ST. LUCIE COUNTY — Michael Lannon returned to his job as public schools superintendent Monday, ending a 30-day retirement that the School Board granted him to deal with family matters and cash out about $115,000 in accrued vacation and sick days.

“I’m happy to be in the saddle again,” Lannon said from an office still stripped bare of personal effects. State law is strict about public school employees being truly absent during retirement. So Lannon said he rented a nearby commercial storage unit, even though it was clear from the outset he would return in one month.

The orchestrated move began in mid-September, when Lannon approached individual school board members, then publicly announced his intentions. The board accepted Lannon’s retirement Sept. 22, with several of its members voicing their desire to have the situation be temporary.

Then, in a second unanimous vote, the board rehired Lannon Oct. 13 at the same $175,000 annual salary plus benefits he’d received before retiring.

Lannon, 63, wouldn’t speculate how much longer he will continue to work as St. Lucie County superintendent of schools.

“I get excited about coming to work,” he said. “I love studying what the possibilities are.”

During Lannon’s absence, the school district’s tentative enrollment for 2009-10 was calculated at 39,849. That is about the same number as last year, Lannon said, although the county declined in overall population.

“I think it’s because we attracted more kids back to (public schools) including the charter schools,” Lannon said. “We feel some of it is parents who can no longer pay tuition to private schools. And there’s a feeling that public schools are improving.”

Lannon said another task needing his attention is planning for a final reduction in class sizes. The voter-approved constitutional amendment has been phased in over a number of years. But by August, all public schools must reduce class sizes in core academic subjects to a maximum of 18 students in grades kindergarten through three; 22 in grades four through eight; and 25 in high school.

Florida lawmakers continue to talk about postponing the deadline or getting voters to reconsider in light of declining state revenues.

“Might the Legislature try to do something? It might,” Lannon said. “Can we count on it? We cannot.”

Lannon said he also wants to begin a community dialogue about what public schools need to teach in order to ready children for 21st century jobs. He said the point was driven home last month, when his 6-year-old grandson left him in the dust while talking about networking computer games.

Churches, parents and schools used to be the sole paths for imparting knowledge on children, Lannon said. But now kids can go directly to the Internet.

“What should schools do to help students understand what is truthful and what is untruthful?” Lannon said. “You have to create discerning users of the Internet, because the Internet isn’t going away.”

Deputy Superintendent Sandra Wolfe was acting superintendent in Lannon’s absence.

Wolfe returned to the school district in May after a two-month retirement to care for a terminally ill husband.
James Kirley, TCPalm.com

Tags: lannon, retirement, Schools, sick time, superindentent, vacation

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