Members

It pays to plan ahead -- and MEA members don’t have to pay much to do just that.

Every MEA member is eligible for free life insurance through NEA Member Benefits, as well as deep discounts on group term and individual life insurance plans through MEA Financial Services.

Oprah Winfrey credits her for helping the “Queen of Talk” get to where she is today.

A veteran of three space missions, Ed Lu remembers him for teaching the NASA astronaut all about hard work and perseverance.

From heroes in space and in the sports arena, from celebrities to community leaders, from high-achieving entrepreneurs to everyday individuals, everyone has a story about the teachers who helped shape their lives, define their dreams, expand their horizons and launch their futures toward the stars.

Buena Vista teachers met Monday and decided to continue working this week, even though they learned on Friday that the district had run out of money to pay their salaries on time. Despite the teachers' selfless action, the Buena Vista School Board voted Monday night to lay all of the teachers off.

At an emergency meeting last night, the Buena Vista Board of Education voted to lay off its employees, effective May 31. This action came mere hours after teachers voted to continue working this week, despite having no guarantee when they would get paid for that work by the cash-strapped district.

“Yesterday, we again saw proof that Michigan’s educators put their students first, with the decision by the teachers of the Buena Vista Education Association to continue working this week,” MEA President Steve Cook said. “These dedicated educators wanted what is best for their students — to give their school district and the state the time and assistance necessary to work out a plan to keep school open for this final month of the year.”

“But last night, we yet again saw proof that politicians, administrators and other so-called ‘leaders’ consistently put money first and our kids last,” Cook said. “Faced with a selfless offer of help from their employees to continue working, without the guarantee of a paycheck next payday, Buena Vista’s school board and administration gave up on their students and employees and laid everyone off. “

Ironically, the Buena Vista Board of Education’s move comes during the launch of national Teacher Appreciation Week.

The MEA Representative Assembly held its spring meeting April 26-27 at the Lansing Center in Lansing.

MEA delegates approved a 3.9 percent spending reduction for the 2013-14 MEA continuation budget at the April 27 MEA Representative Assembly in Lansing.

This budget shows MEA is tightening its belt while still providing top-notch representation and membership advantages to the teachers, education support professionals and higher education employees who comprise MEA.

Drew Campbell, Eric Minore and Jenifer Almassy were elected to the NEA Board of Directors.

Three MEA members were elected by their peers to the NEA Board of Directors at the MEA Regional Assembly on Saturday.

Drew Campbell, a custodian engineer from Waterford, and Eric Minore, a math teacher at Swartz Creek Middle School, were elected to three-year terms that begin Sept. 1.

Jenifer Almassy, a computer and English teacher in Reese Public Schools, was elected to a term beginning immediately and ending Aug. 31, 2013.