent your fellow retirees in supporting education friendly candidates.

If you are interested in serving on a House District Screening Committee with local leaders from associations within the HD, you must act quickly!

Reorganization meetings for all HDs and SDs in NEOEA DSCs are scheduled for:

  • Monday, November 20 – NEOEA DSC #2
  • Monday, December 4 – NEOEA DSC #1
  • Tuesday, December 5 – NEOEA DSC #3

NEW THIS YEAR – The only retirees permitted to participate in the meetings are those appointed by OEA-R.

Please send your name and address to OEA-R Leadership indicating your desire to be appointed:

More on the OEA Fund Reorganization:

Please review the OEA Fund Reorganization PowerPoint for details on this year’s plan:

The reorganization for 2023-2024 will be based on the new 2024-2032 district maps from the Ohio Legislature:

NEW THIS YEAR – Any retiree can be appointed by OEA-R to any HD Screening Committee regardless of where they live.

  • You do not need to live in or next to the HD.
  • You will be assigned to one nearby.

As member of an HD committee, you also serve on the SD committee for that HD.

A screening committee member need only contribute $1.00 to the OEA Fund to be eligible to serve.

During the reorganization meeting, each HD and SD Committee will select:

  • The HD Committee Chair and Vice Chair, duties include:
    • Provide Advice on Friendly Incumbent Designation
    • Help recruit participants to the District Screening Committees
    • Helps organize in-district Legislative Advocacy
  • The HD Committee OEA Fund Convention Delegate and Alternate, duties include:
    • Vote on State Council Recommendations
    • Vote for Candidates to State Council
    • Approve amendments to C&B

 

October 2023 NEOEA-R Newsletter

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Download the October 2023 edition of NEOEA-R

In the NEOEA-R October 2023 Issue:

  • OEA-Retired Delegates to the OEA Representative Assembly – Vote during October – Please Support Candidates from NEOEA
  • November 7, 2023 General Election Calendar
  • Three Ways to VoteCheck
  • Your Voter Registration
  • School Board and District Levies on Ballot – Make your voice heard! – OEA-Retired Members Can Help
  • NEOEA Day—October 13, 2023
  • KSEA Mentoring – Volunteers Needed
  • OEA-R Fall Conference
  • Upcoming Conferences!
  • Buckeye Book Fair
  • OEA stands with the United Auto Workers
  • NEOEA-Retired Organizing Committee
  • Join us at Playhouse Square with NEOEA Discounts
  • OEA Retirement Systems Update
  • Wanted: NEOEA-R Newsletter and Website Editor
  • OEA Legislative Watch
  • NEA & OEA Discounts
  • NEOEA Discounts
  • NEOEA Calendar
  • STRS Ohio Reflections Series

Go to the Newsletters page for past issues.

 

OEA-Retired 2023 Fall Conference

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The OEA-Retired is sponsoring three virtual webinars in October 2023. This year will feature five OEA active and retired members sharing their stories of courage and determination against adversity. Join us virtually on Zoom on Wednesdays, October 11th, 18th, and 25th at 5pm-6:30pm for an hour and half of inspiration and commitment to advocacy for public education. Click here to register for the OEA-Retired 2023 Virtual Fall Conference. https://www.ohea.org/series/oea-retired-fall-conference/

OEA-Retired Spring 2023 Elections

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NEA-Retired Delegate Elections

OEA-Retired Advisory Council Elections

The OEA-Retired election for Spring 2023 is being conducted by Election America.  Online voting opens on March 1, 2023, and closes on March 30, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. EST.

Election notices will be mailed (and emailed, if on file) to OEA-Retired members with an individual Election Code and Voting PIN (you will need these to vote).  For technical assistance with the voting process or to request a paper ballot, please contact Election-America at Help+OEAR@election-america.com or call (877) 466-7875.  For questions regarding your membership or election guidelines, please contact William Baird at bairdw@ohea.org.

The Ohio NEA-R delegation to the NEA Representative Assembly on July 3 – 6, 2023 in Orlando, FL consists of seven delegate seats, the Chair, Mary Binegar, is a delegate by virtue of office.  There are 25 candidates running for the remaining 6 seats.  Six candidates are from NEOEA; seven from WOEA; five from SWOEA; two from ECOEA; two from NCOEA; two from Central; and one from Capital.

NEA-R Delegate candidates from NEOEA:

  • Marsh Buckley, Mentor TA-R
  • William A Dorsey, Painesville City TA
  • Marti Franks, Twinsburg EA-R
  • Peg Ham, Lorain EA-R
  • Steven Mitchell, East Cleveland EA-R
  • Jené Wilson, ACCESS-R

OEA-Retired Advisory Council Positions: AT-LARGE – OEA-R AC Representative: 

  • Jeff Corbin, CAPITAL
  • Carol Kinsey, ECOEA
  • Becky Mayer-Radel, NCOEA
  • Chuck Steinbower, CENTRAL

OEA-Retired Advisory Council Positions:

  • ESP – OEA-R AC Representative
  • Higher Education – OEA-R AC Representative

Note: Terms for the above non-vacancy seats are effective starting July 15, 2023 and ending on July 14, 2026.  The vacancy for ESP will fulfill a term ending July 14, 2025.  The vacancy for HE will fulfill a term ending July 14, 2023.

The above offices serve as an automatic delegate to the OEA Representative Assembly and Respective District Representative Assembly by virtue of office.  The OEA-Retired Chair serves as an automatic delegate to the NEA Representative Assembly by virtue of office.

Download the candidate biographical information for OEA-Retired 2023 Election (expand last item): https://www.ohea.org/retired/.

OEA-R Delegate Election Results

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OEA-R Delegate election results are in!  See the OEA-R Delegates from NEOEA-R on our Delegates page.

OEA-Retired Delegate Election Results – 2022-2023 OEA Representative Assemblies

The Ohio Education Association’s Division of Retired (OEA-Retired) is allocated a total of 36 delegates to the 2022-2023 OEA Representative Assemblies.  The OEA-Retired Guidelines state that the following members of the OEA-Retired Advisory Council shall serve as automatic delegates by virtue of office:

OEA-Retired Advisory Council:

  • Chair, Mary Binegar
  • Vice Chair, Phil Long
  • Secretary, Judy Buschle
  • Past President/Chair,  John Hoyes
  • CAPITAL Representative, Carol Dixon
  • CENTRAL Representative, Barry Alcock
  • ECOEA Representative, Kathleen Purdy
  • EOEA Representative, Rita Walters
  • NCOEA Representative, Judy Novak
  • NEOEA Representative, Donna Smoot-Walters
  • NWOEA Representative, Lisa Scott Marshall
  • SEOEA Representative, Jane Miller
  • SWOEA Representative, Becky Brown
  • WOEA Representative, Joni Watson
  • At-Large Representative, Beverly Woolridge
  • OEA Board of Directors Representative, Deloris Rome Hudson

Ballots to elect an additional 20 delegates were conducted by Yes! Elections.

There were a total of 1430 votes cast – (831 paper ballots received).

OEA-Retired Delegates:

  • William A. Dorsey, 916
  • Carol Kinsey, 819
  • Jeff Corbin, 665
  • Christina Wall Swank, 657
  • Mary Kennedy, 610
  • Marsh Buckley, 594
  • Willie Terrell, Jr., 575
  • Peg Ham, 575
  • Marti Franks, 572
  • Nancy Wonson, 571
  • Gretchen Y. Washington, 570
  • William S. Lavezzi, 533
  • Becky Mayer/Radel, 533
  • Jene Wilson, 516
  • Hank Haynes, 508
  • Steven Mitchell, 505
  • Chuck Steinbower, 495
  • Cheryl Hill, 464
  • Doris L. Moore, 459
  • Ed Sims, 456

OEA-R Retired Alternates:

  • Tina Adams, 453
  • Lori Moodie, 412
  • Karen Shires, 402
  • Becky Cashell, 400
  • Norman Hillstrom, 390
  • Clarice Thomas, 386
  • Wil Vickery, 384
  • S. Jefferson Slattery, 287
  • Yuverdia Irving, 244

 

OEA-R Delegate Election

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OEA-Retired Delegate Election

  • Vote During October
  • Please Support Candidates from NEOEA

OEA-R delegates will be elected during October by online and mail-in ballot.  In October, look for election information by email and US mail.  Please support candidates from NEOEA-R.

OEA-R members should look for an email and/or a postcard “Vote now in the OEA 2020 Elections” from “Ohio Education Association <help@yeselections.com>”.  Everyone will get a postcard or an email with an explanation and instructions for requesting a paper ballot by October 15.  The email and the postcard provide an “Election Code” and a “Voting PIN” along with a link to the voting page.  Please vote online no later than 5:00 PM Friday, October 31, 2022.  For more information, candidate biographies, and to vote online; go to https://www.ohea.org/cms/assets/uploads/2022/09/2022-Retired-Delegate-Bios-9-21-22.pdf.

OEA-R members will elect 18 Delegates to the OEA Representative Assembly from a field of 29 candidates.  The 18 OEA-Retired Advisory Council members are automatic delegates by virtue of office, for a delegation of 36 delegates and 11 alternates by order of votes.

Please support the 11 candidates from NEOEA.  Here are the candidates:   Marsh Buckley,  William A. Dorsey,  Marti Franks,  Peg Ham,  Hank Haynes,  Cheryl W. Hill,  Norm Hillstrom,  William Lavezzi,  Steven Mitchell,  Jene Wilson,  Nancy Wonson.

Also on the ballot are candidates from other OEA Districts:  6—WOEA,  5—NCOEA,  2—Central,  2—ECOEA,  1—Capital,  1—SEOEA,  and 1—SWOEA.

Delegates attend both the Fall and Spring OEA Representative Assemblies.  On the day before, the OEA-R  Delegate Assembly meets at the OEA or STRS building to carry out the business of OEA Retired and for a briefing with the OEA officers and reports from the OEA-R Advisory Council.  Delegates from NEOEA also attend the Fall and Spring NEOEA RAs.

The OEA Representative Assemblies will be December 3, 2022 and May 12-13, 2023 (revised dates.).  The NEOEA Representative Assemblies will be November 12 at Lorain HS and April 22 at Mayfield HS.

Please check for meeting summaries and minutes of the OEA-R Advisory Council, OEA-R Delegate Assembly, and the OEA Board of Directors on the Documents/Reports page of the OEA-R website at http://oea-r.ohea.us/.