Terry’s Update

8 January, 2020

1. Intent Forms/EI/Excess
2. RAT 2019 Info
3. Martin Luther King Jr Day
4. Unity Publication
5. IRS Publications and Forms
6. NEA Read Across America Grants
7. Check your LES for changes made in Open Season
8. Mark your Calendar Events
9. Creditable Service Computation
10. Area Director’s travels

1. Intent Forms/EI/Excess — Intent forms for SY 20-21 should now have been given out to teachers. These intent forms should be returned by this Friday. Early Incentive (EI) has also been announced, and if you have not seen it or are interested in it, please see your local admin about it. Excess will be determined soon and all FRSs should have the flow chart in order to determine excess IF it is needed. Excess can be sometimes difficult to ascertain so please contact your division reps or me if there are any questions or if you need the flow chart. The excess placement rules have also been sent to principals, and should any excess educators have questions about these rules, again please see your FRS, Division Representative. It can be stressful, and we want to help reduce the stress as much as possible.

2. RAT 2019/ Checking MyPay — As RAT, and TDY payments are no longer included in your LES it is important to check on MyPay for those payments. Once you have logged into MyPay there is a list of options. In this list about 3/4 of the way down the list there is a link called AOP or advice of payment. Clicking on this link will bring you to the travel orders you have used and the amount you were paid for the travel. Again, this is the only place, other than your bank account, that you will see if you have been paid for any RAT or TDY travel as it is no longer listed in your LES. We believe at this point most have been paid for RAT 2019, however, IF you have not please get your name to Brian Chance or me in order to follow up and ensure you get paid.

3. Martin Luther King Jr Day – is an American federal holiday marking the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year, which is around King’s birthday, January 20. The holiday is similar to holidays set under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. King was the chief spokesman for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law. The campaign for a federal holiday in King’s honor began soon after his assassination in 1968. President Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed three years later. At first, some states resisted observing the holiday as such, giving it alternative names or combining it with other holidays. It was officially observed in all 50 states for the first time in 2000. More info here about the national day of service.

4. Unity — The FEA Europe Unity will be coming out this month, and have information from our FEA Uni Serve (lawyers) as well as information about the candidates running for FEA offices for the 18-19 SY. It will be sent per email to all FRSs so look for it soon. The ballots for voting for the candidates will also be coming out near the end of the month.

5. IRS Forms and Publications — As tax season approaches, this site has all of the forms and publications that you will need to complete your 2017 tax filing. Most can be done electronically. Also, be aware that most military installations offer tax services for civilians at no cost–check with legal office on your base/post. Get IRS forms here

6. NEA Read Across America Grants for DoDEA Schools — Congratulations to Hohenfels ES (Lisa Zimmerman), Vogelweh ES (Amy Hudzikiewicz), Stuttgart ES (Joan Bade), Grafenwoehr ES (Dawn Park), Kaiserslautern MS (Kelly Briggs), and Patch ES (Amy Rush) for attaining Read Across America Grants from NEA. Because of the wonderful work of our colleagues at these schools they have received money to fund Read Across America projects at their schools. It is worth the time to write a proposal for grants and hope others will take the chance for the great ideas DoDEA teachers have.

7. Office of Personnel Management Open Season — Open Season is now closed. If you made any changes, please check your next two LES to make sure that they are reflected there.

8. Mark Your Calendar-
January 18 — Winnie the Pooh Day (The Birthday of Winnie’s author A.A. Milne)
January 20 — Martin Luther King Holiday
January 23 — National Handwriting Day (re-introduce ourselves to a pen or pencil) also John Hancock’s birthday
February 1-29 — Black History Month
February 1 — Marksmanship Championships
February 2 — Ground Hog Day
February 3-7 — National School Counseling week
February 8 — Wrestling (Sectionals_
February 14-15 — Wrestling Championships
February 19-22 — Cheer Championships
February 19-22 — Basketball Championships

9. Creditable Service Computation — Creditable Service is service that can count toward retirement. Should you have a question about other service that may count toward retirement, you can check these sites to know for sure. – employees covered under FERS – – employees covered under CSRS

10. Area Director’s travels — I will be at Sembach for the Area JCC as well as at the Sembach MS to help with any questions about their move. Please be patient during this time as it could take time to get to all emails. You can always get up-to-the-minute information from www.feaonline.org and we hope you will logon to see what’s up.

Terry McClain
FEA Europe
Area Director