Exiting staff has more than 350 years of total service
By Bert Lehman
The Clintonville School District has seen a number of teachers and staff elect to retire at the conclusion of the school year, which ends June 30.
Over the course of the current school year, the Clintonville School Board has accepted retirement requests for 13 teachers and school staff. The total years of service for these 13 employees totals more than 350 years.
The list of those who have decided to retire include: Todd Lukoski (tech ed teacher, 39 years with the district), Kathryn Moser (reading teacher, 36 years), Peggy Johnson (art teacher, 33 years), David Pugh (reading interventionist teacher, 20 years), Jim Konkel (custodian, 47 years), Carol Erickson (pupil services administrative assistant, 35 years), Bette Drown (health assistant, 34 years), April Shufelt (administrative assistant, 33 years), Lois Fisk (paraprofessional, 23 years), Jeanine Supanich (paraprofessional, 23 years), Nancy Ulman (custodian, 20 years), Donald (Duke) Malueg (custodian, nine years), and Cindy Krueger (health assistant, three years).
Superintendent David Dyb said the retirements are a combination of a couple of things. The first is the district has a veteran roster of teachers and staff.
“So, you’re going to have some attrition for people who choose to retire just because we’re fortunate to have a veteran staff,” Dyb told the Clintonville Tribune-Gazette.
He added, “We’re going to miss those people immensely. Their years of experience and their ability to change lives and teach and help students learn has been a tremendous asset to the district for many, many years. We’re so appreciative of the years of service.”
Dyb said the second factor regarding the retirements is the current school year has been challenging because of COVID. He added that long-tenured teachers retiring is a statewide trend this year.
“I’ve always said that I think when a teacher is in a situation where they want to make that decision (about retirement), I want them to go out on their terms,” Dyb said.
Impact on district finances
Dyb said the number of retirements doesn’t necessarily mean it will have a positive impact on the district’s finances. He said in order for the district to attract a teacher with years of experience to replace a retiring teacher, it may have to offer the teacher a salary at a similar level.
“So, cost savings may be negligible,” Dyb said.
In some instances, though, the district may be able to replace a retiring teacher with a candidate with less teaching experience. This would mean the incoming teacher would be in line for a lower salary than the retiring teacher.
“That would result in some cost savings of personnel for the district in certain situations,” Dyb said. “It’s a case-by-case basis.”
When asked what the academic impact would be on the district, Dyb said, “Anytime you have a staff member who has given the totality of their career in our district, they’ve had quite a profound impact on the school and the community and our children and families. You can’t replace experience in a classroom.
“Every time a teacher retires, it creates an opportunity, but it also creates a gap or hole.”
To help minimize that gap, Dyb said the district begins the recruitment process of a new teacher as soon as it is notified that a teacher in the district is going to retire. He said the district has already made some teacher hires for the 2021-22 school year.
Regarding the employees who are retiring from the district, Dyb said, “We value and appreciate their many years of service to the district.”