Welcome to the new Dighton Rehoboth Regional Teachers' Association site.

2011-2012 meetings;

#1: E-Committee October 10th 2012

#2: E-Committee January 23rd 2013

#3: E-Committee May 1st 2013

#4: Annual Membership : May 29th 2013

This site is a work in progress; it is our hope that it will become a vital part of the association's effort to keep all members informed. Please check out the entire site including the members only area.

In the members only section you can find;

My goal is to have the he New Membership Directory up soon.

The new seniority list up soon.

and the complete 2012-2015 contract up by the end of March .I have the draft up now!

My hope is that this will be a powerful tool and will strengthen our union.

Tim Kelly

Remember our working environment is our students' learning environment.

LEGISLATION SIGNED IN NOVEMBER

LEADS TO PENSION & BUYBACK CHANGES

Important changes are taking place in the rules governing certain aspects of

retirement and the buyback of creditable service.

On Nov. 18, Governor Deval Patrick signed "An Act Providing for Pension Reform

and Benefit Modernization," which revised certain rules affecting current active

members and increased benefits for certain retirees and survivors.

Effective April 2, 2012, the measure also significantly changed the benefit

structure for new members enrolling in a Massachusetts public retirement

system or re-enrolling after taking a refund.

The legislation, Chapter 176 of the Acts of 2011, includes a provision dealing with

an increase in the interest rate for the purchase of service. As a result, the interest

charged on certain service purchases will double from the current 4.125 percent

"buyback" rate to the level of "actuarial interest," which is now 8.25 percent.

The "buyback interest" of 4.125 percent is available to individuals applying to

purchase the service before April 2, 2013, and either paying in full or committing to an

installment agreement before April 2, 2013, or the invoice due date, whichever is later.

On and after April 2, 2013, purchasers will be charged "actuarial interest."

For more information, members of the Massachusetts

Teachers' Retirement System should visit the MTRS website:

http://www.mass.gov/mtrs

Members of the State Retirement System should visit:

http://www.mass.gov/treasury/retirement/state-board-of-retire/

Additional information can also be obtained by visiting:

http://www.mass.gov/perac/guide/mainguide1.htm

on the Public Employee Retirement Administration website

For expert advice, please get in touch with your MTA retirement consultant.

Contact information is available at:

http://www.massteacher.org/memberservices/retirement.aspx

MTA Retirement info

Time line for Evaluation

Completed by September 15

Superintendent, principal or designee meets with evaluators and educators

to explain evaluation process

Completed by September 20

Evaluator meets with first-year educators to assist in self-assessment and

goal setting process

Completed by October 1

Educator submits self-assessment and proposed goals

Completed by October 1

Evaluator should complete first walk-through of each Educator with positive

feedback and a coaching session (coaching session for 1st year teachers only)

Completed by October 15

Evaluator meets with Educators in teams or individually to agree on goals

Completed by January 5

Evaluator should complete at least 3 observations and 1 coaching session

(2nd coaching session for 1st year teachers)

Completed by January 5*

Educator reviews evidence on standards and progress towards goals

Completed by February 1

Evaluator should complete mid-cycle Formative Assessment Reports for

Educators on one-year Educator Plans

Completed by February 15

Evaluator holds Formative Assessment Meetings if requested by either

Evaluator or Educator

Completed by April 30

Educator reviews evidence on standards and progress towards goals

Completed by June 1

Evaluator completes Summative Evaluation Report

Completed by June 10

Educator signs Summative Evaluation Report and adds response, if any

The new Evaluation system is complicated, time consuming and frustrating to many.

It is here and we will be the pioneers through the new system that the commissioner of education believes will take 5 years to work out. We need to work together as a Union to help each other and represent a united front to Administration. Dr. Wordell has been working hard to help everyone.... but it is not safe to just have administration driving this ship. We need to become experts and we need to use the Unions structure to keep the evaluation process fair and just.

RULES REVISED FOR SERVICE PURCHASES AT ‘BUYBACK INTEREST’

Members must still act by April 2.

An important change in the rules governing the buyback of creditable service is fast approaching.

Under Chapter 176 of the Acts of 2011, the interest rate on certain service purchases will double after April 2, 2013. Under the new law, the interest rate will rise from “buyback” interest of 4.125 percent to “actuarial” interest of 8.25 percent.

Because Massachusetts school districts have been inundated with requests to document members’ prior employment histories, however, the Massachusetts Teachers’ Retirement System Board has extended the time for its members to submit the EMPLOYER portion (generally Part 2) of their service purchase applications to Oct. 2, 2013. This deadline change does NOT apply to members of the State Employees’ Retirement System.

MTRS members are still required to file the completed MEMBER’S portion of their service purchase application (generally Part 1) so that it is postmarked by April 2. They can then submit the completed employer portion postmarked no later than Oct. 2.

For more information, members of the Massachusetts Teachers’ Retirement System should visit the MTRS website, www.mass.gov/mtrs.

Members of the State Employees’ Retirement System can find more information at www.mass.gov/treasury/retirement/state-board-of-retire/.