EDMOND — This month Edmond Public Schools will say good-bye to 46 retirees, 38 of them classroom teachers.

Other certified positions include individuals serving as counselors and library-media specialist. Support services positions include individuals serving as custodians and maintenance, child nutrition and service as teachers’ assistant.

Superintendent David Goin said this is the largest number of retirees in Edmond’s history.

“This year’s is the largest ‘graduating class’ of EPS retirees in the school district’s history,” Goin said. “The nearly 50 retiring employees have more than 1,000 years of combined Edmond Public Schools service. They will be missed by students and colleagues alike.

“On behalf of the Edmond Schools community, I express sincere appreciation for our retiring teachers, administrators and support employees — many of whom have dedicated their entire professional careers to serving Edmond’s children. And, we wish them joy and fulfillment as they transition to this new phase of life.”



Teaching population aging

 According to the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future, more than half of all teachers in the U.S. are 50 and older, and in Oklahoma 46 percent to 50.99 percent of the state’s teachers are age 50 and up.

A recent NCTAF research report stated between 2004 and 2008, 300,000 veteran teachers left the workforce for retirement. Baby boom teachers who made lifelong commitments to education are retiring.

The report stated the baby boomer generation of school teachers will be retiring in large numbers in the next 10 years.

“We face a tsunami in the shift of the future of the teachers’ workforce,” said Tom Carroll, president of the commission, who co-wrote the report. “Over the next five or six years, we could lose over a third of our teachers.”



Positions filled by temporary teachers first

In addition to the 46 positions available in the Edmond School District from teachers retiring, Director of Personnel Randy Decker said there are another 25 to 30 teachers who have resigned for various reasons, leaving 60 to 65 positions to fill. He said position openings at each school will be filled by site principals.

“We will first ask, ‘Does the position need to be replaced?’” Decker said. “If so, the principal will look at the need for total building.”

Decker said hires will be made first from the teachers on temporary contracts last year, and if necessary, there may be positions that will be filled with applicants from outside of the school district.

“We usually advertise positions for two weeks, but if the pool of applicants is not large enough or the applicants are not what we are looking for, we will leave the position open for a longer period of time,” Decker said.



Retiring teachers, administrator, support personnel

Classroom teachers will be turning in their dry erasers and markers as they turn their sights on new beginnings Friday.

Edmond School District has a total of 38 certified teachers retiring, one person in administration and seven support personnel.

The retiring teachers, the total number of years they have taught and the schools they teach in include: Glenda Bolding, 36, Northern Hills Elementary; Elaine Pawley, 36, Cimarron Middle School; Lourdes Carroll, 35, North High School; Marsha Casto, 39, John Ross Elementary; Frances Leonard, 40, Sequoyah Middle School; Martha Pruett, 33, Orvis Risner; Cindy Young, 34, Washington Irving; Barbara Sparks, 32, Orvis Risner; Janell Stone, 36, Summit Middle School; Marcia Vincent, 32, Orvis Risner; and Cynthia Baim, 35, Northern Hills Elementary.

Other teachers retiring include: Barbara Pursifull, 26, Central Middle School; Linda Tansel, 30, John Ross Elementary; Mike Thach, 33, Summit Middle School; Tom Harrold, 28, Edmond North High School; Judith Pike, 32, Orvis Risner ; Palmer Renshaw, 27, Angie Debo; Margene Nelson, 31, John Ross; Linda Cope, 24, Charles Haskell; and Linda Gaylor, 32, Sequoyah Middle School.

Also turning in their keys for the last time will be Connie Holiman, 25, Orvis Risner; Marsha Spencer, 32, Angie Debo; Judy Wooster, 29, Memorial High School; Jennifer Yarbrough, 23, Orvis Risner; Jerri Dillon, 22, Northern Hills; Kathy Towles, 32, Northern Hills; Deborah Allen, 25, North High School; Mary Green, 35, Sequoyah; Pat Hammett, 35, North High School; Summit Middle School; Carla Gregory, 19, Santa Fe High School; Elizabeth Hatcher, 31, John Ross; Joan Maly, 24, Sequoyah Middle School; Carol Shipley, 19, Central Middle School; Sandra Lichtenwalter, 20, North High School; Lee Ann Kuhlman, 16, Central Middle School; Sharri Lee, 11, Chisholm Elementary; Mary Jane Henline, 23, Angie Debo; and Lou Ann Williams, 20, Orvis Risner.

Dr. Rebecca Davis, 40 years, coordinator for elementary education services/Title I/Testing is the only person in administrative personnel retiring.

Support personnel include: Oneta McDaniel, 21, transportation; Bonnie Jones, 19, Central Middle School; Virginia Avey, 19, Summit Middle School; Gary Gregg, 22, Will Rogers; Bernice Grimes, 13, Summit Middle School; and Leonard Scott, 15, Central Middle School.