Email: wct@wcteachers.org

Website: www.wcteachers.org

Location: 280 New Hackensack Road, Wappingers Falls, NY, USA

Phone: 845-227-5065

Office Hours: Monday - Friday 12-5

Administrative Assistant: Cathy Reynolds

WAPPINGERS CONGRESS OF TEACHERS

WELFARE TRUST FUND

***IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING***

BENEFIT PROGRAMS
wcteachers.org / asonet.com

Dear Members and Retirees:

We are pleased to announce that effective December 1, 2024, the Fund’s Dental, Hearing Aid, Co/Copay Reimbursement and Prescription Drug Copay reimbursement benefits will be administered by Administrative Services Only, Inc (ASO).

BENEFITS: There will be NO change in the Fund’s plan benefit levels or provisions such as annual maximums, lifetime maximums, procedure frequencies, limitations and exclusions as stated in the Benefit Booklet. All provisions will carry forward in accordance with your claim history.

CLAIMS ADMINISTRATION: The Fund’s current third-party administrator, Daniel H. Cook Associates, Inc. (Cook Associates) will process claims up to November 22, 2024. Claims that were received but not processed by Cook Associates will be forwarded to ASO. Claims history will be transferred to ASO. We anticipate that ASO will commence processing claims shortly after January 1, 2025. ASO will honor pre-authorizations issued by Cook Associates .

Please submit all claims, regardless of date of service, to ASO.

Administrative Services Only, Inc.

PO Box 9005 Dept 251

Lynbrook, NY 11563

516.394.9400 or toll free 800.537.1238

asonet.com

CLAIM FORMS: Updated claim forms will be available to you on-line at wcteachers.org.

Should you have any questions or require assistance, please contact the Fund Office.

Sincerely,

Wappingers Congress of Teachers

Welfare Trust Fund

Board of Trustees

Buying or selling a house?

Uncontested legal separation or divorce?

Need a will?

Health care proxy?

Power of attorney?

Click the link below to see the dates and times available to speak with the attorneys or financial advisors (The financial advisors do not sell anything -- they just give advice about your financial picture). Call Cathy at the WCT Office (845-227-5065) to make an appointment.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aP5nECIdBUJI4BMQB93i477rki2ot1HY/edit

Click the link below to view the WCT Welfare Trust Fund Handbook. It covers dental, vision, legal, financial and many more negotiated benefits offered to WCT members and their dependents.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rNnueTx55oK_2PwL5t7ZhIQ9MR4GLxpL/edit

As a reminder, members are entitled to fully-paid, confidential financial meetings with a Certified Financial Planner from Stacey Braun Associates, Inc. The firm is committed to providing information, ideas, and suggestions in an effort to assist you address financial concerns and improve your financial well-being. See the attached flyer below for more information.

As part of your union benefits, we want to remind you about the free financial counseling services available through Stacey Braun Associates. This resource is designed to support members in managing their finances, planning for the future, and navigating any financial challenges they may face. See the attached flyer for more specific information.

Mirkin & Gordon is pleased to announce that our first pre-recorded legal services webinar is now available for viewing by your covered members at their convenience.

The webinar, entitled “Important Estate Planning Documents Covered by Your Benefit Fund’s Legal Services Plan” can be viewed on our website through via link https://www.mirkingordon.com/webinars.

We are pleased to inform you that Stacey Braun Associates will be hosting a webinar on Investing. The session will cover essential strategies and insights that can help individuals navigate these challenging financial conditions.

The dates and times for the webinar are outlined on the attached flyer and indicated below. We encourage you to share this valuable opportunity with your union members and invite them to register and participate. For your convenience, here is the link for members to join the webinar:

Investing in Uncertain Times Webinar

May 28th at 6pm & May 29th at 4pm
https://www.staceybraun.com/investing-in-uncertain-times/

Click the link below to visit the WCT Store for T-shirts, sweatpants, hats, cups and many more items. There are several styles and colors to choose from.

About the Peer Support Line:
Staffed by trained in-service and retired peers who understand the unique professional and personal challenges of NYSUT members, the Peer Support Line can provide answers, resources, and support when you need it.

This helpful service can assist with accessing information and resources within your community, including the following:

Finding mental health services and/or support groups
Locating community social services programs and/or agencies
Managing work-related stress and/or concerns
Providing support to new members
Sourcing elder care and/or caregiving services
Reducing feelings of isolation and loneliness
Managing coordination of health-related challenges

Help is available when it is needed most. The Peer Support Line serves as a sounding board to strategize around many issues and concerns facing NYSUT members and their loved ones.

Don't wait any longer ... contact the Peer Support Line today.

How to Contact the Peer Support Line:
1. By Phone:
For more information or to speak with a trained peer specialist, call toll-free 844-444-0152, Monday through Friday, noon to 8 p.m. (EST).

2. Send a Secure Message:
You can also send a secure private message to the Peer Support Line to schedule a call at your convenience or obtain resources. Messages sent through this manner will be safely encrypted to protect your privacy.

Click below to access the multitude of benefits that are available to you as a NYSUT member.

Thanks to your recent support and activism, we won the biggest pension reform in 20 years—lowering the Final Average Salary calculation from five years to three years for Tiers 5 and 6 members! This new calculation means Tiers 5 and 6 members will receive bigger pension checks, every month, for life.

Now, the time has finally arrived. We need each and every one of you (newer teachers and veteran teachers alike) to commit to mobilize for a march and rally in support of the Fix Tier 6 Movement on June 6th, 2025 from 5:00-6:30pm!

Mark your calendars and save the date: Mid-Hudson Fix Tier 6 March and Rally

What: Join NYSUT President Melinda Person, elected officials, local labor leaders, and so many other union members from across the Mid-Hudson Valley for a historic march and rally to demand fixes to Tier 6 so that we can recruit and retain the next generation of public employees!

When: Friday, June 6, 2025 from 5:00-6:30pm

Location: Walkway Over The Hudson

The staff at Brinckerhoff had fun dressing up as SECRET AGENTS for an Underground Teacher Only Dress Up day! The kids got such a kick out of it!

John Jay High Schools's Varsity FTC Robotics Team #16700 JAYBOTS has achieved new heights this past weekend; after a 2-day Regional Championship Tournament, the JAYBOTS and their Alliance Partner Team #25707 Solar Flare made it all the way to the Final Match in the Playoffs and secured trophies as the Finalist Alliance!

Furthermore, while the JAYBOTS have frequently been awarded the INSPIRE Award for excelling in all judged categories at other Qualifying Tournaments in the past, this marks the first time they have been recognized with this honor at a the Regional level; the JAYBOTS secured the 3rd Place INSPIRE Award and are now headed to the World Championship in Houston, TX over Spring Break!!!!

Our Kids Hope mentors and kiddos stuffed hundreds of Easter eggs to be donated to Hope On A Mission, a local organization that feeds the homeless in Poughkeepsie. Our Gayhead staff bought the eggs and candy- true group effort!

Here in the Den we had over 100 sixth graders participate in the Gayhead musical, Willy Wonka Jr! It was a great success! The production was supported by our amazing administrators and our incredible PTA! We performed for the entire school during the day and on the weekend for our families. This show was under the direction of Shannon Banda and Eileen Sclafani. It was produced by Meredith Amato and choreographed by Nicole Naso. Many of our WCT members, who are also Gayhead parents, helped with sets and costumes. Our principals and custodians also got in on the fun of performing.

Gayhead has participated in fundraising for the American Heart Association (AHA) for 34 years, previously through Jump Rope for Heart, currently with the Kids Heart Challenge campaign.This year Gayhead raised $42,473, our highest total ever! Since 1991, the Gayhead community has raised over $826,000 to support the AHA research and education that all heart patients benefit from, possibly even a family member. Over 400 students and staff contributed to this year's KHC efforts. As a reward for this outstanding community service effort, Grizzly staff will be getting slimed on April 25th. Physical Education teachers Bridget Boccini, Anthony Russo, and Jason Segarra, along with Principal Jim Daley, Assistant Principal Jennifer Moyles, 4th grade teacher Brian Hyland, and Melissa Seibert, an Art teacher will be taking one for the team with a bucket of slime dumped over their heads! Along with this amazing fundraising effort our Grizzlies learn how to keep their own hearts healthy. Our reluctant Kindergartners go from learning to spin the rope and jump over it and progress to 6th graders who attempt and/or master up to 25 different jump rope tricks. Additionally, our 3rd through 6th graders learn Hands-only CPR! The enthusiasm and support of this life saving fundraiser by our Gayhead school community is always amazing!

This past quarter, 6th graders showcased their research on young changemakers through multimedia podcasts and art at Gayhead Elementary in order to inspire others to make a change in their lives to make the world a better place. Dr. Bonk and other members of the administrative staff along with several board members came to the showcase.

This past winter, Gayhead staff participated in an underground spirit week to help raise the student’s spirits. The students quickly caught on to the staff using “anything but a cup” and celebrating Halloween in March. The week was a fun way to fight the winter blues.

On March 14th, Gayhead staff participated in Sparrow’S Nest day to help raise money to feed families that have been touched by cancer.

Vassar Road transformed into Camp Read-a-Lot for PARP (Parents as Reading Partners) Week this year. Students and staff participated in spirit days throughout the week to encourage students' love of reading at home and at school.

Vassar Road supported the Down Syndrome Association of the Hudson Valley (DSAHV) by encouraging students and staff to help raise awareness by wearing their crazy socks on March 21st and donating $1 to the DSAHV. The Vassar Road community showed our support, wore crazy socks to raise awareness, and raised $630 for the DSAHV.

4th grade at Kinry Road Elementary School has been busy this year learning about history. From Native American dances, stories, and hunting with Dave Beck from Bowdoin Park to learning the Patriots and Loyalists perspectives of the Revolutionary War times, the students have experienced what happened right here in Dutchess County through the years. Each class learned a dance to share with the other classes and learn skills to “hunt” successfully.” Lastly, King Geroge and Queen Charlotte had tax collectors tax the colonists to pay for the French & Indian War debt. As you can see the colonists who landed in "jail" for not having enough money were unhappy while the loyalists who still had money to spare said, "Huzzah, King George!" Later this year they will go on a field trip to the East Fishkill Historical Society's Brinckerhoff House to dive deeper into daily Colonial Life.

Catherine Ciocchi, John Jay science, is so very happy to announce that her third picture book, MY SHADOW, is releasing on May 20th. Published by Lawley Publishing, this book explores children discovering their shadows. Available wherever books are sold.

Two John Jay advanced photography students won NATIONAL MEDALS from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards!

70 students were inducted into the Spanish Honor Society on Wednesday, April 2nd.

The John Jay Health & Wellness Committee raised $220 during March in honor of National Nutrition Month by selling these handmade green bracelets. $120 will go to Fishkill Food Pantry, and the rest will be used by the committee to continue the wellness activities for our faculty.

The John Jay FFA (Future Farmers of America) has been very busy! In February, we participated in John Jay's Winter Carnival, where we set up a petting zoo with various animals (2 baby cows, a bearded dragon, various rabbits, and guinea pigs), a mini golf range, and a seed planting booth. Kids from all over the District showed up and had a great time. We've also been busy competing. In February, we competed at the District Leadership Competition, where our Ag Issues team and our Extemporaneous speaker qualified to advance to the Sub-State Competition in March. There we did well and received Honorable Mention in both categories. Our FFA also participated in the NYS Ag Literacy program. We visited Brinkerhoff and Fishkill Plains Elementary Schools and read "The Pie That Molly Grew" and planted pumpkin seeds with the kindergarten students in both buildings. Our latest and most exciting news is about our chapter's Co-President, Matthew Mulligan. He has just been selected to be the 2025-2026 NYS FFA Sentinel!!!! He had to go through an extensive selection process with candidates from across the State. He had to take a test, answer a series of essays pertaining to leadership and agriculture, and attend various in-person interviews at Cornell University. This is such a great accomplishment for Matt!! Coming up next is our 3rd Annual FFA SpringFest. This will be held on April 26th from 10-3pm in the John Jay parking lot or in the gym if it rains. We will be hosting various agricultural vendors with items for purchase, Touch-A-Tractor, animals, "The Mobile Dairy Unit", food trucks, student activities and much more. Stop by and see us!

JJHS Proscenium: Congratulations to the cast, crew, and pit of the musical Curtains! Everyone did an amazing job.

On Thursday April 3, Lisa Starzyk From New York Blood Center came to Brinckerhoff and taught our Student Council members the importance of donating blood. Our Student Council members had fun learning all about the different types of blood and the reasons why we should be donors, getting ready for our Blood Drive at Brinckerhoff Elementary on Friday, May 16th! Please email Gina.Carrigan@wcsdny.org. if you would like to donate!!

The Van Wyck Junior high World Languages Department (Catherine Porco - TC, Stacy Lassi-Dampf, Victoria Desorrento, Kristina Riley, Suzette Faxon, Jenna Kent and Lisa Bailey) and Multicultural club ( ran by Aileen Basuljevic) collaborated for the second year to host International Night on March 21. The evening began with performances in the gymnasium including students from the Doherty Petri School of Irish Dance, Germania of Poughkeepsie, (John Jay Student) Anika Anne and Mid Hudson Chinese Language Center. Then all were welcomed to the cafeteria where students and families brough dishes to share which represented their cultures. French students ran the Crepe Cafe with the guidance of French Teacher Jenna Kent. During this there was also a trivia contest for all to participate in. It was a wonderful community celebration of world cultures! Pictures attached!

On April 12th the Wappingers Crew Club dedicated their new boat in memory of Kerri Roger. Kerri played an integral role as one of the Wappingers Crew coaches. Kerri was a dedicated teacher and coach who always put her students and athletes first. Kerri's memory and legacy will forever live on.

I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to the Wappingers Crew Club and all those who donated to make this new 8 person boat a reality and to help keep her memory alive.

This poem was read at the dedication ceremony by Novice Boys Coach Dom Scecchitano:

From old Bay 4 sweet memories cast,

Our victorious days have not seen their last.

But now one of our own has gone to rest,

Let us remember our coach how we knew her best.

A coach with grit, a teacher with honor,

Thank you for your service, Coach Kerri Roger.

Tuesday, May 20th, is NYS School District Budget Vote Day!! Don't forget to vote in the district in which you reside. If you live in the WCSD, please vote yes for the budget, capital improvement project, and the 3 endorsed BOE candidates. See the trifolds below with more information about each candidate.

In Solidarity,

Flip