There comes a time in every school year when students must say goodbye to their retiring teachers. This year, two teachers are leaving the LM family: ceramics expert Kay Moon and Spanish teacher Maryflor Betegh.
However, while the process may be sad for the LM community, it can also be laborious for the teachers.
“[The process is] long and tedious,” said Betegh, “[with] too many forms to fill out and meetings to attend as you exit LM.”
“There are a lot of decisions to make and paper work to do,” agreed Moon.
The Public School Employees’ Retirement System, PSERS, suggests that the prospective retiree begin the retirement process at least 9-12 months prior to retirement. There are a number of things they are advised to do at that time, including attending a “Foundations For Your Future” meeting, which, according to the PSERS website, is “designed to give public school employees an overview of their retirement benefits [and] will help [them] begin to plan for [their] retirement early in [their] career.”
It is also recommended that impending retirees request a PSERS retirement estimate, consult with a financial advisor or planner, and contact the Social Security Administration regarding their benefits, all within 9-12 of months of their impending retirement.
Deborah Swindell, the Assistant Director of Human Resources in Lower Merion School District , helps to handle the retirement process for employees. She says that, although the retiree should be planning their retirement for at least a year in advance, “In terms of the school district, they just have to put in writing to us that they would like to retire on a certain date. We would like sixty days notice.”
PSERS suggests a couple of actions should be taken 6-9 months in advance. Retirees are encouraged to schedule a Retirement Exit Counseling session.
“[This is] where they actually talk to you and explain what each option means,” explained Swindell.
In the last 1-6 months before retirement, it is recommended that the retiree go to the Retirement Exit Counseling session and submit his or her application and forms to PSERS. It is an extensive eight-page application, encompassing items such as general information to more specific, nitty-gritty payment information.
Steering away from the actual retirement process, Moon reminisced about some of her fondest moments at LM.
“Each year when we have our annual LMHS Art Show, I have taken great pride in looking back at that particular year and seeing the wonderful work all of our art students have created,” reflected Moon.
In addition, Moon noted that her most treasured moments were those in which students experienced true growth.
“[I will miss] the moments when students demonstrate and express how excited they are about what they have learned and are creating,” said Moon. “[Although I] will [least] miss… getting up so early in the morning.”
Although saddened about leaving the teaching world, Moon is “very excited about concentrating more on [her] own ceramic art work.” She also plans to do more traveling with her husband after she retires.
Betegh also has things to look forward to post-LM, including “[visiting her] daughters, one in Florida and one in Hew Hampshire,” and hopes to “travel to countries that [she has] always wanted to go to.”
Moon expressed one matter about which she is gravely disappointed: “I am saddened and disturbed that after my 11 years of building the LMHS Ceramic program to one of the best high school programs around, that the District is not hiring a teacher to replace my position. I don’t understand why the District would not hire a replacement teacher for Ceramics which has been the most requested art class by LMHS students.”
Whatever is in store for the Ceramics Department, which has found its lifeblood cut maddeningly short, and whatever is in store for these two women, one thing is for certain: they will be sorely missed.
By Zack Schlosberg
Class of 2012
