MACON, Ga. — Due to the statewide teacher shortage, the Georgia Assembly this year passed House Bill 385. It said retired teachers can return to the job, and more. The Bibb County School District is looking for retired teachers to come back to the classroom.
Matrina Paddy is thrilled to come back and teach in the classroom. She's been teaching for almost 50 years.
"I retired when I was 67, and I am still 67, so I didn't get any kind of break."
House Bill 385 allows teachers to draw both a full-time salary and their pension. Katrina Swindle, the benefits coordinator with the Bibb County School District, says this does affect their health insurance depending on your age.
"If you are 65 and over, you have a Medicare advantage plan, so you have to pull out of the Medicare advantage plan and go back into an active employee plan," Swindle said.
Paddy mostly taught kids with special needs and has taught in Florida, South America, and Africa. She says she likes teaching because she knows she can get the children in her classroom to improve.
"I know that the parents will be happy, teachers are happy, principal's happy, the community will have better kids who are able to read and write and are knowledgeable," Paddy said.
Paddy said after filling out her application she's ready to do the thing she's always loved to do since the beginning -- teach.
"I've wanted this a long time. I just love teaching. I think I'm going to teach until I'm 99."