Volume 29, Number 3 • January-February 2007 To The Superannuated Teachers of Saskatchewan President’s Report Siegrid Schergel Happy New Year and may 2007 Woman with shovel in hand. Every bring you and your families all the Rambling Thoughts summer I tell myself, next winter best. For many of you 2007 has Shovelling snow is one of my least it’s only a path to the front door and come roaring in; hopefully, the favourite things to do. My eyes enough of the driveway to let the worst storms are behind us and the water; my nose runs! I get cold and car in and out. But come the first rest of the winter will be mild and I sweat! It is not a pretty picture. But snow, there I am. First the driveway, short. after each snow fall I’m out then the walk and finally the front there–bundled up like the Michelin sidewalk. continued on page 2 Members elected to the Executive for 2006 - 2007 Back row (from left) Barry Hollick, Ed Magis, Mike Kaminski, Jim Slough, Wally Derkach, Ernie Epp, Peter Wiebe, Calvin Bachmeier, Bert Gordon. Front row (from left) Maxine Stinka, Margaret Martin, Jim Sego (Vice-President), Siegrid Schergel (President), Horst Sawatzki (Past President), Darlene McCullough, Shirley Dyck, Fred Herron (Executive Secretary). continued from page 1 • The deadline for the submission Executive Meeting of nominations for Honorary Why do I do it? With only one car, The Executive Meeting was held on Life Member of the STS is rapid- half the driveway is never used. Thursday, January 18, 2007 and was ly approaching. Please forward Only the mail carrier, paper girl preceded by Executive Committee your nominations to the office. Meetings on Wednesday. Details of and visitors come to the front door. Also, with sincere regret, the these discussions are outlined else- In this quiet residential area, the Executive accepted the resigna- where in this edition but I would front sidewalk is not heavily trav- tions, effective June 30, 2007, of elled. When I’m going for a walk I like to highlight a number of points. Shirley Henderson and Loretta tend to walk in the other direc- • The cost of living adjustment Romankewicz. Both these women tion–away from my pristine side- will leave a lasting legacy of out- walk. So why do I bother? I remem- which will be reflected on your January pension allowance will standing commitment and dedica- ber how much I appreciated cleared tion to STS and all its members. sidewalks when I was a teenager, be 1.7% if you have been in walking to school and how much I receipt of pension for the full Loretta has edited Outreach with dislike negotiating over icy walks year past. If you have received dedication for many years and has now. But more importantly, I do it your pension for only part of the nurtured its growth and develop- because it is the right thing to do, year, the COLA will be prorated. ment. Outreach is our main channel runny nose and watery eyes • A first draft Budget for 2007-08 of communication, our link to notwithstanding. was received by the Executive almost 8000 members. On behalf of all of us, I extend our most sincere The last time I was shovelling, for discussion. The 2007-08 Proposed Budget will be pub- thanks for that dedication. We are thinking why am I doing this, I holding its result in our hands. segued to other things that are the lished in the March edition of right thing to do. Like addressing Outreach for your consideration. Shirley Henderson has been our the unfunded liability of the • For those of you who are mem- Office Manager for seven years. Hers is the patient, cheerful and Teachers’ Superannuation Plan. It bers of the Extended Health too, is not a pretty picture and over knowledgeable voice you hear Plan, I refer you to the Group decades has accumulated like a when you call with a question. If Benefits Committee Report. The snowdrift in a howling blizzard! she can’t help immediately, she’ll Executive has taken the deci- And like shovelling my sidewalk, find the answer as soon as she can. sion to terminate the pilot pro- addressing it now is the right thing We will miss that. Again, on behalf ject electronic submission of to do. It is time the government of all of us, thank you for your years claims for drug cost reimburse- acknowledges that successive of dedication to the cause of the STS ment effective March 31, 2007. decades of governments did not and to the needs of each individual Beginning April 1st we will contribute their portion to the member. return to sending in our pre- superannuation fund and that now scription receipts to Blue Cross Best wishes to both women as they is the time to address that issue. The for reimbursement as we did in embark on the next stage of their Saskatchewan economy is healthy the past. retirement life. and the government has surplus funds. Funds that should be used to begin to address the shortfall it caused. As the STF goes into the next round of collective bargaining, I hope that Cost of Living Adjustment the government will acknowledge All superannuates who have received an allowance from the Teachers’ its responsibility to both the active Superannuation Commission or the Saskatchewan Teachers Retirement and Superannuated Teachers of Plan for the full 2006 year will have their allowances adjusted upwards Saskatchewan. Over decades we by 1.7% effective January 1, 2007. Superannuates who have received an teachers upheld our end of the con- allowance for less than the full 2006 year will have their increases pro- tract–contributing to our pensions, rated. it’s time the government addresses theirs. It’s the right thing to do. 2 Saskatchewan Seniors Mechanism - Peter Wiebe The Saskatchewan Seniors Only those Board of Directors 6. Outputs (should be quantifiable) Mechanism President, Fern Haight, whose organizations are not Direct products of program activi- hosted the annual Christmas Come involved in applying for a grant ties and Go on Thursday, December 7, will evaluate the submissions. 2006. Over 80 guests attended the 7. Program Outcomes (Results) Christmas Come and Go, including In the past, a five-category process Changes (in behaviors, knowledge, Mrs. Betty Calvert, Regina Mayor was used for Grant Evaluation. This attitude, skills, or emotional/psy- Mr. Pat Fiacco, and other digni- year we adopted a 10-step process chological state) as a result of par- taries, including Dave Forbes, to be consistent with the SPRA 10 ticipating in the program Step Process. Below is a listing of Minister of Labour; Regina 8. Environmental Scanning Counsellors, Mike O'Donnell and the categories used for our Grant Evaluation Process: (Results) Fred Clipsham. Outside factors that positively or Our primary focus at our last SSM Grant Allocations Analysis negatively impact program meetings was the consideration of 1. Identity Target Group (Goals) 9. Review Logic Model (Results) the SPRA Grant requests. Six Identify individuals, populations, Are inputs identified sufficiently to Associations submitted their groups, or communities that are produce desired outcomes? Are requests for grants. direct beneficiaries there additional inputs required? The tentative SPRA Grant Timeline 2. Program Need (Goals) 10. Indicator Statements (Results) was set as follows: Need (problem, situation, issue) Further information describing ben- October 17, 2006 program addresses efits and/or enhancements of pro- gram Call for Applications to SSM 3. Program Vision (Goals) Member Organizations Long-term impact on target group Those of us on the Board of November 24, 2006 Directors whose organizations are 4. Input (should be quantifiable) not involved in applying for a grant Deadline for member Organization Includes financial resources Application Submission evaluated the submissions, and (expense sheet), human resources, submitted our evaluations. These December 21, 2006 facilities, equipment, supplies, and evaluations will be collated, and Deadline for Evaluation Submission materials then submitted to SPRA by January 31, 2007. This has been an interest- January 31, 2007 5. Activities (should be quantifable) Key activities that produce desired ing process and a learning experi- Deadline for Submission of Grant ence. Application to SPRA outcomes STS Benefit Plan Alert As we approach the end of the first fiscal year in our current three year agreement with Saskatchewan Blue Cross, it appears that we may experience a small deficit in the Extended Health Plan. The claims have been significant- ly higher than expected, mainly as a result of inflation, higher drug costs and increased utilization. The Plan should have sufficient reserves to ensure that the premiums will remain unchanged for the remaining two years of our contract. However, we felt it was important to alert Plan participants in the Extended Health Plan that we will be faced with a premium increase in 2009 if utilization continues to escalate. It is important to view the Plan as an insurance plan and to remind ourselves that we are the only ones who can control the costs of the Plan. As a result of increased costs to the Extended Health Plan and significant administrative problems regarding the use of the Saskatchewan Blue Cross Card for submitting drug claims electronically, please be advised that the electronic claims pilot project will be discontinued effective March 31, 2007. 3 Support Services Report - Ernie Epp Your Support Services committee ed to submit any activity it might Possible Long Term plan. All of met on January 17 and discussed have conducted to enhance this these, we found, were all already in the status of this service, especially Subject Area.