SCHOOLS Retirement incentives get three-year extension

Deadline for early retirement registration is May 31.
MCDONALD -- The board of education has approved a three-year renewal of its early retirement incentive program for teaching staff, and added a bonus for teachers taking part this school year.
The incentive program was approved for the current school year through 2006-07. In the next two months, teachers who take early retirement and who are eligible to retire with the State Teachers Retirement System can leave early under the bonus program.
The deadline for early retirement registration is May 31, with retirement effective by July 1.
The program is limited to 10 percent of the certified staff participating in the Ohio State Teachers Retirement System.
Teachers receive a $20,000 bonus for early retirement, with $10,000 paid in July and $10,000 in July 2006. The incentive is in addition to a teacher's severance.
For 2005-06 and 2006-07, teachers who want to earn the incentive must have 30 to 30.99 years of experience and any certified employee with less than 30 years or more than 31 years of service will be eligible for the program. Teachers must resign by Dec. 1, with an effective date no later than June 30, 2006, in the first year and June 30, 2007, in the 2006-07 school year.
The cash incentives are paid the same manner and amount as this year.
Supervisor hired
In other business, the board hired Michele Kostelic, effective March 7 through July 31, 2007, as transportation supervisor at a per diem rate. She replaces Gerald Deyarmin, who resigned from the post last month, and will earn the same rate he was earning, but on a pro-rated basis, which came to $4,500 a year.
Tom Amicone was hired to replace Deyarmin in his other job, bus maintenance, for five hours a week. Amicone will start March 28 and earn $14.32 an hour through July 31.
The board also approved a school calendar for next year, with pupils starting classes Aug. 29 and ending school on June 6, 2006.
Superintendent Michael Wasser said that the board office has been receiving 20 to 30 phone calls a day on open enrollment.
The superintendent said that the first day open enrollment packets will be April 4 and the enrollment period ends May 6.