Retiring soon from a career in education or recently retired?
Join Ogle-Lee RTA and enjoy many retirement benefits and keep informed on issues
relating to your TRS pension and insurance.
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Ogle-Lee Retired Teachers Association
Welcome to the website of the Ogle-Lee Retired Teachers Association. The Ogle-Lee RTA is a local unit of the Illinois Retired Teachers Association (IRTA). Members of the Ogle-Lee RTA and IRTA receive the benefit of an association dedicated to protecting our pension and insurance benefits.
Members have additional benefits through IRTA’s partnership with AMBA (Association Member Benefits Advisors) to receive supplemental insurance on dental, vision, long term health care, cancer, life insurance, and other policies. AMBA also offers discounts on computers, dining, rental cars, travel, and more.
We look forward to working with you as retired teachers and we hope to see you in 2024 at the May and September meetings. The location, time and agenda of the meetings will be announced via email, our website and Facebook page. We will continue to keep you informed about other issues through email, our Facebook page, the website, and our newsletter, which is sent to members via email or if you have no internet access via USPS. Newsletters are sent in April and August. Please feel free to contact any board member if we can be of assistance.
Ogle-Lee Retired Teachers Luncheon Membership Meetings for 2024
Please save these dates and join us.
Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at the Jarrett Prairie Center at the Byron Forest Preserve- CASA speaker
Tuesday , September 10 at the Lutheran Outdoor Ministry Center Rt.2, Oregon- Legislative Forum
The Ogle-Lee RTA newsletter will be sent to members via either email or U.S. mail about one month prior to each membership meeting with more details and RSVP procedure.
Please save these dates and join us.
Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at the Jarrett Prairie Center at the Byron Forest Preserve- CASA speaker
Tuesday , September 10 at the Lutheran Outdoor Ministry Center Rt.2, Oregon- Legislative Forum
The Ogle-Lee RTA newsletter will be sent to members via either email or U.S. mail about one month prior to each membership meeting with more details and RSVP procedure.
Spring 2024 Ogle-Lee RTA Luncheon Membership Meeting
WHEN: Tuesday, May 14, 2024
WHERE: Jarrett Prairie Center, Byron Forest Preserve, 7993 N River RD, Byron
TIME: Doors open at 11:00; Business meeting at 11:30; Lunch at 12:00
LUNCH: Sandwiches, fresh fruit, pasta salad, dessert, coffee, tea, water
PROGRAM: Trish Patterson with C.A.S.A of Ogle-Lee-Carroll Counties /
Jean Hoff, Ogle-Lee RTA Historian will read the Memorials for our members who died in 2023
COST: $10.00 payable at the door by check or cash
RSVP: Email Jean Whipple at [email protected] or call her at 815-222-2681 by May 1, 2024.
If you find that you are unable to attend after making your reservation, please notify Jean Whipple to cancel and avoid having to pay.
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2023 IRTA "Unit of Distinction" Program Award
Congratulations, the Ogle-Lee RTA Unit is being recognized as a 2023 IRTA “Unit of Distinction.” The “Unit of Distinction” Program is a voluntary program based on the honor system that is designed to help guide and direct local unit leaders, as well as recognize IRTA units that are the best in the state. Units receiving the “Unit of Distinction” Award will be recognized at the IRTA Biennial Convention, in the IRTA ACTION, e-newsletter, and on the IRTA Website. Our unit will also receive a gift of $250. The Ogle-Lee Unit also received this honor in 2022.
2023 IRTA "Unit of Distinction" Program Award
Congratulations, the Ogle-Lee RTA Unit is being recognized as a 2023 IRTA “Unit of Distinction.” The “Unit of Distinction” Program is a voluntary program based on the honor system that is designed to help guide and direct local unit leaders, as well as recognize IRTA units that are the best in the state. Units receiving the “Unit of Distinction” Award will be recognized at the IRTA Biennial Convention, in the IRTA ACTION, e-newsletter, and on the IRTA Website. Our unit will also receive a gift of $250. The Ogle-Lee Unit also received this honor in 2022.
Ogle-Lee RTA Executive Board Meetings:
The Executive Board met on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 to plan membership luncheon meetings and discuss 2024 goals.
The next Board Meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 at the Village Bakery in Oregon. Any member may attend to provide input.
Board Members are (L to R) front row: Carol Richardson (Co- Vice President), Mary Gardner (Co-President), and Linda Kenney (Treasurer)
Back row: Belinda Luxton(Co-Vice President), Charles Kinsella( Legislative Chairperson), Elke Grennan (Secretary/Webmaster), Phil Bratta (Foundation/Scholarship Chairperson), and Jean Whipple (Co-President & Membership Chairperson).
Absent: Jean Hoff (Historian/Memorials Chairperson).
Back row: Belinda Luxton(Co-Vice President), Charles Kinsella( Legislative Chairperson), Elke Grennan (Secretary/Webmaster), Phil Bratta (Foundation/Scholarship Chairperson), and Jean Whipple (Co-President & Membership Chairperson).
Absent: Jean Hoff (Historian/Memorials Chairperson).
Legislative and IRTA Update
Charles Kinsella, Ogle-Lee RTA Legislative Chairperson participated in the IRTA Member Outreach Summit held via Zoom on March 28. Jessica Hoselton, IRTA Executive Director and Andrew Bodewes, IRTA Lobbyist discussed TRS pension and insurance. Highlights from the Zoom Meeting include:
Charles Kinsella, Ogle-Lee RTA Legislative Chairperson participated in the IRTA Member Outreach Summit held via Zoom on March 28. Jessica Hoselton, IRTA Executive Director and Andrew Bodewes, IRTA Lobbyist discussed TRS pension and insurance. Highlights from the Zoom Meeting include:
- Pensions : In Governor Pritzker’s budget speech he recommended that the legislature fully fund the five
- state pension funds by 2048. The current goal is 90% by 2045. That plan was set by Jim Edgar in 1994. The governor proposes to do this by allocating 50% of the money going to general obligation bonds to the retirement funds. The bonds will be paid off in 2030. Currently the pensions are funded at between 23.5% and 47.2%.
- The legislature is working to reform Tier II pensions as they are out of compliance with federal law for being a Social Security replacement. Tier II benefits now increase the lesser of 3% or 1⁄2 of CPI.
- Currently there are 17 Tier II retirees.
- Insurance: TRIP and TRAIL were said to be as sound as they have ever been.
- The Aetna change last year was done by the Central Management System. They are an independent agency that TRS has no control over. Due to complaints around the confusion with the changes to insurance last year, CMS promises future changes should see an earlier warning.
- The Mayo Clinic is no longer accepting any Medicare Advantage programs including our Aetna Medicare Advantage and our former UnitedHealthcare.
- Other: The 120 day return to work for retired teachers should continue.
- There will probably be no major legislation until after the November election.
- There is a new IRTA Director Jessica Hoselton.
- Voter Voice: If you have not already done so, please sign-up for Voter Voice, a resource to contact legislators, on the IRTA members only webpage. ( https://members.irtaonline.org ). You can sign up to receive email or text alerts if an issue or action is needed on legislation, find legislation, and find elected officials. If you currently live out of state, Voter Voice will not be able to match your address to an Illinois Legislator. However, you can go to Illinois General Assembly Home page (ilga.gov) and find the email address or phone number to contact any legislator in Illinois.
Ogle-Lee Retired Teachers Association Scholarship
The Ogle-Lee Retired Teachers Association awarded scholarships to three college students from Ogle or Lee County, who are currently working toward a degree in Education:
Judy Kohler from Davis Junction: Judy is an elementary education major with an emphasis in reading at Northern Illinois University ($1000 scholarship)
Alexis Trank from Byron: Alexis is an elementary education major transferring from Rock Valley to Rockford University. ($1000 scholarship)
Paxton Barrett from Stillman Valley: Paxton is an elementary education major at Illinois State University ($500 scholarship)
A generous $1000 donation to the Memorial Fund by an anonymous donor made possible the awarding of an additional scholarship this year.
IRTA 2022 Grant Winners from Ogle & Lee County
This Fall, the Illinois Retired Teachers Association Foundation (IRTAF) awarded nearly $36,500 in grant money to several public school educators from across the state. Congratulations to the recipients from Ogle and Lee County: Nancy Elson-Kings, Jennifer Freeman-Dixon, and Justine Davis-Oregon.