Social Security limit impacts jobs at Gowanda school

Photo via screenshot
Pictured is the Gowanda Board of Education and members of District administration.

GOWANDA — The evolving Social Security income level threshold has presented a dilemma to plenty of aging workers. In many cases, it is not financially beneficial for a worker to maintain full-time employment because it could cost the worker their social security benefits.

That dilemma has impacted the Gowanda Central School District, specifically in terms of its bus drivers. Gowanda Business Administrator Barb Smith stated at a recent Board of Education meeting that multiple bus drivers have faced the issue that working full-time could make them ineligible for social security benefits.

“It’s prohibiting them from working more hours,” Smith said. “That’s kind of a problem that we’re coming into.”

Smith said she will look into the matter further. The District is not fully staffed in terms of bus drivers and is still advertising to fill its vacancies. The District began the school year with several contracted runs.

The Board accepted the resignation of William Friedman as a Bus Driver and subsequently appointed him as a substitute Bus Driver at the same recent meeting. The Board also approved the hiring of Robert Hummel as a Bus Driver, with a probationary period of one year. Gretchen Horth was appointed as a substitute Bus Driver and Trainee.

The District is also shorthanded in the Special Education Department and has struggled to fill a Technology Teacher vacancy. Additional compensation was approved for Amy Ackley, Corinne Gaskins, Nicole Nellist, and MaryAnn Tonello at the recent meeting, each of whom accepted additional assignments to cover the District’s needs.

The Board recently approved many other District hires, including Teacher Aides Amy VanNote and Lisa Huffman, Cleaners Ashley St. George and Constance Grainer, and Substitute School Nurse Breann John. Other substitutes approved by the Board include Charity Knighten, Teacher, Teaching Assistant, and School Monitor; Kathleen Myzel, Teaching Assistant; and Ashley Slocum, Cleaner/Custodian. Knighten’s appointment is effective Oct. 21, while the others are effective immediately.

The District also accepted the resignation of five employees: Rhonda Brinkman, Bus Driver; Julianna Grudzien, Teaching Assistant; Kristal Barton, Teaching Assistant; Timothy Barratt, Substitute Cleaner/Custodian; and Karen Shaw, Cook, for the purpose of retirement. Additionally, 21 substitutes were terminated due to being unavailable to the District moving forward.

Presentations were given to the Board at its recent meeting regarding the 2024-25 Professional Learning Plan and the protocols for Board/Superintendent communication. Each document can be found online.

The next meeting of the Gowanda Board of Education is Wednesday, Oct. 9.