TRTA News and Photos

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