Executive Committee Updates

Executive Report for the April 2024 e-newsletter

Welcome to April and one of the busiest months for the Board of Directors. Spring takes hold, what is left of our winter says goodbye and we start to see the return of warmer weather, longer days and the colours of nature coming back to life. Below are the updates from the Executive Committee from the past month.

REMINDER: we have set the date, location and format for the 2024 RTAM Annual General Meeting.
- Location: Hilton Winnipeg Airport Suites 1800 Wellington Ave (Winnipeg, MB)
- Date: May 8th, 2024
- Time: 9am - 430pm
- In-person and online registration is open.
- The landing page for AGM information on the RTAM website can be found here.
RTAM is still seeking volunteers for their Committees starting in May/June. RTAM Committees meet monthly other than during July and August and meetings usually last between one and two hours. We encourage you to join a committee or if you would like to suggest the formation of a new committee, please consider volunteering today! Forms can be sent to Denise in the office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
RTAM is still seeking 2-3 new Directors to join the Board for 2024-2025. If you are interested, please fill out a form and send it to Denise in the office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Instructions on the process can be found here.
- We want to highlight 4 Directors who are seeking re-election to the Board. Please visit the AGM website to learn more about each Director and the positions they are seeking.
  - Gabe Mercier - Seeking to become RTAM President (Current Vice President)
  - Jayesh Maniar - Seeking to return as RTAM Secretary (Current Secretary)
  - Betty-Jean Checkley - Seeking to return as a Director (Currently a Director)
  - Peter Narth - Seeking to return as a Director (Currently a Director)
- We would also like to thank the outgoing Directors for their time and dedication to our Board, Committees, Members, Community and Organization as a whole. These volunteers put in countless hours this year to help advance numerous documents, plans and project and helped RTAM grow. We have the utmost thanks for these amazing people completing their service and moving on to new adventures and challenges.
  - Linda Blair - President
  - Brent Corrigan - Treasurer
  - Dianne Snider - Director
  - Gisele Gregoire - Director
  - Kelvon Gordon Smith - Director
The tentative budget for 2024-2025 has been completed (pending approval at the AGM). This budget will deliver a new website, increased staffing, membership cards and protected money for Chapters moving forward! The budget can be found on the AGM page.
RTAM has partnered with the Canadian Federation for Economic Education (CFEE). This partnership was signed into effect this past month between both groups and will help deliver free seminars, courses and materials to our members over the coming months and years. These programs will not only offer a wealth of retirement, investment and tax knowledge to RTAM members almost immediately, the new partnership will also create volunteer and mentorship opportunities for retired teachers to work with active students. This partnership will help us engage with several layers and aspects of the retired teacher and education communities moving forward.
Meetings have continued with our website and CRM partners. This past month the Executive and the Board were shown some of the new features that will be accessible to our members through their new membership profiles and portals on the website. These new features will allow improved communication between members, Chapters and Special Interest Groups, while also increasing access to RTAM updates and giving each member more control over their profile and journey with RTAM.
We continue to offer our members online seminars and added even more events and seminars to the spring and summer program this past month. Please check the event page regularly for a list of upcoming events.
The golf tournament is just around the corner and we're excited to grow the event for another year. We will be heading back to Quarry Oaks for the second year in a row to experience 9 new holes as part of their 27 hole offerings. We are also going to be adding new events and features for those members taking part in the event:
- Chance to win a car with a hole in one!
- Photo booth for golfers to remember the day!
- More prizes and snacks for everyone!!!
- SAVE THE DATE - Friday August 30th, 2024
RTAM had their liaison meeting with MTS this past month and were able to talk about renewing the relationship for the coming years (which we hope to sign this spring) and all sorts of active teaching and retired teacher concerns in addition to updates that were brought up and reviewed. We are incredibly thankful for the time and partnership that MTS as well as Nathan Martindale (MTS President) and Cynthia Taylor (MTS Vice President) continue to offer us and our members.
RTAM is incredibly excited for our upcoming meeting with the Liberal Party at the Manitoba Provincial Legislative Building this month. Interim Party Leader, Cindy Lamoureux will be hosting a group of RTAM delegates for a meeting and review of current retired teacher concerns and ideas. This is the second meeting directly being held with Ministers and Party Leaders as we have just met with Minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning, Nello Altomare in February. We continue the meetings in May or June with the leader of the opposition, Wayne Ewasko of the PC Party of Manitoba.
We continue to do some great work through our Substitute Teacher Concerns Committee and we really want to thank Gabe Mercier and Audrey Siemens for all their added work and effort to advance the group this past year. We are very excited for the upcoming seminar on April 27th discussing Substitute Teacher Concerns with our members. Audrey, Gabe and members of the RTAM Board of Directors as well as the Committee will be joining Brad Prokop from TRAF (who continue to be amazing and supportive partners to RTAM). Registration for this event can be found on our events page.

The RTAM Executive

Linda Blair, President

Gabe Mercier, Vice President

Jayesh Maniar, Secretary

Brent Corrigan, Treasurer

RTAM MEMBER BENEFITS	STUDENT BENEFITS
1. The project will provide the means and incentive to increase communication between RTAM members and their family high school students they are sponsoring.	1 Portfolios encourage the collection of artifacts and evidence by the student to support their successful writing of award and scholarships applications.
2. Recognizing the importance of a post-secondary education, RTAM members can feel pride in the role they will play in supporting their family members to be awarded funding to help with the high costs of today’s world.	2 Portfolios help students focus on their knowledge, skills and attitudes to support their successful applications for bursaries and scholarship.
3. This project will provide RTAM members with an opportunity to experience renewed passion in their roles as teacher and mentor working with their family members.	3 Portfolios help students track their changes and growth in important leadership skills through their high school experience.
4. RTAM member involvement with their family members will promote positive mental health opportunities during a time when COVID has caused many to experience social and physical isolation.	4 Portfolios assist the student in becoming more aware of their own learning experiences and history.
5. RTAM member involvement will support a sense of purpose in their lives and offer them a sense of social value to society.	5 Portfolios provide a framework to encourage students’ self-assessment leading to a more accurate choice of how they want to spend their future, their career aspirations.
6. RTAM members will increase their opportunities to know and understand their youth family members’ challenges and issues while developing a relationship and creating a sense of trust.	6 Portfolios provide a framework with resources for building a resume and completing university/college entrance applications as well as job applications.
7. RTAM members can offer direct input into the writing of the applications to enhance the students’ chances of being successful.	7 Portfolios save the student the time and agony of trying to recall their experiences and gather all their information to complete applications in their graduating year.
	8 Portfolios provide students support to practice informed decision-making regarding their personal and professional opportunity selections.

Open Hours:

Executive Committee Updates: April 2024

Executive Report for the April 2024 e-newsletter

Student Success Portfolio Program

Mentoring: The Role of the RTAM Sponsor

October 27^th is National Mentoring Day!
Celebrate the day with your family member!

September Discussion Starters

October Discussion Starters