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A longtime educator and administrator in Monroe Local Schools is seeking the board of education's approval to retire and be rehired as principal of the district's elementary school.

Patti Shull, who presently serves as principal of Monroe Elementary School, has been in education for 35 years.

Shull, who previously lived in Monroe for 23 years and now resides in Mason, was employed by Middletown Schools for 27 years and moved to Monroe Schools when it broke away from Middletown and became its own school district in 2001.

She recently informed the board that she plans to retire effective June 30, and that she would like to be re-employed by the district prior to her retirement.

Shull said one of the reasons she is seeking to retire and be rehired so that she can continue to be a part of the growing district.

"This district is growing and moving. There is excitement and we have so many initiatives that we're getting ready to begin not only buildings and grounds as far as the physical plans, but also our instructional programming as well," she said.

"And it's just exciting to see not only the students and the parents and the teachers excited, but I'd like to see some of these things continue and I'd like to be a part of that."

The board has called a public meeting to consider the re-employment of Shull at 7 p.m. Monday, April 28, at Monroe Elementary School, 230 Yankee Road.

The board also plans to consider her retire/rehire option during its meeting on May 27 and whether to rehire her at its meeting on June 23.

Retire/rehire policies have become increasingly common in Ohio.

According to reports, more than 1,500 "retirees" are working full time in Ohio's schools and collecting both a paycheck and a pension, and that number has been growing.

Monroe Local Schools Superintendent Elizabeth Lolli said she thinks the district will benefit from the retire/rehire of Shull for several reasons — one being a 5 percent reduction in her present salary of about $86,000 a year.

Lolli said another benefit has to do with retaining her leadership.

"Right now in the state of Ohio and probably elsewhere, there's a problem with upper leadership and having people who are experienced or having people who are good at building a central office level administration.

"I think the fact that she is experienced or the fact that she knows Monroe is a benefit to the district," she said.

Lolli said if the board chooses not to retire/rehire Shull, she has a two-year contract that was approved last month by the board, which will allow her to continue serving as principal of the elementary through 2010.

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