MAINE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION RETIRED
MAINE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION RETIREDMAINE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION RETIREDMAINE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION RETIRED~Promoting the economic, professional and social welfare of retired educators.
MAINE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION RETIRED
~Promoting the economic, professional and social welfare of retired educators.
Home Page Content (Scroll down to find these features.)
Announcements
Pictures from 2025 & 2026 Meetings and Events
A Message From Our President & Association Review Initiative Committee (ARI)
Scheduled Events, Convention Notices, Awards/Grants Due Dates, and Volunteer/Exercise Tracking
Legislative News
The Clarion
Dental Plan
AARP Maine
Helpful Links (Including Link to NEA-Retired)
Contact Us
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2026 Affiliate Leadership Award Recipients Announced
A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. —John Maxwell
Our local affiliates recognize members who demonstrate
exemplary service to others in schools and communities. See the June issue of The Clarion for a description of recipients.
MEA-Retired Highlights
MEA-Retired - New Slate of Officers (2025-2027)
MEA-Retired - New Slate of Officers (2025-2027)
Molly Smith, President; Julie Gomez, President-elect; Roger Roy, Treasurer; Marilyn Burton, Secretary; and Barbara Hammond, Information Coordinator.
MEA-Retired at MEA-RA May 17-18, 2025
MEA-Retired - New Slate of Officers (2025-2027)
MEA-Retired is very well represented!
From right to left (front row): Grace Leavitt, Molly Smith, Barbara Bricker, Julie Gomez, Gary McGrane.
From right to left (second row): Ben Paradis, Doug Larlee, Marilyn Burton, Kay Grindall, Belinda Micucci, Jen Perry, Roger Roy.
NEA Representative Assembly from July 3-7, 2025
Twenty-three delegates of MEA and MEA-Retired represented more than 23,000 MEA active and retired members at the NEA Representative Assembly in Portland, Oregon.
MEA-Retired at MEA-RA May 16-17, 2026
MEA-Retired is very well represented!
Pictured L to R front row - Marilyn Burton, Linda Prescott, Deb Butler, and Gary McGrane. Pictured L to R second row - Julie Gomez, Jen Perry, Molly Smith, and Grace Leavitt. Pictured L to R third row - Doug Larlee, Bo Zabierek, Kay Grindall, and Ben Paradis.
MEA-Retired at MEA-RA May 16-17, 2026
MEA-Retired at MEA-RA May 16-17, 2026
Kay Grindall receiving a well-deserved award for her service as MEA-Retired representative on the MEA Board of Directors.
Legislative News
Legislative News Is Time Sensitive
The Legislature returned in January 2026 for the “short session.”
• This session is specifically for “emergency” legislation and bills not finally acted upon last year.
• The session is expected to last from January until mid-April, but can be extended.
The Second Regular Session of the 132nd Maine Legislature convened January 7, 2026 at 10:00 AM. The statutory adjournment date was set for April 15, 2026. The 2nd Regular Session of the 132nd Maine Legislature is now adjourned.
There is a stark partisan divide.
• The Maine Senate has 20 Democrats and 15 Republicans.
• The Maine House has 75 Democrats, 73 Republicans, 3 unenrolleds.
• Governor Janet Mills has frustrated our efforts to make progress for our members.
Go HERE to get links to the latest information. Go HERE to go to the State Legislature's Home Page.
Delta Dental Plan
Open enrollment for Northeast Delta Dental Insurance has closed.
Enrollment Period
Ended December 14, 2025. You will be notified when the next open
enrollment begins.
Coverage Began
February 1, 2026
Deadline to Submit Forms
Now closed.
New Monthly Premiums - Effective Feb 1, 2026
Coverage Type Monthly Premium
Retiree only $63.65
Retiree + 1 $108.42
Retiree + 2 or more $170.74
A new enrollment/change form (under Tools and Forms link) will be posted when available. For more information contact Lisa Collins at lcollins@maineea.org, by phone at 207.888.3804, or by mail to MEA, PO Box 310, Caribou, ME 04736.
Generally, if you're already enrolled and do not want any changes you will automatically be re-enrolled each year.
Helpful Links and Important Messages
LINKS TO:
NEA-Retired: https://www.nea.org/nea-councils/nea-retired
Link to the Social Security Administration at https://www.ssa.gov/.
To learn more about getting started with Medicare, link to Medicare at https://www.medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare
More information about the Social Security Fairness Act can be found at https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/social-security-fairness-act.html
The Maine Public Employees Retirement System can be accessed at https://www.mainepers.org/
STATE-WIDE FOOD PANTRIES
The Good Shepherd Food Bank has a list and link to a map of state-wide food pantries here. You can also find the location of nearby food pantries in your community by calling your town office.
CDC Covid-19 page HERE
Maine CDC page HERE.
