your vote is your voice 2020 - calrta · 2020. 10. 5. · not the sharpest knife in the drawer, and...

Your Vote Is Your Voice

CALIFORNIA RETIRED TEACHERS ASSOCIATION

VOLUME 36 | ISSUE 2 | FALL 2020

2020My Experience with Coronavirus page 10

5 Tips for a Successful Zoom Experience page 17

Caregiver Self-care page 18

Send address changes to the Business Office1750 Howe Avenue, Suite 630 | Sacramento, CA 95825 | 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. | 916-923-2200 | E-mail: [email protected]

CalRTA CONTACT (ISSN O885-0267) is published four times per year by California Retired Teachers Association. Annual subscription is $5.50 paid by membership dues of $66 annually. Periodical postage paid at Sacramento, CA, and at additional mailing offices. Copyright 2020 CalRTA. All rights reserved.

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Unsolicited submissions for CalRTA Contact become the property of CalRTA, and can only be returned if accompanied by a self-addressed envelope containing sufficient postage.

2 n Contact | www.calrta.org

FEATURES

CalRTA’s mission is to protect and advocate for retired and active educators’ pensions and other retirement benefits and to support public education in our communities.

Objectivesn To promote, protect and advocate for the interests of current and future

retired public California educators,n To safeguard the State Teachers’ Retirement System,n To study and promote or oppose state and national

legislation affecting the interests of retired educators, andn To promote and safeguard public education systems.

FALL2020

State OfficersPresident

Dr. Jim MahoneyPresident-Elect

TBDSecretarySusan GoffTreasurerJohn Gera

Area DirectorsArea I – Mark Allen

Area II – Georgianna LightArea III – Chuck Denonn

Area IV – Pat Seaman & Mary Kay HendersonArea V – Steve Click

Area VI – Linda McGill PerierArea VII – Greg Barker & Debbie Fleiner

Area VIII – Antonio DuarteArea IX – Ron Breyer

Area X – Becky CarrollArea XI – Kathy O’Leary

Area XII – Lyn Chan

State Committee ChairsBudget & Finance – Maria Gilson

Bylaws – Peter PaolinoCommunications & Technology –

Jim SterlingGovernment Relations – Susan Dixon

Membership Recruitment & Resources – Lorraine Martinez

Nominations & Elections – Jeannette Goar

CalRTA Business OfficeEditor

Angelique Hill, CAE, IOMManaging Editor

Debbie Pate-NewberryDesign

Carrie Dennis DesignPrinting

BURKS Printing & Promotions

California Retired Teachers Association

CalRTA Website

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4

6

10

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17

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President’s Message

Government Relations Updates

CalSTRS Actuarial Update

Pension Watch

Division News

Top 5 Tips to Ensure a Successful Zoom Experience

Caregiver Self-care: Tips to Help Your Health

mailto:info%40calrta.org%20?subject=

http://www.calrta.org

FALL 2020 n 3

CalRTA Website

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Are You Up for the Challenge?irst of all, I need to honor a friend; CalRTA lost a wonderful leader in Septem-ber. Rich Gipson, our President-Elect, was a teacher leader and a devoted colleague. His quiet leadership style was an inspiration to all of those who knew him. During his active teaching years he helped his colleagues learn the

technology skills that would serve them throughout their careers and help their students achieve. We will greatly miss his strong presence on the CalRTA Board.

Turning to other matters, I often hear the question, “What’s up with CalRTA?” Since we have not been able to meet face-to-face, you may be finding it hard to both communicate with or engage in the many activities that CalRTA continues to offer.

Admittedly some of us don’t have computers and others may not know how to activate the programs that are installed on their machines. Perhaps you think you are too old to learn and understand how computers work. Rich would say, “It’s only hard until you learn how to do it.” The reality is that we might be reluctant to ASK others to help us learn HOW to open and navigate the technology we possess.

A good friend of mine shared a quote with me years ago: “Helping is easy, being helped takes strength.” As teachers we are helpers, but as students we sometimes don’t want to admit that we don’t know. My response to that is – It’s time to take a leap of faith in yourself.

You’ve come a long way in life and you have overcome many challenges. CalRTA has re-sources that can help you overcome many of the technology issues that puzzle you. I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer, and frequently reach out to my daughter and others to help me take the next step on my journey to learn 21st century technologies. I encour-age you to take one small step that will increase your abilities. Y

Dr. Jim Mahoney, CalRTA President

DR. JIM MAHONEYCalRTA President

As teachers we are helpers,

but as students we sometimes don’t want to admit that we

don’t know.

F

On September 3, CalRTA lost a great friend and dedicated leader, Rich Gipson, who had been serving as President-Elect since April 2019. Rich joined CalRTA in 2007. He served as his Division’s PAC liaison and Legislative Chair as well as Division President. He served at the state level on the Government Relations Committee from 2013 to 2017 and as Area VI Director from 2017 to 2019.

CalRTA has lost a capable and dynamic leader in Rich who gave of his time freely to the organiza-tion, even though he loved to spend time with his family and to travel with his wife, Sharon Spi-nardi. We will miss his easy-going nature and his smile.

A scholarship is being created in Rich’s name in Division 34. If you’d like to donate send a check to “CalRTA Div. 34 Scholarship Fund” c/o Terry Silva, Treasurer, 1405 Shady Cove Ave., Atwater, CA 95301. Please indicate that the donation is made in memory of Rich Gipson.


020 has certainly been a year of adapting. The first quarter of the year began with an unprecedented challenge of a worldwide pandemic. An invisible enemy - COVID

19 - has shown us we must be willing to adapt and change from our deep-seated habits. Worldwide, people had to quickly adjust and learn new ways to communicate, educate, work, govern, and stay con-nected with their family, friends, and organizations.

CalRTA Government Relations Committee was able to quickly change and adapt through many new challenges. We stayed committed to working for our retirement security and stay connected with our members, elected officials, and CalRTA leadership.

The Government Relations Committee has adapted our methods of connecting. The Area Representa-tives and Division GRCs participated in online train-ings on the committee guidelines, GRC legislative process, virtual advocacy, legislative updates, and CalSTRS presentations on the budget and Supple-mental Benefit Maintenance Account (SBMA). In September all Area and Division Government Re-lations leaders participated in an online GRC work-shop that covered the updated Government Relations Handbook, Committee guidelines, ad-vocacy activities through 2020, and the Legislative Platform Survey.

The Committee reviewed over 70 state initiatives and four ballot propositions that were related to the CalRTA Platform. Current California State guidelines for legislation required

SUSAN DIXONGovernment Relations

Committee Chair

DAVID L. WALRATH Legislative Advocate

JENNIFER BAKERLegislative Advocate

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS UPDATE

A Year of AdaptingBy Susan Dixon, Chair, State Government Relations Committee

2The Art of Life Lies in a constant readjustment

to our surroundings. – Kakuzo Okakura

Current California

State guidelines for legislation required that any proposed

legislation must be COVID-19

related.


FALL 2020 n 5

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS UPDATE

that any proposed legislation must be COVID-19 related. As a result, only four of the state initiatives that we reviewed and supported are moving forward: AB 2100 (Wood), AB 2471 (Maienschein), SB 952 and AB 2101 (Asm. PER Com.) Budget and Supplemental Benefit Maintenance Account (SBMA).

Recently the CalRTA Board of Directors reviewed informa-tion and approved positions on four Ballot Propositions. They are (1) Proposition 15 - Community and Schools First Initiative – Position: Support; (2) Proposition 23 - Dialysis Clinic Requirements Initiative – Position: Not Support; (3) Proposition 19 - Property Tax Transfers, Exceptions, and Revenues for Wildfire Agencies – Position: Support; and, (4) Proposition 16 - Repeal of Proposition 209, the Affirmative Action Amendment - Position: Not Support.

Federal Legislation H.R 141 for repeal of the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset penalties, as of mid September, had 258 cosponsors. We need 32 additional cosponsors to reach the 290 needed for the bill to move to a committee vote. We need all members to act on the weekly Legislative Alerts for the next month. Tuesday Alerts focus on those out-of-state Congressmen and Thursday Alerts are focusing on out-of-state Congress-women, who have not cosponsored H.R. 141.

Looking ahead to November, please remember to VOTE. Voting is one of our most important duties as a citizen. Vot-ing is key to our freedom and democracy. Many countries around the world do not have the freedom to vote. In Amer-ica, we have a democracy and the ability to vote and yet in the last election less than half the country voted.

The minutes of the most recent CalRTA Board meetings are posted to the CalRTA website at www.calrta.org. Once you log into the members-only section, click on Boards & Committees » Boards » State Board of Directors. Scroll down to see the link. If you’d like to read the summary from the latest CalSTRS meetings, check under “Seeking Information” on the top menu bar, then “CalSTRS/CalPERS” and “CalSTRS Meeting Reports.” Our thanks to Pat Geyer, CalRTA Liaison, for supplying the information.

Board Meeting Records Online

Looking Ahead to November ElectionsSee the link below to find your Polling Place.www.sos.ca.gov/elections/polling-place

See the link below to find your Ballot Box drop off location.www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voters-choice-act/vca-voting-locations

Thank you for your continued commitment. Stay healthy and safe!

If we don’t vote, we are ignoring history and giving away the future.

– Paul Mitchell


GOVERNMENT RELATIONS UPDATES

t their September meeting, the Teachers’ Retirement Board (TRB) reviewed the actuarial status of the Supplemental Benefit Maintenance Account (SBMA) and the Lump

Sum Death Benefit. The SBMA provides purchasing power to retirees whose CalSTRS Defined Benefit pension has eroded due to inflation. If a retiree’s CalSTRS pension will be less than 85 percent of its original value, they will get a supplementary check from the SBMA fund to bring their CalSTRS benefits up to 85 percent of what they originally were. In fiscal year 2019-20, approximately 71,000 CalSTRS members were receiving an SBMA benefit that averaged about $220 per month. SBMA payments are currently paid to CalSTRS members and their beneficiaries who retired in 1999 or prior.

Based on the fact that the SBMA has a surplus of $11.2 billion, the Board voted to maintain the current level of SBMA purchasing power at 85 percent. The Board will continue to monitor future inflation levels which could influence the fiscal status of the fund.

Every two years, the TRB provides a report to the Legislature on options for excess funds in the SBMA. In the upcoming report to the Legislature, the TRB will be providing three op-tions to the Legislature with a recommendation of an option that would provide a one-time permanent increase for pre-1999 retirees. This option would provide the most equity to retirees who have seen the most erosion of their benefits and who have been retired the longest. While the Legislature is not required to act upon this report, the recommendation provides a significant step forward to finding options to pro-vide equity to California’s educators who have been retired the longest.

CalRTA testified to the TRB and thanked CalSTRS staff for the excellent outreach they provided to stakeholders, which had included a presentation to the CalRTA GRC Committee in August. CalRTA did note to the TRB that our recommendations were made prior to seeing the CalSTRS staff recommendations which, CalRTA noted, are

A

While the Legislature is not required to act upon this report, the recommendation provides a significant step forward to

finding options to provide equity to California’s educators who have

been retired the longest.

CalSTRS Actuarial UpdateBy Jennifer Baker, CalRTA Legislative Advocate

fiduciarily sound and would all provide positive benefits for California’s oldest retirees.

In addition to noting CalRTA would support increasing the current SBMA level from 85 percent to 87.5 percent, CalRTA recommended that CalSTRS create an elder index modeled off what is used at the federal level to better reflect the overall costs seniors face for aging, which includes other healthcare expenses and medicines.

The TRB also reviewed the lump sum death benefit provided to CalSTRS members and recognized the need for additional fiscal support but kept the level at its current amount due to the current economic climate caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The current death benefit for active Coverage A members and retired members is $6,372 while the death benefit for active Coverage B members is $25,488. Y



PENSION WATCH

“Absent a serious rebuilding of America’s retirement infra-structure, these systemic problems will be unsurmountable for too many families,” said report co-author Dan Doonan. “Instead, policymakers can take steps now to build for-ward-looking solutions that enable Americans to be self-sufficient as they age. Otherwise, older Americans will be forced to turn to their families or government programs to meet their most basic needs. That is a burdensome, costly and unsustainable approach,” Doonan said.

The report finds that:n Saving early and continuously during working

years is difficult for many workers. While organiza-tions offer suggested retirement savings targets for each age, many workers may struggle to meet them, even if they have a desire to save.

n Workers face market timing, interest rate, and lon-gevity risks when they approach retirement age. Any of these risks can derail carefully laid retirement plans and together they can make the prospect of re-tirement daunting.

n While older Americans are the most likely to own a home, the number of Americans age 65 and older who are cost-burdened by housing costs has in-creased as more seniors are carrying mortgage debt into retirement.

n Healthcare costs continue to rise for all Americans, but these costs are higher for older Americans, who are more likely to have multiple chronic health con-ditions. Furthermore, lower-income seniors spend a greater proportion of their income on healthcare costs than their more affluent peers.

From the National Institute on Retirement Security The Growing Burden of Retirement: Rising Costs and More Risk Increase UncertaintyThe burden of preparing for retirement is increasing as workers face more risk and rising costs. Escalating housing, healthcare, and long-term care costs in retirement are creat-ing retirement obstacles for Americans. Also, the shift from pensions to 401(k) plans has pushed more retirement risk onto workers.

These findings are detailed in a new study from the Na-tional Institute on Retirement Security (NIRS), The Grow-ing Burden of Retirement: Rising Costs and More Risk Increase Uncertainty, available online (www.nirsonline.org/reports/growingburden). Authored by Tyler Bond, NIRS research manager, and Dan Doonan, NIRS execu-tive director, this report provides a roadmap to the many hurdles that are making it increasingly difficult to achieve a financially secure retirement.

“Taken together, rising costs and the challenge of accumulating and investing savings are making retire-ment an unsolvable puzzle for most Americans,” said report co-author Tyler Bond. “We’re on a path to a predictable and unfortu-nate outcome – millions of working Americans unable to meet their basic needs in retirement. This report de-tails the complex burdens and pitfalls facing workers who often are trying their best to prepare for retire-ment. We find that four

public policies would substantially improve Americans’ re-tirement outcomes: addressing long-term care costs, creating stronger tax provisions, improving lifetime benefit options, and expanding Social Security,” Bond explained.

Taken together, rising costs and the challenge of accumulating and investing savings are making retirement an unsolvable puzzle

for most Americans.


FALL 2020 n 9

Receive Contact up to two weeks earlier with email delivery! If you’d like to receive CalRTA Contact via email just let us know, and we’ll add you to our elec-tronic distribution list. You’ll receive the pub-lication faster, help us reduce printing costs, and help the environment. Email your request to: [email protected]

Why wait for the mail?n Long-term care costs represent an increasing chal-

lenge for many older Americans as more senior citi-zens need long-term care every year. While it can be prohibitively expensive for those who require nursing home care for multiple years, the majority of seniors receiving long-term care will receive it at home or in a non-nursing facility. This need is projected to increase even more as the Baby Boomers continue retiring.

n Creative solutions exist to address these challenges. Washington State is pioneering a program to cover long-term care costs using a social insurance model. The pri-vate sector is working to create lifetime income options for retirees and expand access to workplace plans. Mean-while, experts have proposed allowing retirees to purchase annuities through Social Security. And, expanding Social Security would have a broad impact as most seniors re-ceive the majority of their income through the program. Y


DIVISION NEWS

aving been diagnosed with the coronavirus on Feb. 6, I was transported from the Dia-mond Princess by ambulance to Yokosuka City Hospital in Japan, where I spent three

weeks until I tested negative twice for the virus. On Feb. 26, authorities allowed me to take a Delta flight to SFO, mak-ing me the first coronavirus survivor to fly on a commercial plane from Japan to the US.

Here are some questions you might want answered:

1. How did you get the virus? The Lunar New Year of the “Rat” was in full swing, and

so all excursions were among huge crowds. I perhaps acquired the virus on one of the excursions. On Feb. 4, we were told that a man who came onto the ship in Hong Kong and departed in Taiwan, had the coronavi-rus. Even though we took precautions, we could have become infected on board by simply using the hand-rails. We are not sure how we were exposed.

2. How was your coronavirus discovered and what symptoms did you have?

Because I had been hot and sweaty the night of Feb. 2, I went to the ship’s doctor the next morning and dis-covered I had a temperature of 100.7. After a nurse swabbed my throat, the physician directed us to stay in our cabin and provided a four-day supply of Tami-flu because some passengers on board had the flu. The following day, the Captain announced that everyone on the ship was quarantined and would be tested by the Japanese authorities. Three days later, after my throat swab came back positive for the coronavirus, an am-

My Experience with CoronavirusBy a CalRTA Member

Note from Division 24, Solano County: Two Division members were on the Diamond Princess, the ship that was quarantined in Japan due to coronavirus on board, and both contracted COVID-19. Happily, both ladies have recovered. One of the two women shared the following:

H

bulance took me to the hospital. My symptoms were chills, body aches, nausea and diarrhea for four days, but due to the Tamiflu medication, I had no respira-tory distress. However, doctors found flakes of pneu-monia in my lungs, which were treated with pills.

3. How did you pass the time in the hospital? Besides time spent on minor medical procedures,

such as having my vital signs checked three times daily, getting chest x-rays and being tested for coronavirus, I played games, completed puzzles, read two books, took showers and used my cell-phone. The hospital gave us free wi-fi because they knew the value of family and friends. (I encourage all people, especially seniors, to have cellphones for emergencies such as this.) I used my phone to communicate with friends and read English texts. I also exercised by walking laps, which helped me to improve my oxidization numbers and to be in shape for the trip home.


FALL 2020 n 11

4. How did you communicate with the nurses and doctors since you don’t speak Japanese?

We used an electronic Japanese-English translation gadget the size of a cellphone. When a person spoke into it in one language, the device would respond in the second language and print out the words.

5. Did you eat just Japanese food and use chopsticks? Yes. Although I had pudding twice, rice and vegetables

were the staples of each meal. The Japanese seem to consider fruit as dessert. Consequently, because of the diet and lack of snacks, I lost five pounds.

6. How were you treated when you got home? I went to my bowling league the day after I returned

home, and they welcomed me back with open arms. Later, however, a clerk at the grocery store didn’t want to serve me after she heard where I had been. Follow-ing that, I had mixed feelings about sharing informa-tion and thought it best to keep a low profile. I skipped church the next Sunday and found out they had a “Wel-come Home” cake for me.

7. What happened to your luggage? After all the passengers left the Diamond Princess,

it took 17 days to clear the ship of coronavirus before bags could be returned. FedEx delivered luggage to my house on March 26. An attached note instructed me to

handle my clothes with disposable gloves and wash ev-erything in hot water and use bleach. Japanese officials and a Princess representative had gone through the bags and removed cosmetics, toiletries and food, ap-parently because coronavirus attaches to those items.

8. What happened to your Division 24 friend? Ten days after I left the ship, an ambulance took my

travel buddy at midnight to a university hospital in Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan. There she was put on a ventilator in ICU and fed by a tube. Thankfully, she was removed from the ventilator and released from the ICU April 8 and now is free of coronavirus.

9. How do you feel about your experience? Both of us were blessed with people who cared for us

through prayers and letters, and I’m thankful for a hazmat unit of 22 nurses who tended to five of us from the ship in three shifts. My travel buddy particularly is lucky to have an English-speaking nurse who set up weekly video chats so we can see and talk to each oth-er. Carnival Corporation, which owns the Diamond Princess, also has been very generous during this or-deal, paying for travel expenses and reimbursing for the cruise and excursions. In addition, the Japanese government paid for the hospital stay since they or-dered the quarantine.

I’m certainly glad all the wonderful care I received was free of charge. Had I been billed, my bank account would still be on life support.

Later, however, a clerk at the grocery store didn’t want

to serve me after she heard where I had been. Following that, I had

mixed feelings about sharing information and thought it best

to keep a low profile.

Division News continued on page 12


DIVISION NEWS continued from page 11

Celebrate Retired Teachers Week November 1-7This year marks our 22nd year celebrating Retired Teachers Week. Divisions throughout the state celebrate with special activities to build awareness in the organization and the in-credible impact members’ contributions have on their local community.

Though 2020 is a challenging year, we’ll still work to get me-dia coverage of how public pensions positively impact both the national and state economies; not to mention how much time retired teachers donate to their local communities!

Teachers never stop caring…Retired Teachers Make a Positive Impact on CaliforniaAfter years, sometimes decades, in the classroom giving back to their students, California’s retired teachers con-tinue to give back through their pocketbooks and their passion for volunteerism. Though some would say retired teachers and their pensions are a drain on the economy, these figures say otherwise: $15.7 billion in federal, state and local tax revenues; nearly 2 million hours in donated time worth nearly $61 million.

According to the latest report from the National Institute on Retirement Security, Pensionomics 2018, California saw $73.7 billion in total economic benefit in 2016 from pension benefits paid out by state and local pension plans. Because retirees spend their benefit checks in their local communi-ty, their spending ripples through the economy as one per-son’s spending becomes another person’s income.

The positive economic impact of California pensions is impressive by any standard:n $73.7 billion in economic output generated by retir-

ees’ spendingn 443,966 jobs paying $25.2 billion in wages and sala-

ries supported by retirees’ spendingn $15.7 billion in federal, state and local tax revenues gen-

erated by retiree benefits and spending in Californian $60.9 million worth of donated time from retired

educators.

CalRTA’s members are part of that pool of retirees whose pension checks help stimulate California’s economy. Members of CalRTA also donated more than $600,000 in grants, scholarships and donations to schools and cur-rent and future teachers last year.

Each year CalRTA highlights retired teachers’ contribu-tions by celebrating Retired Teachers Week. This year’s event November 1-7 marks the 22nd year the celebration has been held during the organization’s 91-year history. In 1929, as the country entered the Great Depression, a small group of teachers banded together to fight for retirement security. In addition to helping California’s educators, early CalRTA leaders went on to form other retiree organizations, such as Ethel Percy Andrus who formed AARP.

“Our early leaders showed us what dedication, com-passion and determination can accomplish,” noted Dr. James Mahoney, CalRTA State President. “Today we’re trying to live up to their example as we continue our fight for retirement security while also giving back to our local communities and protecting public education.”





Division 38’s “Socially-Distant” Mailing

Times are changing and so have our Divisions! Di-vision 38 - Stanislaus County typically does a few mailings a year. As many as 15 members formerly got together to work and chat. They have missed that in the last few months, so they had a socially distanced mailing. Each committee member took about 75 sets of brochures, letters and envelopes. The bags were dropped off at each home and within a few days they had 750+ sealed envelopes ready to be delivered to the post office. The participants gave the project a resounding thumbs-up. They said it gave them something to do while observing the pandemic isolation rules.

Division 61 awarded six $1,000 scholarships for the 2020-2021 academic year. Two scholarships were awarded to current graduates of junior col-leges and four were con-tinuing scholarships to previously awarded recipi-ents. First year awardees are Amy Kirsten Boehm of Rancho Cucamonga who will be attending Cal State University, San Bernardino, and Breanna Peterson (pictured) of Upland who will be attending Cal State University, Monterrey Bay. Second year awardees are Kristin Breiner of Menifee who is attending Cal State San Bernardino and Daniella Briones of Fontana at-tending Cal Poly, Pomona. Third year awardees are Maria Guerrero of Fontana who is attending Cal Poly, Pomona and Amanda Carrillo of Fontana at-tending Cal State University, San Bernardino.

Division 61 – Baldy View Awards Scholarships

Division 43 - Desert Roadrunner members

volunteered at the food bank in Indio in January

on the MLK Day of Service. The food bank

is called Food in Need of Distribution − FIND. By

making the photos into this eye-catching collage they can now use the graphic in Division publications and promotions for the

upcoming Retired Teachers Week in November.


FALL 2020 n 15

Division 24 - Solano County Scholarship Coverage in the Fairfield Daily RepublicStudent benefits from CalRTA scholarship | By Bill Hicks | 7/2/2020

Paying for college has long been an issue for students. … For that reason, scholarship opportunities are greatly ap-preciated by recipients … but for students like Touro University California’s Eva Aguilera, scholarship funds can be a life-saver.

Aguilera was one of eight students recently to earn a $2,500 scholarship from the Solano chapter of California Retired Teachers Association. … “I am very grateful to receive the CalRTA scholarship,” Aguilera said. “As a single mother of two, with the rest of my family living in Finland, my country of origin, it’s sometimes difficult to get sup-port. … Receiving this scholarship was a much welcomed aid, and allowed me not to have to worry of how I would pay for the fall semester at Touro.” … The scholarship gave Aguilera a boost of confidence as well. “Receiving this recognition from retired teachers shows me that people who truly know this profession believe in me, and it helps me move forward in my educational journey,” she said.

Division 27 “physically distanced” a donation check to the Discovery Museum. Many CalRTA members

have donated individually. Smiling and pictured left to right are: Division 27 President Donna Clark,

Treasurer Brenda Zweifelhofer, CalRTA volunteer Ken Pinkerton and Museum Executive Director

Grace Hamaker. Photo by Ken and Bet Pinkerton

Division 27 held a Zoom meeting this summer to take care of some necessary business. Included in

the picture is Division 27 President Donna Clark, Publicity Chair Adelene Jones and former Division 27

President Sharon Tecker.

The Humboldt County Office of Education and the Del Norte County Office of Education sent out a digital flier and the Redwood Notes digital newsletter to all teaching staff. In addition, KIEM Channel 3 and 6 Redwood News broadcast a

“Redwood Strong” spot for Division 27 that continued throughout May. The video is on their Facebook group and page. In addition, they sent PSAs to all of the radio stations, submitted letters to the editor to three newspapers and a digital news website.

Division 27 – Redwood Coast Keeps Busy During Pandemic




Division 85 – Tri-Valley Scholarship News

Each year the Tri-Valley Retired Educators’ Scholarship Fund awards $2,500 scholarships to students planning to be-come educators. The application consists of an essay talking about the student’s plans to become an educator, as well as a transcript and letters of recommendation. This year’s winners include:

Kaycee Bilke who graduated from Las Positas Community College with two AA degrees (Humanities, and Social and Behavioral Sciences) and will continue her education at Cal State East Bay, Hayward, to become a teacher.

Sean Choi graduated from Amador Valley High School. He plans to become a history teacher and hopes to return to Amador Valley to teach there.

Christopher Miller graduated from Livermore High School with an interest to become an elementary school science teacher to help make science a passion for young people. He plans to get a degree in biology and a teacher credential that he can use in “underserved and understaffed schools.”

Connor Hardesty graduated from Granada High School in Livermore. He plans to attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo majoring in English. His hope is to teach English at a local high school. Y



FALL 2020 n 17

Top 5 Tips to Ensure a Successful Zoom Experience

By Sue Breyer, Vice Chair, State Communications & Technology Committee

oom has become a vital part of everyday life for many folks during this time of COVID-19 and the cessation of in-person events. But despite the physical isolation we all are feeling after months of seclu-

sion, Zoom allows us to connect with others and enjoy that critical face-to-face contact.

But there are good Zooms and not so good Zooms, and much of the success of a online meeting depends on the participants. Here are five tips for Zoom attendees that will help ensure a successful meeting.

1. Be mindful of your audio/video settings: Im-mediately upon entering a meeting, check your audio and video settings by clicking on the micro-phone icon and going to “Audio Settings.” Invest in a quality headset or set of earbuds with a built-in microphone – these produce clearer, louder audio. During the meeting, keep your microphone muted unless you are called upon to speak. Remember that your mic will pick up background noises – dogs barking, cats meowing, TV noise, (even chewing and heavy breathing!) for example. Shut off your cell phone and landline ringers and any message machines. If you decide to have your video cam-era on during the meeting, be sure your room is well lit, but avoid having a bright window behind you. Adjust your camera angle so you are look-ing straight toward your video camera (not up or down), and if you are using a smart phone, prop it up or use a stand to minimize movement and free up your hands.

2. Understand your basic Zoom settings: To im-prove your Zoom experience, experiment with the two different “views” available to you: Gallery view and Speaker view. Find these in the upper right corner of your computer, along with “full screen” mode, which enlarges your screen for better view-ing. Practice using the Chat and Participants tools and the various settings that are available on each.

Z3. Be aware of your physical posture and personal be-

havior: Your personal behavior in a Zoom meeting should mirror that of an in-person gathering. First, avoid multi-tasking during the meeting: i.e., eating lunch, checking your cellphone for texts and emails, getting up and mov-ing about the room. People are watching. Do not chat with others who might be in the room with you unless your mi-crophone is muted. Although difficult, try to look straight at your screen – even at the camera, itself – rather than at the person speaking. Sit up straight and be mindful of your posture. Don’t get too close to the camera.

4. Consider using a virtual background: Are you con-cerned about the appearance of your physical surround-ings? Didn’t have a chance to pick up the den or the family room? Do you have a house filled with guests? Consider using a virtual background to “mask” your true back-ground – no one will ever know!

5. Be a respectful, active participant: Join the Zoom meeting “fashionably early,” usually 5-10 minutes before the start time. Actively participate during the meeting by using the Chat feature to comment or ask questions. Click the “Reactions” button on the toolbar to show your approval or applaud an attendant’s idea. Physically or vir-tually raise your hand to speak then wait to be recognized before you make a comment.

It’s pretty clear that we’ll be using online meeting formats such as Zoom for the foreseeable future, but we can make the best of the experience by following these five attendee tips until we return to some sense of normalcy. Y


Caregiver Self-care: Tips to Help Address Your Emotional Health

aregiving for a loved one can put a strain on even the most resilient people. Add in the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic and it has the potential to feel challenging. This means that finding ways to thrive and

continue to take care of your own well-being is more im-portant than ever.

It can be hard to cope at times, and some of the outlets you may have used in the past to handle stress may not be avail-able or ideal during social distancing. Fortunately, there are several resources that may help you take care of your emotional health while also keeping safety top of mind.

Recognize How You’re FeelingNo matter what your particular situation might be, caregiv-ing may take a toll on your physical, mental and emotional well-being. The Family Caregiver Alliance encourages you to express and try to address all of your emotions, espe-cially the tough ones. Try to identify the emotions you’re experiencing; this might include everything from fear, to guilt, to resentment. It’s important to remember that these emotions are normal and not something to be ashamed of.

Take Action To be an effective caregiver, taking care of your own needs, both physical and emotional, is essential. There are several tools and resources available to help you main-tain your own well-being and make time for self-care:

n Virtual mental health visits. Consider scheduling a virtual visit with a licensed therapist or psychiatrist. If you already see a mental health provider, contact him or her to see if you can continue sessions online or over the phone. You can also get support by speaking to a trained counselor at SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 or by texting TalkWithUS to 66746. Or download the Sanvello app on your phone, which has plenty of resources for taking care of yourself.

C

n Take advantage of free exercise programs. Exercise may be a great way to destress and improve your mood. At-home workout resources are plentiful these days - in-cluding live-streamed classes and complimentary app trials. They’re all available online, often at no extra cost.

n Create and follow a healthy daily routine. Keep your schedule consistent when it comes to meals and bed-time. Get enough sleep, aiming for seven to nine hours a night, recommended by the Centers for Disease Con-trol and Prevention (CDC). Maintain a healthy diet and try to stay active with walks, yoga, gardening or other activities that allow you to practice social distancing. Carve out time during the day to focus on your breath-ing, stretch or meditate.

n Stay informed. Knowing important information about the outbreak and learning how to be prepared may reduce stress and help calm anxieties. However, too much exposure to news coverage may lead to greater

No matter what your particular situation might

be, caregiving may take a toll on your physical, mental and

emotional well-being.


FALL 2020 n 19

feelings of anxiety or panic. Try to limit your research to reliable sources, such as the CDC and the World Health Organization. And keep up with recommenda-tions from your local public health authorities.

n Talk to your loved one. Chances are, the person you’re caring for may have similar feelings and fears. The Men-tal Health Foundation says, “talking about your feelings isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s part of taking charge of your well-being and doing what you can to stay healthy.”

If stress gets in the way of your daily activities for an ex-tended period of time (defined as several days in a row), the CDC recommends calling your health care provider.If you want to get more helpful resources on caregiving, you can also visit the UnitedHealthcare caregiving web-site at www.uhc.com/caregiving. Y

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