PEA-Retired

YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND MEETINGS

PEAR meetings are held each month of the year that does not start with the letter "J ". Meetings are generally held at 10:30 am in the Polk Education Association building 730 E. Davidson Street, Bartow, Florida.

MEETING DATES ARE

FEBRUARY 8

MARCH 8

APRIL 12

MAY 10

AUGUST (TBD)

Meetings are followed by lunch at a nearby restaurant.

Joining Hands to Accomplish More

Through involvement in Polk Education Association-Retired and it's affiliates, members are kept informed of programs designed to improve and strengthen the retirement experience, and to maintain their interest and involvement in public education and their community through mentoring, volunteering and being knowledgeable about education and community issues.

PEAR members stay engaged with pressing issues facing students, public education, and educators.
PEAR is an organization that works to preserve, protect and improve retirement pension and health benefits, Social Security, and Medicare.
PEAR members are part of the over 4,500 FEA-Retired and 335,000 NEA Retired members.
PEAR members continue to work with and support PEA members to achieve mutual organizing, bargaining, legislative, and political action goals.
PEAR members enjoy socialization and camaraderie with other retired educators.
PEAR members receive periodic PEAR UPDATES by email.
PEAR members continue to receive FEA, NEA, and AFT member benefits.

PEAR LEADERSHIP

President Bernie Warren grew up in New Jersey and received the BA degree from Rutgers University. Following her marriage, she resided in Pennsylvania until moving to Florida in 1976 where her husband worked for the University of Florida, and she began working as a Middle School counselor.

The family relocated to Polk County in1988 where they continue to reside. Bernie began work as counselor at the Bartow Academy and while there she earned National Board Certification and began as a part-time Adjunct Professor at Polk state College where taught individuals with a four-year degree to earn Teacher Certification. She also completed two master’s degrees at the University of South Florida, in Counselor Education and Educational Leadership.

Since retirement, she became involved in environmental & social causes and joined the Polk County retired teachers’ union, PEA-R, where she now serves as president. Bernie enjoy times with family, traveling and daily bike rides. She also enjoyed volunteering at Theatre Winter Haven and is currently a Reading Pal to eight kindergarten children at Highland City Elementary.

Her husband, Chuck, is retired and is the author of 2 books and working on a third. They are proud grandparents of four. Bernie’s daughter is a physician on private practice and Chuck’s son does staff development for IBM.

Secretary Molly Bailey was born and raised in Western New York State until her family moved to Auburndale, Florida where she started fourth grade. She attended Polk Community College as an early admission student and graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of South Florida where she was a member of Kappa Delta Pi and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Societies.

Molly began her career as a Secondary ESE teacher of Daily Living Skills at Fruitland Park/Karen M. Siegel Academy where she was nominated as their Teacher of the Year. She also was Resource ESE teacher at Eagle Lake Elementary, later in ESE Pre-K and First Grade at Brigham Academy, and Kindergarten and First Grade at Pinewood Elementary.

She retired in 2016 and immediately tagged along to Italy, France and Spain with Marvin Holt and his daughter who had studied abroad in that area. Iceland, England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales were some of the other wonderful destinations before Covid 19 brought that joy to a sudden halt.

Her son is a Certified Financial Planner and Partner at CPS Investment Advisors in Lakeland. Her daughter-in-law is a former Polk County Public School teacher now supervising student interns at Florida Southern College.

Molly enjoys participating in church functions including volunteering at the food pantry, visiting local attractions and parks in addition to antiquing and bargain shopping.

Treasurer Ann Mailloux