Continuing their mission for education

A small group of retired educators gathered in a conference room in Hayden on Wednesday afternoon.

They discussed a book they had all read, exchanging viewpoints about the characters, story development, the author’s word usage and other book club perspectives that so naturally come from those who spent years teaching students about such things.

A book club is just one element of the North Idaho Education Association Retired Chapter, a nonprofit where retired teachers continue to learn, educate others and advocate for the most crucial part of public education — the students.

“It has the continuum,” chapter secretary and retired Bonners Ferry language arts teacher Jan Studer said.

"I think I can speak for most people who go into education: We go into it for the children," she said. "We don’t go into it for the money because we know we won’t make a fortune there. We have a passion to serve children, we have a passion to make sure the future, which depends on the children, is a positive one for all of us."

The North Idaho retired chapter was founded in 2014 and is one of two in the state. It is affiliated with the Idaho Education Association, of which a majority of the retirees were members while active in their education careers.

North Idaho Education Association Retired Chapter past secretary Jill Houchin, whose husband Dennis Houchin serves as treasurer, spent her career teaching elementary school in the Lakeland Joint School District. She retired in 2009 and has been a member of the retired chapter since its inception.

“It’s kind of like being back at work, but you’re on the group’s schedule, not work schedule,” Jill Houchin said.

The group of about 30 provides a colleague community, she explained, where educators share interests, differing points of view, teaching experiences and positive impacts their work has had on local families.

Prior to COVID, members volunteered where needed. Those opportunities are sparse now, but members are creative in other ways to share their institutional knowledge and support teachers still active in the profession.

“We would also go into a district building and throw a luncheon for teachers to say, ‘We know where you are, we’ve been there with you. We just want to say thanks for still being there,’” Houchin said.

A priority for the retired members is generating revenue for the Idaho Education Association Children’s Fund, a special fund devoted to providing financial assistance to children in need. It’s overseen by a council and run by volunteers, so every penny donated helps a student, whether it’s providing a pair of glasses, a backpack or new clothing if a fire destroys a family’s home.

“Every dollar that is donated goes directly to the Children’s Fund,” Studer said. “That money is handed out directly to families.”

Retired members also keep their eyes on the legislature. Having been trained in ballot initiatives and referendums, they keep abreast of legislative goings-on regarding education.

Studer and Houchin commented on the present legislative session and Gov. Brad Little’s plans for surplus spending and the $300 million boost for Idaho’s public schools.

Studer said Little’s amount is wonderful, but “we’re so far at the bottom we need even more.”

“Idaho children deserve the same as all children. I came from Minnesota and I was pretty shocked,” she said. “Education and how we fund schools and programs and how we fund our investment in kids is not the same across the nation. Idaho kids deserve the same as all the kids in the nation.”

Houchin said Little’s plan to use some surplus money on education “would be tremendous for Idaho students.”

“We are the last in the nation in what we spend per student. It used to be Mississippi and Arkansas, and now it’s us,” she said. “I don’t understand it because the legislators have different opinions about the quality of education in Idaho, but yet they’re satisfied to stay as the last in the nation to fund education.”

Retired chapter members enjoy socializing and learning new skills as they pursue their mission for education. Retired art teacher Tama Meyer presents an art class for the members, EngAGE Artfully, that is supported by funds granted through the Idaho Education Association Retired Council. Their art creations are turned into greeting cards that are sold at the Idaho Education Association Delegate Assembly and other events. Proceeds are used for operational expenses and support the Children’s Fund.

Any retired educator is welcome to join the North Idaho Education Association Retired Chapter. Each member pays yearly dues.

Anyone can donate to the Children’s Fund. Email Studer at jan.studer@frontier.com for details.

“We’re just a passionate group,” Studer said. “We stand on each others’ shoulders. It’s all of us in a pyramid; nobody’s doing everything by themselves. We wouldn’t be able to accomplish what we do without all of these people.”