Fayetteville Teachers, Others Accept Early Retirement Offer

Saturday, March 1, 2014

FAYETTEVILLE -- An early retirement plan for longtime School District employees could save more than $5.6 million in salaries and benefits in the next eight years, according to a report to the School Board.

The savings come from hiring less experienced replacements who reduce payroll. Plan administrators, Education Preferred Corporation of Southfield, Mich., project most of the retirees would leave during the next eight years. A total of 86 employees have opted to receive a payout of $50,000 each in monthly payments for five years.

At A Glance

Buyout

The teacher and administrator buyout offer is $50,000 in equal monthly installments for five years. A classified, or support, employee will receive the equivalent of base salary not to exceed $25,000. A classified employee who is a supervisor with a base salary of at least $50,000 will receive $50,000.

Source: Fayetteville School District

Savings also will come from hiring fewer teachers and support personnel. About 77 replacements will be hired. That represents a 90 percent reduction for both groups.

The list includes seven administrators, 55 teachers and 24 classified, or support, employees.

Greg Mones, human resources director, said fewer than anticipated support employees accepted the offer. One of the reasons was the high cost of insurance for retirees, he said.

As for teaching replacements, Mones said principals would have a better idea on the number and placement of teachers after spring counseling sessions at the junior high and high schools and after more is known about teachers leaving the district for another job or moving.

The district is advertising to replace the seven administrators, Mones said. Two are building principals: Anita Lawson at Woodland Junior High School and Bert Stark at Vandergriff Elementary School. Elizabeth Mitchell, assistant principal at Root Elementary School, is also taking the buyout.

Other administrators are Debra Wilson, director of special services; Kathy Spigarelli, director of adult education; Ginny Wiseman, associate superintendent; and Evelyn Marbury, assistant principal at Fayetteville High School.

Bert Stark, principal at Vandergriff Elementary School, said he has no specific plans but it was time to retire. His retirement, like all the others, takes effect June 30.

Gail Johnson-Hogan is one of several special education teachers who plan to leave.

"Teaching is my passion, so the decision to take early retirement was a difficult one, but the buyout opportunity came at exactly the right time for me," Johnson-Hogan said.

She plans to travel, take yoga classes, read for pleasure, garden and spend more time with friends.

"I will really miss the classroom. It's been my life," she said.

Among the teachers, 19 are at the high school as well as Mike New, who teaches at the Washington County Juvenile Detention Center.

Asbell Elementary School and Owl Creek School have six teachers each who are taking the buyout. Woodland has four teachers. The rest are scattered across the district.

The support employees include secretaries, transportation workers, custodians and nurses. The teachers are:

• Adult Education Center: Lana Clark.

• Asbell: Christina Brown, Janette Cooper, Kasi Davis, Jennifer Ebert, Dianna Reyes, Patricia Shepard.

• Butterfield Trail Elementary: Elizabeth Gann, Kay Magness, Donna Modica.

• Happy Hollow: Cheryl Sewell.

• High School: Robin Buff, Barbara Bulla, Vicky Lynn Burnett, Elizabeth Combs, Rebecca Cox, Deborah Crouch, John DeLap, Joel Emerson, Marian Heinrichs, Linda Heter, Susan Hunt, Michael Johnson, Laura Leto, Jonelle Lipscomb, William Rosser, Tamara Stassen, David Young, Debbie McFall.

• Holcomby: Sonya Zimmer.

• Holt: Jean Paul.

• Leverett: Kathy Butler, Stephanie Harter.

• McNair: Sue Gillman.

• Owl Creek: Meredy Dockery, Rene Ellis, Sarah Jaber, Diana Konz, Joanne Pearcey, Terry Mary.

• Ramay: Deborah Lane, Cheryl Moore, Ellen Shirley.

• Root: Linda Parham.

• Vandergriff: Deonna Tucker.

• Washingtony: John Andrews, Karie Sutton, Melissa Wick.

• Woodland: Jane Comes, Gail Johnson-Hogan, Julianne Lewis, Denice Nelson.

Classified employees are: Brenda Kirkland, Linda Springer, Jimmy Steichman, Pamela Kiser, Marianne Baxter, Michelle Dallas, Stanley Horton, Lois Ray, Cheryl Miller, Wesley Sage, Ruby Cook, Julia McKee, Dyanna Carver, Sharon Rexford, Wilma Baker, Wendy Phaneuf, Marian Bolen, Neva Drake, J.D. Bradford, C. Nadene Commet, William VanZandt, Susan Brisiel, Susan Farmer, Myrna Faires, Susan Jamerson.

NW News on 03/01/2014