Six opt for early retirement from schools

Three teachers and three staff members at Bigfork schools have opted to take the early retirement incentive, offered this year to help the school district with its budget shortfall.

The district is facing deficits for its 2010-11 budget totaling $297,000 between its two schools. Teachers and staff had until March 26 to submit their resignations and intent to take the incentive.

Approximately 21 certified teachers were eligible for the early out as were eight support staff.

Those putting in for retirement were nearly all from the elementary and middle school, so any savings for the district will be at the elementary school, which prior to resignations is looking at a $135,000 shortfall, business manager Eda Taylor said. The high school is looking at a larger deficit of approximately $162,000.

Taylor said she is unsure how much that savings from the retiring teachers will be until she hears from administrators on which individuals will not need to be replaced. At least one position at the elementary school will likely not be refilled, she said.

The three certified teachers who put in for retirement had to have no less than 10 years of service with the district or be eligible for retirement with the Montana Teachers' Retirement System. They will receive a payment of $7,000, plus any accumulated sick leave.

Fourth-grade teacher Nancy Trembath, who has spent 27 years with the district, and sixth-grade teacher Clara Tennant, who has been in the district 21 years, will both retire, as will Judy Richter, elementary school special education teacher, who has been a teacher for six years but been with the district much longer as an aide.

On the staff, employees were required to have been with the district for no less than 19 years. The three who will retire will each receive an incentive of $6,000. Title 1 aide Marla Childers who has spent 28 years at the district will be among them, as well as elementary school secretary Susan Newton and bus driver Maurice Dale, both with 20 years in the district.

The number of teachers and staff who chose to take the early out was projected to help determine what direction cuts will need to take at school board meetings in April in order to balance the budget.

Bigfork schools already sent notification of termination to 19 non-tenured staff members and the board approved those terminations.

In the past, nearly all of those teachers have been rehired, usually for the same position, but that will likely not be the case this year, school board members have said.

The next board meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. April 8 in the high school library.