TRTA News and Photos

March 4th "Day on the Hill"

Here are the particulars:

Meet at TEA building at 7:30 for a light breakfast and an orientation briefing with an information folder of events for the day
After the briefing by TEA Staff, we will ride or walk to the Cordell Hull Building (15-minute walk weather permitting). Car rides will be provided by staff.
Upon arrival at Cordell Hull, go through security and metal detector
Normal House Committee Meetings on Tuesdays that you can attend (one or more)
9:00 - K-12 Education Subcommittee
12:00 – Full Education Committee
1:30 – Education Instruction Subcommittee
3:00 – Education Administration Subcommittee
You can hopefully meet with your state senator or house representative (sometimes you only get to speak with their staff person briefly). You can leave them a note also.
We always want to be professional when visiting the Legislature and speaking to legislators or staff persons. TEA staff will have “talking tips” that morning.
LUNCHES will be provided to all members attending that day (free of charge).
Ride or walk back to TEA when your schedule for the day concludes (you determine your afternoon departure time)

NOTES:

TEA has reserved 15 hotel rooms at the Holiday Inn in Nashville. These will be free of charge to our TRTA members. These are double occupancy rooms with 2 beds. If you wish to have a single room your charge will be $100.
If you have a long way to travel, I can reserve you a room for Monday night, March 3rd.

*Please travel and room with a friend or colleague to take advantage of the free nights room stay.

3. TRTA will reimburse you for your round-trip mileage. The mileage forms will be available that morning at the TEA building.

TO RESERVE a Hotel room for Monday, March 3rd in Nashville, please email Dr. Williams at dwilliams@tnea.org or call cell #423-721-8176 by Thursday, February 27th.
Provide me your name, local chapter, and the person sharing a room with you
Please also RSVP me if you will be driving in locally so we can have an accurate count for breakfast, lunch, and briefing folders.
The free nights stay will be reserved on a “first come, first serve” basis with consideration given for our members traveling the greatest distance.

Let’s make the 2025 TRTA “DAY On The HILL” a success and an annual event!

Thank you for your continued membership and hard work as a local chapter member!

Healthy Habits for TRTA Members

Tennessee Retired Teachers Association - Supporting Education

TRTA leadership recently shared information about "Healthy Habits" with local chapter members at the eight October regional meetings. The primary goal was to develop information to assist our members to stay as physically, emotionally, and financially healthy as possible. We discussed securing guest speakers to attend general meetings to discuss healthy food and exercise habits, how to write a living will, tax preparation advice, Medicare and insurance planning, Meals on Wheels, other support networks, and more. One alert TRTA member sent me the "Senior Service Directory" from an East Tennessee county. It is filled with excellent information for senior citizens. Please check with your local chamber of commerce to see if there is a senior citizen guide available in your county and secure copies for your members. If not, try to start an initiative to get your county to develop a senior guide! Your members deserve nothing less.

Honoring the "Father" of TRTA and Its Beginning

TRTA honored the beginning of TRTA and Chattanooga-Hamilton Co RTA at the recent regional meeting in Chattanooga. Dr. John B. Brown and four other retired teachers met in 1957 to discuss the financial plight of local retired teachers. The Chattanooga-Hamilton Co. Retired Teachers Association was founded on May 16, 1957. Other local chapters were quickly founded in McMinn and Blount Counties and the movement spread all across Tennessee. TRTA, TEA, and CHCRTA members honored the original five retired teachers.

Highlights of the 2024 TRTA Representative Assembly

On June 11th in Murfreesboro, 142 delegates and guests took part in the annual TRTA Representative Assembly in Murfreesboro.

Dewayne Emert, Knox County RTA, took the gavel as the newly installed President of TRTA.

Elouise Jones, Maury County RTA, was installed as the new President-Elect for TRTA at the June RA in Murfreesboro.

TEA President Tayna Coats thanked the TRTA delegates for their past and continued service to public education.

Mike Barker, our TCRS representative, brought good news at the RA - TRTA retirees received a 3% cost of living increase on their July check!

Dr. Derek Black, a prominent attorney and public-school advocate, was the keynote speaker and gave a stirring presentation about the current lack of investment in public education and the dangers of vouchers for private schools.

TRTA at TEA Summer Leadership Academy

TRTA staff members Galen Riggs and Duran Williams worked a membership recruitment table at the June TEA Summer Leadership Academy in Franklin. Several new Life members were signed up at the three-day event.

Coach Joan Cronin, University of Tennessee Women's Athletic Director Emeritus, served as the guest speaker for the Academy. Cronin told several stories about her friendship with legendary coach Pat Summit.

Dr. Williams spent some time talking with Coach Cronin.

Joint TEA, Blount County EA, and TRTA Service Event

On Thursday, April 25th, in Maryville, several TEA staff, Blount County Education Association members, and the TRTA Executive Director recently attended a BBQ supper to honor Blount County Schools' employees. The TEA staff, BCEA leaders, and Dr. Williams and his wife Melissa volunteered and served drinks and refilled drinks at the tables for the wonderful event: TEA, BCEA, and TRTA - "Planting Seeds for the Future!"

Pictured below from left to right are the volunteer servers:

Nancy Rolen - TEA Organizer

Tina Parlier - TEA UniServ

Rebecca Dickensen - Blount Co. Education Association President

Alicia Adkins - BCEA Member

Dr. Williams - TRTA Executive Director

TRTA at the TEA Representative Assembly

Taking place Friday, April 12th, and Saturday the 13th, TRTA Member Linda McCrary, who represents Tennessee on the NEA Board, provided an update to the TEA delegates Saturday morning in Murfreesboro.

TRTA Past-President (and former TEA President) Judy Whitehill and current TRTA President Bill Murray share a laugh on Friday evening before the TEA Rep Assembly.

Bill worked the credentials table and served as a voting delegate along with President-Elect Dewayne Emert. Judy worked the TRTA recruiting table and signed up 5 new members!

L to R - Executive Director Williams, Presidents Whitehill, Murray, and Emert represented our 9,000 TRTA members at the TEA Representative Assembly in Murfreesboro on April 12th and 13th.

Coverage of 2024 Spring Regional Meetings!

Conducting multiple regional meetings in each of the three grand divisions, TRTA leadership crossed the state during March to work with local chapter leaders. Meetings were held in West Tennessee in Jackson and Dyersburg; the following week saw meetings conducted in Nashville, Cookeville, and Lawrenceburg; and the final week of meetings began in Knoxville, then moved to Chattanooga, before completing the statewide tour in Johnson City. Fifty-one chapters attended at least one of the regional meetings, with a total of 234 in attendance.

Read all about it!

A Healthy and Happy 2024 to all our TRTA Members!

Statewide membership is off to a strong start for the 2023-2024 year for TRTA with 57 of our local chapters being “up or even” in membership for the year! Another 15 of our local chapters are only down one member from last year. There is still plenty of time to add new members to your local chapter.

Please remember that membership recruitment is an ongoing year-long process. The primary reason given by retired teachers who have not joined the Tennessee Retired Teachers’ Association is “No one asked me to join.” Most potential members join TRTA to belong to the local chapter in their county/city. Our chapters are so active at the local level, and you provide many community service and social engagement events that our retired members can take part in – if they become a member. They really do join our organization because you, as a former respected colleague, ask them to join. Please continue to invite every retired teacher in your system to your next meeting or luncheon. Set as your association's goal that “Each One Asks One.”

Thank you for your continued support of public education and for your work as a local and/or statewide leader!

Dr. Duran Williams

2024 – The year of the Local Chapter in Tennessee!

Tennessee Retired Teachers' Association