Alpha Kappa Newsletter
Alpha Phi State
Mission Statement: The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International promotes professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education.
Fall 2017 Volume 12Number 2
October Meeting
The Chapter met at the Forman community Center in Lahmansville, Oct. 14 in a room decorated with beautiful fall décor. Jo Ann Harman delivered the blessing before a delicious brunch served by the Lahmansville CEOS club. Betty Inskeep presented devotions centered on a Mason jar holding a fall arrangement. She used the autumn colors to inspire listeners to exhibit their colors.
Copies of “Recipes for a Successful Teaching Experience” have been distributed to new teachers in each county. More copies will be printed in the fall. The booklet is available on the chapter website,
Reports were presented from each county about the involvement in both the “Read Aloud” and “Books for Backpacks” programs.
The highlight of the meeting was the initiation of new members, Missy Whetzel, nominated by Grant County, Amber Shockey, nominated by Hardy County, and Peggy High and Dr. Nancy Williams, nominated by Hampshire County. They became members in a traditional candle-lighting ceremony and were presented a red rose, the symbol of DKG.
President Warner awarded Donna See the ROSE award for all her work in coordinating the “Books for Backpacks” project for Hampshire County.
Mary Gunter, Helena Twigg, and Marianna Leone won raffle items.
November Meeting
On Saturday, November 4 Alpha Kappa met at the Fireside Café in Franklin, WV. In honor of Veteran’s Day, the tables were set with patriotic decorations. Sue Harper delivered blessings before the brunch. Vice President Sue Alkire called the meeting to order. Cynthia Yokum shared inspirational thoughts from the book
To Teach is to Touch Lives Forevergiven to her by Carolyn Harper. She read several quotes to remind us that the lives we touch will become our memories.
Pamela Boggs and Rosanne Glover gave a report from State Conference at Glade Springs.
Ruby Alvaro sent a message that the recipient of the book scholarship at Potomac State was Susannah Sine from Hampshire County. She came highly recommended by her professors.
The nominating committee was reminded that a new slate of officers for the next biennium will be needed in March.
Kinzley Hartman (8th grader) presented the program “HiStory is Mystory” It was a wonderful presentation of the history of Fort Seybert and her own family tree. She presented at local, regional and state competitions.
Pam Boggs won the beautiful Christmas basket. Marianna Leone won the gorgeous fall basket. Vickie Skavenski and Sue Alkire won delicious pumpkin bread.
Alpha Kappa’s 2017 auction for the benefit of the DKG World Fellowship scholarships brought in $444.00 on Nov. 4, 2017. Pam Boggs, World Fellowship Committee Chair, would like to thank members present for their generous bids and donations of auction items, along with thanks to others, either unable to attend and/or present who made additional donations of money. Lucky bidders went home with some beautiful and useful items in addition to some homemade goodies. Gayle Allen, committee member, again served as our auctioneer. Her service in doing this task is much appreciated. Thanks goes to Sharon Harr, Vickie Skavenski, and Vickie Lambert, other committee members who kept the auction going by organizing, showing, and delivering items to winning bidders.
Joys and Recognitions
Ann Warner retired in June, 2017.
Jo Ann Harman shared a visit with Rae Ellen McKee at the annual WV Teacher of the Year Awards Banquet.
Rae was state and national teacher of the year in 1991.She is a former member of Alpha Kappa. The others pictured were State Teachers of the yearBeverly Hoffmaster in 1992, Jo Ann Harman in 1996, Rosemary Phillips in 1983, and Andrea Santos in 2016.
Gayle Allen took a river cruise including Paris in June, 2017.
Amber Champ is the new principal at Moorefield Intermediate School.
Melinda Chambers is selling books at the Southern Christmas Show in Charlotte, NC and at The Greenbrier.
Ann Bennett is working with one of the 17 Nationwide Lego Science grants. Her second graders from North Fork Elementary presented their project at Potomac State College on Nov.4.
Vickie Skavenski has a trip planned on June 1, 2018, for a Kenyan Safari if anyone is interested, contact her.
Gayle Allen has been awarded a grant for her Kindergarten class in the STEAM area by the Community Foundation.
Sue Alkire’s great nephew, Evan Staley #30 kicked his first field goal for WVU and 4 extra points at the Oklahoma State game. He kicked 2 more field goals and 2 more extra points in WVU’s win over Iowa State.
Angela Propst was named 2017 Grant County’s Teacher of the Year.
Melinda Chambers was the keynote speaker at the Keyser Area CEOS Leadership Day on October 31st.Melindaspoke on how she connects storytelling, canning and leadership in her keynote speech entitled “Together We Can”. “CEOS,Together We Can”was the theme chosen by the State Extension Service this year.
Illness and Distress
JoAnn Wilking is no longer able to be an active member due to her health. Members are asked to send her cards. Her address is 207 N. Elm St., Moorefield, WV 26836.
Carolyn Shuman continues to be unable to attend due to the health of her husband.
Meet the New Members
Amber Shockey graduated from Shepherd Universityin December, 2012. She began her teaching career with Hardy County Schools in the fall of 2013. She taught fifth grade for three years before switching to third grade. Sheis currently in her second year of teaching third grade at Moorefield Intermediate School. In the 2016-2017 school year, she was named Moorefield Intermediate School's Teacher of the Year.Amber lives in Moorefield with her husband, Tyler, and their two cats, Max and Maverick. In her spare time, she enjoys baking, crafting, traveling,and spending time with her family and friends.
Missy Whetzelis employed by Grant County Schools as Agricultural Education Teacher. Before coming to Petersburg, she worked 9 ½ years in Penn State Extension as a youth educator and has been in WV for 14 years. Missy is active in the state and regional FFA. She volunteers for both Grant and Hardy 4-H programs. She attends Duffey United Methodist Church. She volunteers with Moorefield Youth Basketball and Little League. She serves on the Tri County Fair Committee and is a chairperson.
Dr. Nancy Williams is currently a long-term substitute teacher of Gifted and Talented in Monongalia County. She has 30 years of experience as a professional educator with a doctorate in Educational Leadership. She has been active in Hampshire County PTA groups. She is a member of the Romney United Methodist Church where she has served as youth leader, Bible School teacher and Christmas program director.
Peggy High has taught for 22 years.She taught English as a Second Language and English at Glenville State College. She taught special education in Grant, Hardy, and Hampshire counties as well as in Frederick County, VA. Currently, she is employed as an English teacher at Hampshire High School.Her hobbies are reading cozy mysteries (Agatha Christie is her favorite author.), watching classical movies and British TV, and working crossword puzzles. Studying history is an interest, too, especially the Regency period of Jane Austin. She is an armchair traveler and loves to read and learn about other cultures.
Upcoming Events
November 17th and 18th at 7pm and November 19th at 2pm WV Theatre East will perform “Once Upon a Wolf” with children actors at Landes Arts Center in Petersburg. Tickets are $5.00 at the door.
Susan Garrett shared that “Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus” will be performedat McCoy’s Grand Theatre on Dec. 1, 2, 8, and 9 at 7 p.m. and on Dec. 3, 9, and 10 at 2 p.m. Admission is $10/Adults and $7/Students.
Friday, December 1st, there is a free concert at the Landes Arts Center in Petersburg titled “Community Christmas Chorus” directed by Rosanne Gloverand featuring Dorothy Harper and others.
World War II Radio Christmas- Dec. 1-2, 7-9 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 3 and 9 at 2 p.m at Smith Studio Theatre, Frostburg State University.Celebrate the holiday season witha 1940s live-radio broadcast where fun jingles, live sound effects and period songs fill the airwaves between moving stories of male and female soldiers and the families and communities affected by their absence. Produced in collaboration with FSU's own public radio station, 91.9 WFWM, this heart-warming, family-friendly production stresses the importance of coming together for the holidays.
A Tennessee Christmas-Dec. 3 at 3 p.m. at Church-McKee Arts Center in KeyserThis concert spotlights the vocal harmonies of Meagan Atkinsand Jason Cramerwith a variety of pop, country, jazz, and intimate acoustic arrangements of Christmas classics old and new. Also, Meagan’s finger style guitar and Jason’s “slip note” piano pay tribute to the signature sound made famous by Meagan’s uncle, Chet Atkins, and Jason’s grandfather, Floyd Cramer.
Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr. will be presenting his all new Christmas Show on December 9th at the Landes Arts Center at 7pm. WV’s own Americas Got Talent winner with Hall of Fame and Mountain Stage pianist, Bob Thompson
2018 Spring Meetings
March 17 with Eta Chapter
April 14 Hardy County
Proposed PEIA Changes
The PEIA Finance Board revealed a proposed fiscal year 2019 plan on Oct. 19, and both WVARSE and WVEA have real concerns about the plan and how it will affect active employees and retirees. The finance board may vote to have far fewer tiers that determine an employee’s premium. If PEIA moves from 10 tiers to three tiers, employees in Plan A who earn up to $36,000 would pay $64 for their own monthly premium. A similar employee who earns between $36,001 and $62,500 would pay $94 per month in Plan A, while an employee in Plan A who earns $62,501 or more would pay $147 a month in premiums. A major change in the plan would require that premiums be paid by the person. For instance, Plan A employees would pay $51 per month for each dependent under age 21, $73 per month for each dependent over 21 and $146 to cover a spouse, according to the proposal. A family with more than three children under 21 would not be required to pay an additional premium for the fourth or fifth child, but there is no per-dependent premium maximum on children 21 and older. PEIA also is planning to take total family income into account if an employee’s spouse is covered by PEIA. For instance, an education support professional (cook, aide, bus driver, custodian, etc.) in Plan A who earns an average salary of $27,461, has a spouse who does not work and two children under 21 would pay $936 a year more in family premiums under the proposal. If the employee’s spouse does work, and earns the same pay, they would pay nearly $1,300 more in premiums for a family plan.
Consider the same situation, but for a teacher in Plan A who earns $45,554 each year. If that is the family’s only income, then their premiums will be almost entirely unchanged. But if the teacher’s spouse earns the same salary and their two children are also covered, they would be paying nearly $650 more each year in premiums. There are more concerns with factoring in total family income, which is defined as the sum of the spouses’ adjusted gross income. The money received by a spouse who doesn’t work and receives disability would be included as adjusted gross income, as would the military retirement pay of the spouse or the state employee. Deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums also would vary based on total family income for employees who cover their spouse. For instance, a single employee in Plan A who earns $46,000 each year could have a $475 deductible and a $2,525 out-of-pocket maximum, based on current estimates.
Pharmacy deductibles will be removed for active employee members in plans A, B and D. But preferred brand drugs which cost members $25 or $30 would require 30 percent co-insurance. That could lead to a $100 maximum cost for a 30-day prescription or a $200 maximum for a 90-day prescription drug.People who need these drugs are going to be hurt most by this proposal. This includes those participants who are currently taking drugs on the Preferred Brand list or those who may be prescribed one of these drugs in the future. For someone who is ill and taking multiple drugs on the Preferred Brand list it will represent a significant increase in out-of-pocket costs.
Retirees also could see 2 percent premium increases and similar pharmacy and plan changes as active employees. They also would see the same pay-by-person premium changes as active employees.
The PEIA Finance Board is expected to vote on the Fiscal Year 2019 plan on December 7.
Articlesubmitted by Jo Ann Harman, President West Virginia Association of Retired School Employees for your information.
The Alpha Kappa Newsletter will be published twice a year after the fall and spring meetings. If you have items for the Alpha Kappa Newsletter, please submit them to Betty Inskeep, editor at 10 Central Ave. Petersburg, WV 26847 or email to