Teacher Patty Brown to retire
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TweetLongtime Haines School teacher Patty Brown will resign from her position this year, accepting a retirement incentive option offered to eight eligible staff members.
The district offered a $15,000 payout to teachers who have been employed there for 15-20 years, and $20,000 to teachers who have worked there for 21 years or more.
Superintendent Tony Habra said the incentive was a way to save money as administration and the school board tackle a $365,000 budget deficit.
Brown, who has taught elementary and middle school during her 21 years with the district, currently teaches fifth- and sixth-grade math and science.
“It seems like we’re in a round of many changes,” Brown said. “When I started in 1995, we had a collaborative leadership atmosphere where everyone had a voice and individual strengths in teachers were nurtured and celebrated. Added pressure on several fronts now can dampen the passion for our work.”
Brown said she teared up when she told her students the news Monday. “I am grateful for having worked with such talented and committed teachers for over two decades and getting to know former students as parents of current students really makes me happy,” she said.
Brown said she knew she was only a few years away from retirement, which factored into her decision. She hopes to focus her efforts after the school year on getting a college or learning center in Haines.
Habra said the district plans to hire a new high school math teacher and will most likely move other existing teaching positions around to cover for the absences.
“It’s a moving picture, it depends,” Habra said. He said the master schedule for next school year has not yet been created.
Other teachers offered the incentive were Mark Fontenot, Matt Davis, Lilly Boron, Linnus Danner, Sam McPhetres, Jansy Hansen and Lisa Andriesen.
