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016-02-02 / Front Page
Teacher granted emeritus status after 15 years
By Nancy A. Cavanaugh
ncavanaugh@eagletimes.com
SPRINGFIELD — Earlier this year, Ed Wilkins, an English teacher at Springfield High School, informed the superintendent of his desire to retire after 15 years of teaching with a request to have emeritus status, which would allow him to work part-time for the school district for an additional year. The Springfield School District Board unanimously accepted the emeritus proposal at its meeting on Monday.
Typically, after 20 years, teachers in the Springfield School District are eligible for early retirement. After 15 years, teachers can agree to retire, but then work for one more year approximately two days a week at 40 percent of their salary as an emeritus teacher. The approval for this is at the discretion of the school board, according to Superintendent Zach McLaughlin. If teachers decide to do this, they forego early retirement.
“This would be mutually beneficial for us and Ed,” said Bob Thibault, high school principal. “We can mine Ed’s labor and keep him around and help him ease into retirement.”
The plan would be for Wilkins to continue teaching his dual enrollment English class during the fall term, then in the spring he would be in charge of preparing the high school for its New England Accreditation for Schools and Colleges (NEASC) evaluation.
Every 10 years schools are required to be evaluated by NEASC to make sure they are meeting the needs of the students. Accreditation is a voluntary process that includes a self study, peer review and a four-day visit from an NEASC committee.
“Ed is our resident expert on NEASC,” said Thibault. “To have someone who could do this is amazing. He is a resource and before he leaves we can tap into that one more time.”
School board chair Jeanice Garfield was pleased with the proposal.
“This is a good way to utilize an emeritus positon,” she said.
There would be no changes to the budget, according to McLaughlin.
“We anticipated this cost in the budget so there is no additional expense,” he said.
The board had conditionally accepted Wilkins’ resignation, pending the decision on the emeritus proposal, according to McLaughlin.
The board voted unanimously to accept the proposal./
15 years? How about closer to 35?
ReplyDeleteRelax. It is only one more person climbing aboard the Springfield dole machine. How bad can that be? Get with the program!
DeleteThat teacher happens to have been teaching in Springfield for 35+ years, not 15......that was my point. AND maybe he deserves whatever he can get out of the district.
ReplyDelete35 years. That's too long unless you're Mr. Chips. And let's not get started on who deserves what.
DeleteWhy is 35 too long? Maybe in that time he has figured something out - that he can pass on. Geezers ain't necessarily useless.
ReplyDeleteSpringfield has had some excellent long-standing teachers in the last 30-40 years who turned out some top-notch students who went on to become good teachers, as evidenced by some who came back to teach in our district.....Who are you, Anonymous 7:49, to be such an authority on teacher longevity?
ReplyDeleteLarry Carbonetti gave a town Democratic committee-sponsored talk last summer about what the anti-school effort doesn't want people to know about teaching, learning and the public education system. Ask SAPA about it. Maybe they'll show it again. Very informative!
ReplyDelete