School and Community Summer 2023

professional to then find time to carve out and research what’s going on at the Capitol, what legislators are thinking we need to be doing in our classrooms and what’s going on with our retirement system. It’s mind-blowing that we have so much to do, which is why we have professional organizations like MSTA and PSRS/PEERS. It is critical for individuals to be in the right positions there. They are advocates for us because, most of the time, many teachers do not have the time physically in their day or energy in their day to go home and research all of that. That’s why I’m so thankful for MSTA being our voice at the Capitol. Most working professionals are so focused on what we must do to meet the needs of our students. We don’t have the freedom or luxury of time to look through all of the things coming out of the Capitol and in the financial world. I’ve worked with Matt Michelson quite a bit through our Government Relations Committee, and PSRS/PEERS also has a gentleman by the name of Mike Moorefield who is their chief council. And I got to meet him and our lobbyists for PSRS/PEERS. They have to look at what the state’s doing with pensions, and it was just lovely to get to see that side of things because that was not something, quite frankly, that I’d ever really considered. When my time comes for retirement (hopefully many, many, many moons from now), I’ll know that it’s a wonderful system that will take care of me. I would never have had this opportunity without being a member of MSTA. When I spoke with a former MSTA member who had done this position previously, she said it was the single most rewarding thing she’d ever done as a professional. I thought, “Wow, that’s powerful to say that.” Because of my involvement with MSTA, I was able to have this opportunity that I would never have gotten to have. How has your involvement with MSTA impacted your work with the Board?

I mean, that’s amazing. That’s huge. My superintendent said to me, “Katie, you may not have many opportunities prior to becoming a principal. We do not have a lot of opportunities during the regular school year to work as practicing administrators. But through your involvement and leadership in your professional organization, you are able to have conversations with central office staff. You are able to have conversations with administrators. You are able to do these things and that shows leadership.” Showing leadership in your professional organization can also reflect your ability to be a leader of people in your job capacity, so I would encourage any new members to get involved. They should speak with their building representatives about how they can get involved with the building. A lot of CTAs have many opportunities for things they do at the local level. And I think volunteers are something nobody ever has too many of. Then eventually, you become a lifer like me. You start going to everything and then you meet all kinds of crazy, amazing individuals from all over the state that you adore. I know so many more individuals through MSTA and my life is blessed and better because of MSTA. Not only professionally, but personally as well. Another recent MSTA Presents podcast episode features PSRS/PEERS Executive Director, Dearld Snider, who discussed the board, the market, retirement trends and how to prepare for retirement. Listen at mstapresents.podbean.com. Do you have any questions for Katie Webb about the Public School & Education Employee Retirement Systems or MSTA involvement? Let us know at www.motea.ch/PSRSQuestions and we will be in contact soon.

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