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School Board OKs Retiree Rehires

Posted on: Thursday, 3 November 2005, 00:00 CST

By Diane Mouskourie, The Daily News, Jacksonville, N.C.

Nov. 2--The Onslow County Board of Education unanimously approved the rehiring of 26 employees who officially retired on Oct. 1.

There was no discussion among board members before the vote. The list includes both licensed professionals, teachers and support personnel working throughout the system.

Those who were rehired include Joseph L. Beasley Sr., principal of Swansboro High School; Janice Bodenhamer, food service director; Freddie Canady, deputy superintendent; Beckie Collins, personnel director; Mary H. Crews, a teacher at Sand Ridge Elementary School; Cleo Croom, director of secondary schools and accountability; Ernestine J. Dixon, teacher assistant at Richlands Primary School; Roger Dixon, director of technical services; Robert W. Willis, teacher at White Oak High School; Sadie B. Ervin, accounts payable in central office; Kay Gresham, director of federal programs; David N. Lemnah, teacher at Sand Ridge Elementary School; and Joan C. McGinnis, director of career/technical education.

Also rehired were Mary A. Metts, teacher assistant at Richlands Primary School; Jean Oakes, director of exceptional children; Jessie S. Ottaway, office support at central office; Connie Y. Phillips, program specialist at Northwoods Elementary School; Brenda T. Purvis, behavior liaison at Northwoods Park Middle School; Margaret A. Simmons, custodian at the central office; Jimmy L. Smith, technician at the central office; Ann S. Spangler, coordinator/program specialist at the central office; Clara J. Talton, transition coordinator at central office; Pamela D. Taylor, teacher at White Oak High School; Marion Wigfall, assistant principal at Jacksonville High School; Rosalind K. White, cafeteria manager at Silverdale Elementary School; and Paul L. Wiggins, principal at White Oak High School.

"It's not unusual for the school system to rehire retired employees," said Earl Taylor, a schools spokesman. "It saves the school system money because we don't have to pay benefits."

The 26 individuals who were rehired will save the system $51,000 in health insurance premiums and $55,000 in retirement contributions, he said.

"Employees pay into the retirement system, so that is their money," Taylor said.

Most of the retirees intend to work full-time being mindful not to exceed their salary caps, he said. State employees who retire can begin collecting retirement pay and benefits through the state retirement system. However, they have a salary cap equal to $24,420 or 50 percent of what they earned the year before, whichever is higher, Taylor said.

Legislation enacted by the General Assembly this summer made Oct. 1 the cut-off date for state employees to take advantage of the practice commonly referred to as double dipping. After Tuesday that practice under the old rules changed so that once a state employee retires he or she cannot go back to work in the system for at least six months.

In other business Tuesday night, the board:

-- Received a presentation updating them on all federal projects in the school system including Head Start and Title I preschool classes.

-- Met the winners of Red Ribbon Week banner contest and the Kids Vote USA poster contest. Winners include Scarlet Cole, Crystian Jackson, Austin Arnold, Paige Humphrey and state winners Heather Metcalf and Justin Davis. Trophies for the best overall Red Ribbon banners went to Clyde Erwin Elementary School and Southwest Middle School. Trophies for most creative banners went to Northwoods and Richlands elementary schools and Swansboro Middle School.

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Copyright (c) 2005, The Daily News, Jacksonville, N.C.

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Source: The Daily News

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