They may stop giving tests and grading papers, but is it possible for teachers to stop teaching?

A number of Loomis educators plan to find out as they head into the golden years of retirement. Del Oro High School and the Loomis Union School District bid farewell to a number of teachers who plan to spend their retirement years traveling or doing things around the house. Some may even find a second career.

According to Superintendent Paul Johnson, the Loomis district offered 30-year teachers a retirement incentive of $15,000. Veteran educator Bill Scott, from Franklin Elementary School, accepted the golden handshake. Scott’s departure allowed the district to rehire the last of the pink-slipped teachers the district had earlier issued layoff notices to.

The elementary district offered classified employees a retirement incentive of $10,000 if they’d worked for the district five years and were at least 60 years old.

Accepting retirement incentives were Barbara Mackey, Placer Elementary secretary for 30 years; Billie Sanderson, district print shop operator for 23 years; Peggy Weaver, Placer teachers aide for 21 years; Aurora Sanderson, Franklin teachers aide in special ed for 23 years; and Phyllis Mattson, Franklin food service for six years.

James Caldas and Perry Montalbano, who are retiring, have both been custodians at Loomis Grammar School for more than a decade. Their departure allows the district to bring back the two custodians who were laid off in April because of budget cuts.

According to Doug Marquand, Placer Union High School district assistant superintendent, Del Oro High School will be replacing teachers, but will be down by half a teacher next year and will have larger class sizes for freshman English. Del Oro foreign language teacher Debbie Arlington and physical education teacher John Fletcher retired mid-year.