BOWLING GREEN, OH (Toledo News Now) - Bowling Green Public Schools reached a record number of teacher retirements this year. Currently 19 teachers are set to retire at the end of the school year.
The district superintendent says they have many teachers with decades of experience, but there's a lack of state incentives for them to stay. The amount of teachers in the district has been steadily shrinking since 2004.
"We had 235 teachers [in 2004], and this year we have 197," said Superintendent Ann McVey.
This is the third year with a significant number of retirements, a higher number than usual for the district.
"We do not have the flexibility to not fill almost all of the teaching positions that we have open," McVey said.
She has already begun interviews for new teachers, and says the district will save $30-40,000 per retiree, but those savings are still not enough. A levy of 6.75 mills is on the May ballot.
"There's only so much belt-tightening you can do before it starts to really impact the kids and the quality of education, and the community itself," said Kelly Wicks, who is in favor of the levy.
Wicks is the owner of Grounds for Thought Café, and has been going door to door trying to convince others to support the levy.
"I can't stress enough how much it ties into the big picture and the long-term viability of our small businesses like mine," he said. "And ultimately BG as a whole. We want strong schools."
