Do Retired School Superintendents Ever Really Retire? - Granite Grok

Do Retired School Superintendents Ever Really Retire?

Starting in July of 2012, Mr. Irwin Sussman will begin his new job as the Superintendent of SAU#43 ( Croydon-Newport), a not so curious turn of events for a man who recently “retired” after 40 years working in public education in New York State.  (Last week, you may recall, we introduced you to Robert Sullivan.  He retired as the Super in Middleboro MA, and is collecting $70-80K from the State of Massachusetts, while currently running SAU#21 in New Hampshire.)

Mr. Sussman was a teacher, school principal, and finally a superintendent, working in Lake Luzerne NY, when he “felt it was time” to retire

After two decades at the Hadley-Luzerne Central School District, and the last eight years as the superintendent, Irwin Sussman told the board last week he will retire at the end of the school year.

Sussman, who turns 64 next month, will work his last day on June 30. His career in education spans 40 years.
“I feel that it’s that time,” said Sussman, who was the high school principal for about 11 years before he became the superintendent in January 2003.
Wait.  Didn’t I just say he was starting a new job in Croydon-Newport this July?
Mr. Sussman was looking before he ever left.  He was very likley on the list for the Superintendents job in Northampton MA, as early as March of 2011, the same month he told the board at Hadley-Luzerne of his plan to retire.   Irwin was also a prominent candidate for the job of Superintendent at SAU# 6 up in Claremont, New Hampshire, in May of 2011, which implies that he sought the position much sooner.
So I guess the answer to the question, if you are ‘retired’ but still young enough to work a full time job,  (one as demanding as that of a public school superintendent). is no.   You do not retire.  Which means public employees are being allowed to retire too young, to collect pensions for too long, when they are more than capable of working.
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