70 school district employees will retire
By SCOTT POWELL Ledger Staff Writer spowell@gaffneyledger.com

Three school administrators are among 70 district employees who will retire under the state's retirement incentive program this school year.

Northwest Elementary Principal Cathy Curry Bloise, Blacksburg Primary Principal Dr. Hal Howington, and Gaffney High assistant principal Thomas Goforth will see their time in the Teacher and Employee Retirement Incentive (TERI) program end this school year. The program allows educators to retire after 28 years and work for a maximum of five additional years before their retirement takes effect.

Educators working under TERI have their retirement salaries held by the state in non-interest bearing accounts. After their TERI time ends, educators have the option of receiving the money from their account in a lump sum or rolling it over into another retirement plan.

The school district saw 70 employees retire under TERI last school year, personnel director Andy Jones said.

Granard Middle Principal Charles Wright recently informed his faculty that he is not returning next year. District finance director Jim Bridges will retire March 2.

The school district does not plan to hire an immediate replacement for Bridges, superintendent Dr. Bill James said. District comptroller Ben Childs will work with James to put together next year's school budget while other operations supervised by the finance director are expected to be handled by current staff.

"Eighty percent of Cherokee county school administrators have enough experience that they could go home today and retire. Every person who is certified as an administrator here is working in an administrator's job in our district," James said. "We currently have six principal trainees as we work to grow our own leaders."

School district policy has been less clear on whether retired educators could return to their old jobs. Trustees will consider a personnel committee recommendation Tuesday that will clarify the district's position on retiring employees.

The proposal would allow all school administrators and teachers that retire under TERI to interview with other applicants to return to their positions. If re-hired, James said the TERI employees would not be given a contract and would work as an "at will" employee on a year-toyear basis.

"There has to be at least one day's break in service before an employee can return once they come off the TERI program," James said.

Recent changes in state law have removed the $50,000 earnings cap for retired educators.

This has allowed educators to return to work at their regular salary while drawing state retirement benefits. It is similar to the long-standing practice of "double dipping" where teachers draw state retirement benefits in South Carolina while returning to work for public schools in North Carolina or Georgia.