Family Focus The Credit Union Perspective By: John Normandeau, President/CEO BestSource Credit Union SPONSORED BY BEST SOURCE CREDIT UNION 'Race To Nowhere' Film sparks look at stress students face in high-pressure academics. Amy Douville Special to the Jewish News M ore than 200 people gath- ered to watch a screen- ing of the film Race to Nowhere, a film that poses dif- ficult questions about how to raise well-adjusted children at a time when schools seem test-obsessed, advanced classes are the norm and parents worry that their sons and daughters will not go as far in life as they have. The screening last month was sponsored by Hillel Day School in Farmington Hills, Frankel Jewish Academy and Temple Shir Shalom, both in West Bloomfield, at The Corners: A Campus for Caring Communities in West Bloomfield. "In learning of Race to Nowhere late last summer, it seemed natural to bring this to our community:' said Rabbi Michael Moskowitz of Shir Shalom. Over the years, we've seen more and more of our kids over- stressed." Moskowitz led a panel discussion after the movie. Panelists included Rabbi Eric Grossman, head of school at FJA; Beverly Stone, educational consultant and former assistant superintendant of the Rochester School District; and Steve Freedman, head of school at Hillel Day School. "It was wonderful to come together as a community of committed educa- tors and parents to view this must- see documentary:' Freedman said. "We Steve agree with the phi- Freedman losophy espoused in the film of edu- cating the whole child. The film definitely makes you take a step back and reconsider many of the tools we used to learn when we were students. I encour- age all educators and parents to see the film if the opportunity presents itself." Grossman added, "It was inspiring to join with Temple Shir Shalom and Hillel Day School in support of our children. We believe strongly in the film's Rabbi message: The goal Grossman of educators is to provide an environ- ment conducive to meaningful learning and achieve- ment, free from debilitating stress and unrealistic expectations. "This sobering film reminded each of us — parents, educators and reli- gious leaders — of our shared corn- mitment to confront and surmount this very real challenge." Moskowitz summarized a common theme heard during the panel discussion, "Teachers, parents and students alike tell us stories of schools teaching to Rabbi a test, of standards Moskowitz required that have little to do with what our kids are learning, of our children being over-programmed and missing out on their childhood. This movie reminded us of that — and implored us to look deeply at what we do to nurture the spirit and individuality within each one of us as well as develop the relationships that are so critical to learning. "It was inspiring that we could collaborate as a community to bring this discussion to so many parents and teachers — and it was encour- aging that among us rabbis and educators how much we agree upon what is truly best for our children:' Moskowitz said. "Of course, now we have to criti- cally think not only about why we do what we do, but what truly is best for our children and what will we do to actively improve this challenging reality." PI Investing in an Individual Retirement Account John N ormandeau, CEO An IRA is a personal savings plan that provides income tax advantages to individuals saving for their retirement. Contributions can be made up to the allowable amounts as determined by the government for that year. Since IRA's were designed to assist you in providing for your retirement, there are penalties imposed for withdrawing these funds before retirement age with a few exceptions. There are five different types of IRA's: Traditional, Coverdell, SEP, Simple and Roth. It's important to review your goals to determine the best IRA fit for your situation. Anyone can start an IRA and it doesn't require a large investment. At most financial institutions, you can start an IRA for as little as five dollars. IRA's are a great resource for people that don't have an employee sponsored retire- ment plan and oftentimes smaller businesses will set-up IRAs for their employees. And remember, if you leave your current place of employment, you can roll your employee sponsored retirement account into an individual IRA giving you control of the funds and avoiding any taxes or penalties. It's not too late to setup an IRA for 2010 or contribute to an already existing IRA. The deadline for tax purposes is April 18, 2011. It's important to plan for your retirement. If you need assistance with this it is best to meet with a financial advisor. A financial advisor will help you look at your investments and help you plan for the future while also evaluating your current financial picture. BestSource Credit Union has a financial advisor on staff that can help you map out a plan. At BestSource Credit Union our mission is to improve our members' financial lives. Stop by a branch or give us a call at 800.666.4500 to see how we can help you achieve your goals. For more information, visit www.bestsourcecu.org . (BEST SOURCE R E. P I I Improving, Mcnthers' Fume is l 1 iv N ION School Goldfi s h We pride ourselves on having the optima learning environment for your little swimmers. ANin us this cease: to experience the difference yourself! (Weekdays from 12.00prn-1;00p - S. . 0 rn) F frcrri (Offered cc'. Saturdays - .=. - , , :t=t,=,,77 • I Where the experience Is Franchise opportunities available. 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