JOURNAL

November, 2012 www.feaonline.org Vol. 56 No. 2

FEA ELECTION 2013Inside:

Notice of Election - Page 6

How to Nominate - Page 6

Nomination Forms - Page 7

Proposed Amendment to FEA Constitution - Page 8

Election Time Line - Page 8

FEA Members to Elect President, Four Other Officers; Decide Constitutional AmendmentIn voting to take place spring 2013, FEA mem-bers will make several decisions about the future leadership of the Association. FEA is now accepting nominations for the office of Association President and four other At-Large positions on the FEA Board of Directors. Those who are properly nominated and meet the qualifications for candidacy will be voted on by the full FEA Active membership in March and April 2013. The winners will take office in August 2013 (except the NEA Director for FEA, who takes of-fice September 1, 2013, in accordance with NEA Standing Rules). To read the full notice of election, learn which Board of Directors seats are up for elec-tion this year, and find forms to nominate yourself or another FEA Active member, see the information on pages 6 and 7 of this newsletter.

In addition to voting on officers this school year, FEA members will also vote on a proposed amendment to the FEA Constitution. The amendment, if approved by FEA mem-bers, would combine the current FEA Board of Directors offices of “Vice President” and “Secre-tary/Treasurer” into a single new position: “Vice President/Secretary-Treasurer.” The amendment, if approved, would not take effect until the next round of At-Large officer elections during School Year 2015-2016. You can read more about the proposed con-stitutional amendment, including the rationale behind the proposed change, on page 8 of this newsletter. Officers to the FEA Board of Directors are elected to three-year terms. The four Area Direc-tors on the FEA Board will next be elected dur-ing the 2013-2014 School Year.

Since No Child Left Behind went into law, the push for “accountability” was sidetracked into more testing, more decisions being made by non-educators –including politicians – and less input from those in the classroom. The negative effect on education across the country has been staggering: funding has been cut; more time is taken up by testing and preparing for tests than by instruction; and students are pushed to do well on a limited number of “test items,” as opposed to receiving a broad, meaningful education that prepares one for global citizenship. While DoDEA has not reached those extremes, it does tend to fall into the trap of an overreliance on one-sided metrics. As I have traveled around the world, I have observed practices pushed by above-school-level personnel that are harmful to education and children.

TOO MUCH TESTING. Headquarters continues to rely heavily on test data as the “metric” for accountability. They continue to push for more tests, test formats that consume more time, more test preparation, and more teaching to a test. One would think logic alone would tell them that this

not only narrows the curricula for students, it also reduces actual classroom instruction.

DATA WALLS. An outside agency tells DoDEA that data walls are a good path to accreditation and suddenly a “one-size-fits-all” approach springs up in every school. Hallways are filled with charts and graphs displaying “percentiles,” “normal curve equivalencies,” “lexiles,” and a myriad of jargon that cannot be clearly understood by the average person. Parents are left to assume that if the bar graph goes up, that’s good, and if it goes down, that’s bad. What a misuse of test data! One school even posted actual student work and labeled it as “below expectations.”

CHECKLISTS. Every time DoDEA Headquarters adopts a new initiative, whether it be UDDI, 21st Century Skills, AdvancED, or McCrel, they feel the need to come up with a metric. Unfortunately, that metric usually turns out to be a checklist for administrators to use during “walk throughs.” So regardless of the students, curricula, or previous lessons, an administrator is checking you off on what the Headquarters checklist requires.

METRICS – A ONE-WAY STREET. While DoDEA wants metrics (checklists and test scores) in the schools, they have yet to impose metrics on personnel in their Alexandria, Virginia, headquarters. Where is the metric that says DoDEA will fix pay problems for educators? Where is the metric for stopping illegal debt collection letters for teachers and retirees? Where is the metric to restore meaningful professional development that used to be widespread in our schools? Where is the metric for ensuring that vacancies are filled with qualified educators in a timely manner?

FEA continues to advocate the belief that to move forward, teachers and educators should be given time to teach the subjects they were hired to teach. Stop encroaching on instructional time. Restore professional development by experts working directly with educators in the subjects that we teach. Fix the way teachers are paid and reimbursed. Stop breaking the law on debt collection. Stop threatening retirees. If you want metrics, start at the top. Build strong schools with local control, decision-making and time to work with students.

Page 2 FEA Journal

Notes from the PresidentMichael Priser

Get breaking news and twice-monthly

updates from FEA President Michael Priser

sent directly to your e-mail.

Sign up atwww.feaonline.org/listserv.htm

(use the Membership ID number on the last page of this newsletter to sign in)

Metrics: Does The Flow From Headquarters Really Measure Up?

November, 2012 Page 3

Association BusinessH.T. Nguyen

FEA Executive Director

As all of you are well aware, it has been a difficult time for federal employees over the past several years, as it has been for most of America. Increasingly, federal workers are asked to sacrifice more (pay freezes, legislative proposals to increase retirement contributions, reducing benefits), while being maligned publicly as part of “the problem.” Our DoDEA educators have steadfastly overcome significant obstacles to our educational mission in recent years: students with one or both parents deployed in war zones, earthquakes, tsunamis, radiation leaks, tornadoes, and other disasters. In spite of all of these difficulties, DoDEA educators have continued to find ways to provide our students with a quality education and to maintain a high level of student achievement. I, therefore, offer our DoDEA educators an appreciative “Thank you” for all that you have achieved in these trying

times, words that I know you do not hear enough. Unfortunately, on a number of critical issues, input or needs of educators are not adequately considered, and the student gains that you have worked so hard to achieve may well be undercut. In addition, the Association believes that some DoDEA officials offer very little support to DoDEA educators who face accusations of wrongdoing, even when the evidence strongly indicates no wrongdoing by the educator. The Association believes that some DoDEA officials are increasingly employing a “guilty until proven innocent” mindset. On a number of occasions, the Association has found that even when exculpatory evidence is found – evidence proving that the accusations are false, or that the educator did not do what they are charged with – some DoDEA officials do not give the evidence due consideration or act upon it until after the onset of litigation.

Consider that when a local, state or federal prosecutor finds exculpatory evidence about a person accused of breaking the law, they generally move to dismiss the charges quickly, or take actions to clear the accused. In contrast, in a disturbing trend, the Association believes that some DoDEA officials have waited until the case is before an arbitrator, or have pushed forward with the case in spite of weak or no evidence to support management’s allegations. In some cases where exculpatory evidence exists, some DoDEA officials will still push for settlements that are in favor of DoDEA, despite the fact that the evidence is clearly in favor of the educator. These are not the actions of a school system that values its educator workforce. The Association values your hard work and efforts on behalf of our students and will continue to support our educators. Once again, I offer the words you do not hear enough – thank you for your service.

Get all the latest news on issues affecting FEA members by regularly visiting FEA’s Web site atwww.feaonline.org

DoDEA Should Praise, Not Hurt, Educators

Page 4 FEA Journal

2013 Award Nominee To Be Honored At February Foundation EventChristine Anderson, a 10th grade World History teacher from Patch High School in Germany, is FEA’s 2013 nominee for the NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence. As such, she will be honored, along with nominees from other NEA State Affiliates, during the NEA Foundation’s Awards Gala. That event will

be held in Washington, DC, in February 2013. “I am looking forward to meeting superlative teachers from all over the country, to sharing ideas and to making professional contacts that will exist beyond February,” Anderson says. Anderson’s class of nominees will be visiting Brazil during the summer of 2013. While there,

the group will meet educators and tour schools.

FEA Members Recognized as NEA Teaching Award Nominees

Wendy Woodworth (center, with camera) and some of her fellow NEA Foundation honorees outside Beijing’s Forbidden City during their trip sponsored by the Pearson Foundation’s Global Fellows program.

For FEA’s 2012 Award Nominee, Trip To Asia With Fellow NEA Nominees Is An Eye-Opening Experience

EachNEAStateaffiliate,includingFEA,maynominateoneofitsmembersfortheNEAFoundationAwardsforTeachingExcellenceeachyear. Thetopfivenomineesnationwide,asselectedbytheNEAFoundation,receivecashprizes. AnyFEAActiveMembermaysubmittheirnameorthenameofanotherFEAActiveMemberforconsiderationasFEA’snominee. Nominationinformationforthe2014NEAFoundationAwardswillbepostedtoFEA’sWebsiteinthemonthsahead.

Anderson

Lejeune High School educator Wendy Woodworth, FEA’s 2012 nominee for the NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence, spent three weeks in Asia last summer, but the things she saw will stay with her for the rest of her life. “My perspectives both changed and were almost violently reinforced,” she says. Woodworth traveled to Beijing and Shanghai for a week as part of a tour for NEA Award nominees spon-sored by the Pearson Foundation. “It was affirming and illuminat-ing to travel through China with 34 incredible teachers,” she says. “We were

able to talk about everything we saw and did in terms of our work 24/7.” She then spent an additional two weeks on her own, visiting Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. Throughout her travels, Wood-worth was struck by the level of pov-erty she frequently encountered. “We, as Americans who enjoy such a high standard of living, take too much for granted,” she says. She was also struck by the differ-ences in the education systems of the countries she visited, compared to the U.S. system. China, for example, does a good job of educating students on fact-based

knowledge, but Woodworth says the Chinese educators she met envied the U.S. system for its ability to produce students who can think and act inde-pendently and creatively. In Vietnam and Cambodia, school can be very expensive or only meets for part of the day because students are expected to work the rest of the day to help support their families. “The trip reinforced that education is what makes the difference between subsistence living and true quality of life,” Woodworth says. “The people of China and Southeast Asia recognize that. They are hungry for schools, for learning.”

November, 2012 Page 5

FEA Wants to See You In AtlantaIt’sthehomeofCoca-Cola,thecradleofSouthernHospitalityand,foraweeknextsummer,thehosttoabout9,000NEAmembers. Atlantaisthesiteofthe2013NEARepresentativeAssemblyandFEAAnnualMembershipMeetings–andwewantYOUtoattend! Inthemonthsahead,eachofFEA’sthreegeographicareas(Europe,Stateside,andthePacific)willbeelectingdelegatestorepresentthemattheNEAmeeting. TheRepresentativeAssembly(RA),thelargestdemocraticallyelecteddecision-makingbodyintheworld,isNEA’sannualmeetingforsettingpolicy,electingofficersandvotingonmattersthatgovernhowtheAssociationisrun. AnyActiveMemberofFEAcanrunasadelegatetotheRA(retiredmemberselecttheirowndelegate).AskyourFEAbuildingrepresentativeforinformationonhowtodoso.Ifelectedbyyourpeerstorepresentthem,you’llbeabletovoteonallmatterspresentedtothebody. Membersmayalsoattendasnon-votingdelegates;contactFEA’sWashingtonofficeifyouareinterestedindoingso. InadditiontotheRA,AtlantawillalsohostFEA’sAnnualMembershipMeetingnextsum-mer. TheFEAmeetingisopentoALLFEAmembers,ActiveorRetired,andisyourchancetomeetwith,hearfromandspeaktoFEA’sBoardofDirectors,staff,andsomeofyourfellowmembersfromaroundDoDEA. YoudonotneedtobeelectedasadelegatetoattendtheFEAAnnualMembershipMeet-ing,butyouareencouragedtoletFEA’sWashingtonstaffknowinadvancethatyouarecom-ing,especiallyifyouwishtostayatthehotelwherethemeetingistakingplace. TheFEAAnnualMembershipMeetingwilltakeplaceJune30andJuly1,2013,attheAt-lantaMarriottMarquishotel. TheNEARepresentativeAssemblywillbeheldattheAtlantaConventionCenter,July1-6,2013. PlayanactiveroleinyourAssociation:RunasadelegatetotheRA!

Does DoDDS Owe You Money? As a result of FEA legal action, an arbitrator recently ruled that DoDDS has for years been granting inadequate credit to many employ-ees in the MA+15 and MA+30 lanes of the DoDDS salary schedule. This means many current and former DoDDS employees – including retirees and those now working in DDESS – may qualify for backpay and interest. The arbitrator ruled that DoDDS has been wrongfully granting only graduate cred-its earned AFTER an employee’s first Master’s degree was awarded. Instead, the arbitrator ruled that “graduate credit is graduate credit,” regardless when it was earned, and should count toward determining employees’ pay lanes as soon as a Master’s degree is earned. The change could potentially provide thousands of dollars in backpay and interest to educators who were not put in the proper lane of the salary schedule at the correct time. It could also increase the “high three” retirement calculations for many current and former DoDDS employees. Find out more about this decision and what you need to do if you think you are one of the people impacted by it by going to www.feaonline.org/passport/legal/updates/graduate_credit.htm

Page 6 FEA Journal

ATTENTION FRSs, LOCAL PRESIDENTS AND OTHER SCHOOL

LEADERS:Please remember that FEA Election Guidelines require you to post and/or distrib-ute all campaign materials received in the exact same manner for each and every candidate.

1. Candidates cannot use the FREE MPS to send out campaign literature. For more information, please see C.1. of the FEA Election Procedures (available from your FRS or www.feaonline.org).

2. Candidates will be provided with two sets of membership labels and two sets of leadership labels to be used only to mail campaign literature to members/leaders.

3. Candidates who do not wish to use MPS to mail their campaign literature may elect to use a mail house, selected by the FEA Washington office, to print and mail their campaign materials at their own expense. Please see section C.2 of the FEA Election Procedures for additional informa-tion on this option.

4. Membership and leadership labels which are not used by the candidate must be returned to the FEA Washington office. Candidates may, at their option, decline one or more sets of labels by noti-fying the FEA Washington office in writing.

5. All candidates must sign a statement agreeing to use the labels provided by the FEA Washington office only for purposes of their own campaign. Please see Official Acceptance and Biographical Information/Mailing Labels and Mail Restrictions Form for more details.

6. Per a motion by the FEA Board of Directors, the person holding the office of FEA President must reside in the Washington, D.C., commuting area. Please note that the FEA President receives up to $69,940 per year for housing and benefits.

Important Information for Candidates

FEA ELECTION 2013Nominate Yourself or Someone Else for Office – Here’s How1.Determinetheofficeorofficesforwhichyouwanttorun,orthinkofafellowFEAActiveMemberyou’dliketonominate

2.Fillouttheappropriatenominationformfrompage7.Thereareseparateformsforself-nominationandnomi-natinganothermember

3.Mailthenominationform(orforms,ifyouwishtomakemorethanonenomination)totheNominationsChairper-sonattheaddressontheform

NOTICE OF ELECTIONFor Election of Officers and Constitutional Revisions

Spring 2013

In accordance with the provisions of the Department of Labor Rules and Regulations governing elections, notice is hereby given to all reported members that an election for the purpos-es of 1) electing Executive Officers of the Federal Education Association and 2) amending the Constitution of the Federal Education Association is to be conducted in a secret ballot election by the members. Balloting will be done by mail dur-ing the months of March and April and must be received by the Washington office not later than April 22, 2013.

The officers to be elected to the following positions shall serve a three-year term of office commencing on August 2, 2013, as stipulated by the FEA Constitution and Bylaws: • President • Vice-President • Secretary/Treasurer • Human and Civil Rights State Coordinator • NEA Director *

* The term of office for the NEA Director shall commence on September 1, 2013, as stipulated by Rule 10 of the NEA Standing Rules.

These officers shall be elected by the worldwide active mem-bership.

The Amendment will be deemed passed if the proposed change receives an affirmative majority vote of the members exercising their right to vote. The amendment would become effective with the 2015-2016 At-Large Officers election.

November, 2012 Page 7

OFFICIAL OPEN NOMINATION FORM B(Nomination of Another FEA Active Member)

I, ___________________________________________, do hereby nominate

_________________________________________________ for the office of:

______ President ______ Vice-President* ______ Secretary/Treasurer* ______ Human and Civil Rights State Coordinator ______ NEA Director

* As part of this year’s election, the FEA membership will vote on a constitutional amendment to combine the two separate positions of Vice-President and Secretary/Treasurer into one position (Vice President/Secretary-Treasurer). If passed, this constitutional amendment would not take effect until the SY 2015-2016 election.

________________________________ __________________________ Signature Date

Nominee’s Personal (Non-DoDEA) E-mail ____________________________

Nominee’s Mailing Address ________________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________ ____________________________ Nominee’s Home Phone Nominee’s Duty Phone

Requirements set forth for BOD officers: Must be an Active member of FEA (either full-time, half-time or part-time). Thus, each candidate must fulfill the requirements of unified membership in the United Education Profession.

MAIL THIS FORM TO: WILHELMENA H. SAPP NOMINATIONS CHAIRPERSON 420 SHORELINE DR. FAYETTEVILLE, NC 28311-1280

A backup copy may also be mailed to the FEA Washington Office; ATTN: Elec-tions; 1201 16th Street, NW; Suite 117; Washington, DC 20036. Forms may also be faxed to the FEA Washington office at 202-822-7867.

FORMS MUST BE POSTMARKED BY DECEMBER 19, 2012.

OFFICIAL OPEN NOMINATION FORM A(Self-Nomination)

I, _____________________________________, do hereby nominate myself for the office of:

______ President ______ Vice-President* ______ Secretary/Treasurer* ______ Human and Civil Rights State Coordinator ______ NEA Director

* As part of this year’s election, the FEA membership will vote on a constitutional amendment to combine the two separate positions of Vice-President and Secretary/Treasurer into one position (Vice President/Secretary-Treasurer). If passed, this constitutional amendment would not take effect until the SY 2015-2016 election.

______________________________ _____________________________ Signature Date

Personal (Non-DoDEA) E-mail Address ___________________________

Mailing Address _____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

______________________________ _____________________________ Home Phone Duty Phone

Requirements set forth for BOD officers: Must be an Active member of FEA (either full-time, half-time or part-time). Thus, each candidate must fulfill the requirements of unified membership in the United Education Profession.

MAIL THIS FORM TO: WILHELMENA H. SAPP NOMINATIONS CHAIRPERSON 420 SHORELINE DR. FAYETTEVILLE, NC 28311-1280

A backup copy may also be mailed to the FEA Washington Office; ATTN: Elec-tions; 1201 16th Street, NW; Suite 117; Washington, DC 20036. Forms may also be faxed to the FEA Washington office at 202-822-7867.

FORMS MUST BE POSTMARKED BY DECEMBER 19, 2012.

NOMINATION FORMS FOR FEA AT-LARGE BOARD SEATSAny FEA Active Member may use these forms to nominate herself/himself or another Active Member for office. Simply clip along the dotted line, fill out the necessary information, and mail your form. Be sure to use the appropriate form and mail it to the Nominations Chairperson at the address below, prior to the December 19 deadline.

Page 8 FEA Journal

FEA ELECTION 20132012-2013 FEA ELECTION SCHEDULEDecember 19, 2012

Deadline for postmark on Nomination Forms.

By January 14, 2013Deadline for receipt of Official Acceptance and Biographical/Mailing Label and Mail Restrictions Form.

By January 15, 2013FEA Director of Administration sends the list of candidates to the BOD, FRSs, and all candidates.

By January 15, 2013FEA Administrative Office sends all candidates notice of certification of their candidacy and election information.

By February 1, 2013FEA Administrative Office sends all candidates two sets of mailing labels for leaders and two sets for worldwide membership and guidelines for mailing campaign materials.

By February 1, 2013Deadline for receipt in FEA Washington office of Candidate Picture

By February 5, 2013Deadline for withdrawal of nomination if candidates do not wish to have their name printed on the ballot.

By March 8, 2013FEA Administrative Office mails Sample Ballot Packet to FRSs, Local Presidents and Area Directors.

March 8, 2013FEA Administrative Office mails Ballot Packets to active membership.

March 22, 2013Local Presidents, FRSs and Area Directors may reproduce ballots for those members who have not received theirs.

April 22, 2013Deadline for receipt of ballots.

April 23 and 24, 2013 Votes tallied

April 25, 2013Election results posted on FEA Web site within 24 hours of tally.

Proposed Amendment Seeks to Combine Two Board Positions, Save Money

Here’s How the FEA Constitution Would Change if the Amendment PassesCURRENT LANGUAGE

ARTICLE FIVEExecutive Officers: Powers and Duties

Section 1. Offices

The Executive Officers of the Association shall be the President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer, Human and Civil Rights Coordinator, Area Directors/FEA Director for DDESS and NEA Director(s) for FEA.

PROPOSED LANGUAGE

ARTICLE FIVEExecutive Officers: Powers and Duties

Section 1. Offices

The Executive Officers of the Association shall be the President, Vice President/Secretary-Treasurer, Human and Civil Rights Coordinator, Area Directors/FEA Director for DDESS and NEA Director(s) for FEA.

The positions of “Vice-President” and “Secretary/Treasurer” would be combined into one posi-tion. The new position will be referred to as “Vice President/Secretary-Treasurer” throughout the FEA Constitution.

In an effort to save the As-sociation money, an amend-ment to the FEA Constitution has been put forth, seeking to combine the current of-fices of FEA Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer. The proposed amend-ment will be voted on by FEA members during the spring

2013 election of At-Large officers. If approved, the two offices will be combined be-ginning with the next election of FEA At-Large officers in the 2015-16 School Year. For the current election, both a Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer will be elected and serve the normal

three-year term, regardless the outcome of the amend-ment vote. Combining the two of-fices would save the Associa-tion an estimated $15,000 per year, primarily by reduc-ing costs associated with travel to Board meetings and other events.

November, 2012 Page 9

Don't Wait Until the Last Minute:

Order Your Read Across America Hats and Materials Now!

Every year you promise yourself “This will be the year I get one of those great Cat-in-the-Hat hats for Read Across America

day on March 2.”

But, inevitably, things come up and distractions pile on. Next thing you know, it’s late February and you’re trying to stretch out an old red stocking cap, wondering if you can paint some

white stripes on it.

Well, not this year! This is the year you go to www.nea.org/readacross

There, you will find the Seuss Store (also known as the ‘Cat-alog’),

where you can order hats and other materials now, so they arrive in

plenty of time for March 2.

You will also find lots of tips and ideas for your reading events. You can even download NEA’s Read Across America calendar, full of

suggestions for making reading fun throughout the year.

If you are overseas, when checking out from the store be sure to enter “APO’ or “FPO” under “City”

and “AE” or “AP” under “State”, and choose the “First Class Mail”

shipping option.

Be a Super Smart Seuss Supporter;Go to www.nea.org/readacross today!

CAUTION

Find These and Other Valuable Resources at

www.neahin.org

The NEA Health Information Network (NEA HIN)’s mis-sion is to improve the health and safety of the school com-munity through disseminating information that empowers school professionals and positively impacts the lives of their students. NEA HIN:

• helps to improve the quality of the environment in our schools by address-ing problems of mold, poor air quality and other unhealthy conditions

• educates NEA members about health problems like arthritis, diabetes, communicable diseases such as flu and stomach bugs, heart disease and others

• works to bring healthy food to children in school• helps kids stay safer online• provides school professionals with resources and tools to help them deal

with nature-caused and man-made emergencies

Examples of NEA HIN programs and services include:

bnetsavvy.org

Helping educa-tors, students and parents better under-stand the risks and benefits of Internet use.

Health Issues

Providing resource guides on topics such as mental and physical health, vaccinations, and cancer.

School Safety

Information available includes crisis guide, school and community safety, and air quality.

Page 10 FEA Journal

Know the Facts to Make the Most of Health Benefits Open Seasonby Paula S. Jakub, RHUExecutive Vice President, American Foreign Service Protective Association*Federal Employees Benefits Open Season is upon us and it is especially important to review your coverage to make sure it will meet your needs in 2013. The average premium increase in 2013 for employees and retirees is 3.4% – the lowest since 2008. The new FEHB premiums will take effect the first full pay period of January 2013. FEHB Program enrollees who have Self Only coverage will pay an average of $2.75 more bi-weekly, while those with Self and Family coverage will pay an average of $6.39 more bi-weekly. Annually, the FEHB provides $45 billion in health care benefits for about 8 million employees, retirees and dependents. Since plans vary in their changes, it is important to know what your particular plan is doing. We encourage you to read

carefully Section 2 Changes for 2013 in your 2013 plan brochure. Do not rely on premium costs alone to make your health plan decision. Provisions, like extra deductibles and plan allowances for services, espe-cially overseas, could end up costing you extra money. Customer service, Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) for claims reimbursement and internet claims submis-sion can be very important for employees serving both stateside and in foreign countries.

Affordable Care Act• Move lifetime limits to episodic; i.e., Infertility, Hospice• Remove annual limits on certain preventive screenings

Quality of Care • Stabilize chronic diseases through Case Management,

support services and incentives• Reduce emergency room use; i.e., Urgent Care Center

benefit• Provide “innovative methods to reduce pharmacy

spending” through increased use of generic drugsMaternity Care

• Gestational diabetes screening• Breastfeeding support, supplies and counseling for

each birth

Preventive Care – Well Woman Care• FDA approved contraception for generic and single-

source (brand name) drugs paid at 100%; regular benefits can apply for multi-source drugs (brand name for which a generic is available)

• Annual domestic violence screening Employee Health and Wellness

• Promote healthy lifestyles to prevent onset of chronic diseases

“Going Green”• Brochures and new Summary of Benefits and

Coverage (SBC) are available on the Plans’ Web sites. Paper copies will be mailed only upon request.

Emphasis of the 2013 FEHB Program2013 Premiums (bi-weekly)

for Selected Plans

Health Plan2013 Bi-Weekly

Employee Premium

Self Only Self and Family

BCBS Standard $85.91 $200.14

BCBS Basic $59.07 $138.32

Foreign Service $57.28 $141.13

GEHA High $91.16 $216.40

GEHA Standard $44.93 $102.19

Mail Handlers Standard $96.61 $232.89

*publication of this article does not constitute an endorsement by FEA of the American Foreign Service Protective Association or its products

A word about FSAFEDS: The program allows pre-tax reim-bursement for eligible costs not covered by your health plan, such as copays, deductibles, dental, eyeglass, etc. Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs must have a doc-tor’s prescription for reimburse-ment. The maximum amount you can contribute to your HCFSA for 2014 is $2500. Please note that this is a change from previous years and is a requirement under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Many plans offer Paperless Reimbursement, meaning the plan will send the information to the FSAFEDS vendor after they process the claim. Be aware that you must re-enroll each year dur-

ing Open Season. For more in-formation, go to www.FSAFEDS.com or call 1-888-372-3337.

And don’t forget about FEDVIP. Open Season applies to the Fed-eral dental and vision plans, too. This is your opportunity to enroll, disenroll or change your plan for the next year. Remember, unlike the FEHB Program, transfer-ring from a stateside post to an overseas post is NOT considered a Qualifying Life Event (QLE) under FEDVIP so take the time to make a correct choice for next year. For more information, go to www.BENEFEDS.com or call 1-877-888-3337.

Federal Employees Benefits Open Season dates are November 12 through December 10, 2012. Employees can make selections/changes in their FEHBP, FSAFEDS and/or FEDVIP.

Get more FEHB information at www.opm.gov/insure/health/

November, 2012 Page 11

Build your support system now at neamb.com/learnmore

INSURANCE TRAVEL PROFESSIONALDISCOUNTSFINANCE

Before you make your next big decision, take a look at NEA Member Benefi ts. We provide support for every stage of your life. Turn to us fi rst for trusted solutions and special savings—whether your kids are heading to college or you’re get ing ready for retirement.

All you need to access these powerful resources is your NEA membership. It’s your exclusive pass to the NEA Member Benefi ts website, where you’ll fi nd in-depth guides and expert advice on everything from get ing a loan to checking your insurance coverage. You’ll also fi nd members-only discounts to put more spending power behind your paycheck.

It’s all waiting for you and your family at neamb.com/learnmore. Register for benefi ts with just a few clicks. Or give us a call at 1-800-637-4636 for more information.

/NEADeals @NEADeals

k b d k l k NEA M b B fi

INSURANCEFINANCE PROFESSIONAL

TRAVELDISCOUNTS

NEA Member Benefi ts supports you.

NEA, NEA Member Benef ts and the NEA Member Benef ts logo are registered service marks of NEA’s Member Benef ts Corporation. CO681212

Questions About NEA Member Benefits? Call or Go Online!The NEA Member Benefits program provides many programs and services to FEA members. Please contact Member Benefits with questions about any of their ser-vices using the following toll-free numbers in applicable areas:

Stateside 1-800-637-4636

OverseasFirst dial the AT&T Direct Access Code In Germany and UK In Japan 0800-2255288 00539-111Then dial Member Benefits at 800-893-0396

And don’t forget the Member Benefits Web site. You can access information on all of NEA-MB’s programs, get current rates on CDs and investment funds, and sign up for other services.

www.neamb.com

The JOURNAL is a quarterly publication of the Federal Education As-sociation. Contributions, letters, photographs and other submissions to the JOURNAL are welcome and should be sent to the address below.

Gary Hritz, Editor H.T. Nguyen, Executive Director Michael Priser, President BettyLou Cummins Vice President Anita Lang, Secretary/Treasurer Brian Chance, NEA Director Mimi Cuadrado, HCR Coordinator Alex Veto, Europe Area Director Lisa Garmon Ali, Europe Area Director Debra Degalis, Pacific Area Director Terry Arvidson, FEA Director for DDESS

Federal Education Association • 1201 16th St. NW, Suite 117 • Washington, DC 20036 • 202-822-7850 • Fax: 202-822-7867

fea@feaonline.org • www.feaonline.org

Page 12 FEA Journal

FIRS

T C

LAS

S M

AIL

Calendar of Events

Novem

ber

11-17 A

merican Education W

eek

12 (until Decem

ber 10)Federal B

enefits Open Season

14 Education Support Professional D

ay

Decem

ber17-21FEA B

oard of Directors M

eetingW

ashington, DC

1201 16th St. N

W • Su

ite 117 • Wa

shington, DC

200

36

FIRST CLASS MAIL

C

Use this ID

Nu

mb

er to Log into w

ww

.feaonline.org

C=

Teachable Mom

entsR

esources you may w

ant to incorporate into your students’ learning in the w

eeks ahead:

Novem

ber 19 G

ettysburg Address A

nniversaryAbraham

Lincoln was the second speaker on N

ovember 19, 1863, at the

dedication of the Soldiers’ National C

emetery at G

ettysburg. Lincoln w

as preceded on the podium by the fam

ed orator Edward Everett, w

ho spoke to the crow

d for two hours. Lincoln follow

ed with his now

im-

mortal G

ettysburg Address. See the Library of Congress w

ebsite (http://m

yloc.gov/Exhibitions/gettysburgaddress/Pages/default.aspx)

Decem

ber 9-15C

omputer Science Education W

eekIn fall 2009, C

ongress designated the first full week of D

ecember as

Com

puter Science Education Week to recognize the transform

ative role of com

puting and the need to bolster computer science at all educational

levels. See the Association for Com

puting Machinery (AC

M) m

aterials at the C

Sedweek w

ebsite (ww

w.csedweek.org)

Decem

ber 16 B

oston Tea Party Anniversary

The Boston Tea Party w

as a direct action by colonists in Boston against the British governm

ent. On D

ecember 16, 1773, after offi

cials in Boston refused to return three shiploads of taxed tea to Britain, a group of colonists boarded the ships and destroyed the tea by throw

ing it into Boston H

arbor. See the Boston Tea Party Historical Society (http://w

ww.

boston-tea-party. http://ww

w.boston-tea-party.org org)