Retire/rehire deals save cash, retain experience, officials say

 

Worthington school board members officially will vote on the retirement and rehiring of Liberty Elementary School Principal Jim Baker and three teachers this week.

The board will hold a special meeting at 7:30 a.m. today, July 9 at the Worthington Education Center, 200 E. Wilson Bridge Road.

Assistant Treasurer Tracy DeMatteo said "retire/rehire contracts are awarded to employees based on what is in the best interest of the district.

"These criteria may be keeping the experienced employee at a lower cost, keeping an employee in a hard-to-fill position or keeping an employee for planning purposes," she said.

DeMatteo said if there is a "reduction in force" in a position for 2009-10, a retire/rehire this year would allow the district to keep a teacher for one more year.

Besides Baker, board members will vote on the resignation and rehire of teachers Beverly Graves, Worthington Kilbourne High School; Sharon Chadwell, Evening Street Elementary School; and Robert Lee, Worthington Kilbourne, at the special meeting.

Superintendent Melissa Conrath said she considers the retire/rehire process a benefit to the district.

"We do experience financial savings when an administrator or teacher goes from regular employment to retire/rehire, and along with those financial gains, we retain the experience of that individual," she said. "In the case of Jim Baker, not only is he coming back as principal at Liberty, but he will be coming back under a 261-day contract, instead of his 215-day contract.

"Jim has been with Worthington schools for about 35 years," Conrath said. "We are not only hiring him at a lower salary, but for an additional 40 days at that salary."

DeMatteo said Baker's 2007-08 salary was $108,653. He will be hired full time for 2008-09 at an annual salary of $97,787, a savings of $10,866.

Graves current salary is $87,150. She will be hired for a part-time position in 2008-09 at $40,124.40, a savings of $47,025.60.

Chadwell's salary also is $87,150. She will be hired for a full-time position at $66,874, a savings of $20,276.

Lee's current salary is $77,690. He will be hired for a part-time position at $31,331, a savings of $46,359.

DeMatteo said the total savings in the retire/rehire contracts for all four employees is $124,526.60.

The district is in union negotiations for 2008-09, so the salary data is based on current salary schedules, DeMatteo said.

The next regular school board meeting is set for 7:30 p.m. July 28 at the Worthington Education Center.