Improved salaries for returning retirees in works

Board agrees to pursue policy that would allow two retirees to split a position

A policy change to provide better salaries for retired teachers coming back to the district to help fill open positions was approved on first reading by the RE-1 Valley School Board at a special meeting Tuesday. There was also a discussion about potentially allowing positions to be shared by retirees.

Ronda Monheiser brought up the idea to revise policy GCQEB, regarding employment of retired professional staff members, at a board meeting last week. Right now, the policy states that retired employees will be placed and remain at the first step on level 1 in the lane they achieved upon retirement. That can be a significant difference, over $10,000, for employees who had a number of steps, and for many that is a dealbreaker.

“We’re trying to honor those years of service, because obviously they can serve as great mentors to a lot of the new teachers and offer just a lot of their wisdom through all their years of experience,” Monheiser said.

After bringing up the idea last week, she and Joel Mccracken were charged with researching it further before the board took action. Mccracken shared that he researched comparable sized districts online, including Eaton, Fort Morgan, Brush and Yuma, and none of them had anything formally written in policy, but almost all of them allow retired teachers coming back to stay in the same lane and step they were in.

“I think it’s certainly needed,” he said.

Under the revised policy, retired employees that are rehired in similar positions as when they left the district with be placed in the respective lane and step in which they left. Retired employees rehired in different positions from where they left will be offered salaries reflecting their new position on the appropriate salary schedule in relation to existing employees of similar positions with respect to their prior earned years of service, minus their frozen years.

In addition, the policy will continue to state that any professional staff member who has completed 10 years of continuous employment to the district and is eligible to receive retirement benefits from PERA based on age and years of service is eligible to participate in the (transition year) program and employees must submit a letter of resignation and request a transition contract at least 30 days prior to the date of the anticipated retirement. However, through conversations that Monheiser had, she added the following requirements: the employee must include proof of the 10 years of continuous service, that

they are PERA qualified, that they have received satisfactory evaluation ratings or above for the last five years and a letter from their direct supervisor recommending them to be employed with the district.

Monheiser asked if retirees that are coming back should also have to provide letters of recommendation. It was pointed out that if a teacher wants to come back they would have to apply like everyone else and that would include having to provide references.

The policy also states the relationship between the retiree and the district is one of employment at will and it may be determined at any time for any reason by either the retiree or the district

The board will consider approving the policy on second reading at their July 11 meeting, at which time they may have further edits. Monheiser also advised that before the second reading they will need to think about how policy GBGG, regarding staff paid time off/sick/catastrophic/transition leave, relates to this policy.

In addition to the revised policy, Monheiser said she was also approached about the idea of job sharing, for example, two retirees splitting a fourth grade teaching position.

“What do you think about that, if the principal was willing – because the principal would also need to be willing to do that, to take on a team – if the principal was willing to take on a team and they would come up with a schedule that they felt was sufficient to meet the needs of the students and all the goals of the classroom and the goals of the school and the district, if the principal felt like a team could work that out, as a board are you okay with that?” she asked her fellow board members.

Heather Harris asked about the PERA requirement that retirees are only allowed to work 140 days a year. Monheiser explained that used to be the requirement, but because of the critical shortage rules that has been expanded.

“I think it’s a concept worth pursuing,” Steve Shinn said, adding that the district needs to develop as many good options as it can, but first he wanted to hear Campbell Elementary Principal Brenda Kloberdanz’s thoughts on the matter since she was at the meeting.

Kloberdanz told the board she is really intrigued by the idea and has put out feelers about it because her school still has positions not filled.

The retirees she’s talked to, “they’re happy in retirement, they’re enjoying their time but at the same time they are here for our district and they are seeing that there’s a need and they want to help, they want to do something about it, but they don’t maybe necessarily want to give up all of their free time,” she said, sharing that she knows of one person, in particular, interested in a part-time job. “What does part-time look like in grade school that’s the thing, for example, fourth grade, that’s the opening that I currently have, if someone was willing to share that I think strategically placing that person with strengths versus the other hopefully part-time person we could find also with that great experience, could be really great for the kids, for the parents, as long as it stays consistent.”

All of the board members thought it was a great idea.

“I think it’s a good opportunity for other teachers that are just retired, I know we’ve got some on maternity leave, someone that wants to go pursue a master’s degree,” Mccracken said.

“I think maybe even parents that want to stay home. It could be a new opportunity for all really. We’ve never advertised part-time, but I think it’s an avenue we should explore,” Kloberdanz told the board.

Monheiser also pointed out that it would work out well if one teacher was sick, there would still be a familiar face there to continue to teach the students.

Interim Superintendent Dr. Martin Foster said he’s seen it done before and there’s only one situation he’s seen where it didn’t work very well because of personalities, but at the end of the semester they were able to make some adjustments.

“I think given your circumstances, given the fact that if you can find really good quality people that want to do this, but don’t like you say, want to give up all of their retirement, I’ve seen it work very well,” he said.

Monheiser said they would need to figure out a daily pay rate, because it might not be a 50/50 split of when each person is working.

Mccracken asked if it would require a separate policy, Monheiser said they could look into doing that.