Save the date: March 20, 2025 for our first membership meeting at The Thunder Bay Grille in Rockford, Illinois. The program will be a Center for Learning in Retirement Presentation by Brad Keyes.
The WCRTA January newsletter can be accessed by clicking on Unit Info and cursing down to Newsletter. It is filled with information!
Excellence in Education Grant available from IRTA
Do you know an active teacher in need of funds for a special classroom project? Please look under Unit Info above and cursor down to Excellence in Education Grants for more information. The application deadline is June 1, 2025.
Job Opportunity:
The WCRTA January newsletter can be accessed by clicking on Unit Info and cursing down to Newsletter. It is filled with information!
Excellence in Education Grant available from IRTA
Do you know an active teacher in need of funds for a special classroom project? Please look under Unit Info above and cursor down to Excellence in Education Grants for more information. The application deadline is June 1, 2025.
Job Opportunity:
For complete information click on Unit Info above and cursor down to Job Opportunity.
H. R. 82 – Social Security Fairness Act – SIGNED!
President Joe Biden signed H. R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act, into law on Sunday, January 5th. Biden’s signature is a monumental victory that restores fairness to the system and ensures the hard work of teachers, first responders and other public employees is truly recognized.
The Social Security Fairness Act fully repeals the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), which have unfairly reduced retirement benefits of dedicated retired teachers, police officers, firefighters and other public servants who serve our communities. This legislative victory has been decades in the making and marks the culmination of IRTA’s long-fought battle on this important issue. More importantly, it is a testament to the powerful voice of IRTA members and our strength in numbers.
Scam Alert Regarding Dues
This morning several of us received an email supposedly from Winnebago County Retired Teachers Association requesting that you pay your dues for $10. NO ONE from our Board sent this email. Besides, the annual dues have been $15 since 1/1/24. DO NOT click on the buttons in this email or pay WCRTA dues online. This a scam, and it happened last year as well. We do
not accept payments online, and we do not know how someone was able to get a copy of our membership list.
If you are an annual member and have not paid your 2025 dues, please mail a check payable to WCRTA to Sharon Vinson, 11966 Tresemer Road, Roscoe, IL 61073-7708 ASAP.
WCRTA Members, we will not have another newsletter until January 2025. All of the information was included in the August, 2024 newsletter. We hope you can join us! To access the newsletter, click on Unit Info above and cursor down to the newsletter or click above on Schedule of Events.
***Please renew your dues by December 31, 2024 for those of you who pay annual membership. Your check in the amount of $15 should be made payable to WCRTA, and mailed to our treasurer Sharon Vinson at 11966 Tresemer Rd., Roscoe, IL 61073-7708.
***Please renew your dues by December 31, 2024 for those of you who pay annual membership. Your check in the amount of $15 should be made payable to WCRTA, and mailed to our treasurer Sharon Vinson at 11966 Tresemer Rd., Roscoe, IL 61073-7708.
Scholarships2025 Applications and Current IRTA Foundation Scholarship Guidelines
One $2,000 scholarship is available in each of the six IRTA Areas of the state. These scholarships are only available to incoming juniors or seniors in college enrolled in a certified teacher training program. The deadline to postmark or email applications is March 7, 2025.
IRTA Foundation Area Scholarships – click here
Other scholarships available in 2025, are the Moler-Austin Scholarship which offers two $4,500 scholarships to KENDALL COUNTY high school graduates that will be entering their Sophomore, Junior, or Senior year of college with a declared major in Education.
Moler-Austin Scholarship – click here
The Helen Kennedy Scholarship which is a $2,000 scholarship and is available to graduates of any Illinois High School that will be entering their sophomore, junior, or senior year of college with a declared major in Education.
Helen Kennedy Scholarship – click here
Finally, the Rose Sandstrom Scholarship is for $2,000 and is available to one incoming senior in college attending either Western Illinois University or Monmouth College with a declared major in Physical Education.
Rose Sandstrom Scholarship – click here
Applications for any of the above scholarships must be postmarked or emailed and sent to the IRTA office on or before March 7, 2025, and the recipients will be announced by late April 2025. The awards will be given as follows: one half in June for the fall semester with the balance to be awarded in January upon registrar verification of a 3.0 or above GPA on a 4.0 scale.
If you have any questions or need assistance in obtaining an application or to send an application, please contact Susan Goetz at [email protected] or call 1.800.728.4782.
One $2,000 scholarship is available in each of the six IRTA Areas of the state. These scholarships are only available to incoming juniors or seniors in college enrolled in a certified teacher training program. The deadline to postmark or email applications is March 7, 2025.
IRTA Foundation Area Scholarships – click here
Other scholarships available in 2025, are the Moler-Austin Scholarship which offers two $4,500 scholarships to KENDALL COUNTY high school graduates that will be entering their Sophomore, Junior, or Senior year of college with a declared major in Education.
Moler-Austin Scholarship – click here
The Helen Kennedy Scholarship which is a $2,000 scholarship and is available to graduates of any Illinois High School that will be entering their sophomore, junior, or senior year of college with a declared major in Education.
Helen Kennedy Scholarship – click here
Finally, the Rose Sandstrom Scholarship is for $2,000 and is available to one incoming senior in college attending either Western Illinois University or Monmouth College with a declared major in Physical Education.
Rose Sandstrom Scholarship – click here
Applications for any of the above scholarships must be postmarked or emailed and sent to the IRTA office on or before March 7, 2025, and the recipients will be announced by late April 2025. The awards will be given as follows: one half in June for the fall semester with the balance to be awarded in January upon registrar verification of a 3.0 or above GPA on a 4.0 scale.
If you have any questions or need assistance in obtaining an application or to send an application, please contact Susan Goetz at [email protected] or call 1.800.728.4782.
Help needed!
I am reaching out to you to see if you and your association (WCRTA) would have an availability and willingness to help tutor students at Harlem Middle School. The tutoring areas would be Math and Reading. Other content areas could be offered based on your availability. 2-4 days would be optimal. If interested, we can discuss more details and planning later today or later this week. Feel free to call me on my cell at 815.656.0332. Thank you! Jason Ware