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HUBER HEIGHTS — Huber Heights City Schools finished off the year with a raft of retirements.

Through June, 24 teachers had retired from the district, but Director of Human Resources Robert Crabtree said there's nothing unusual afoot and the district has not offered special retirement packages. It's simply a large number of teachers hitting the 30-year and 35-year marks at the same time, he said.

"We are a microcosm of what we are beginning to see in other areas," Crabtree said. "A large number of teachers were hired in the '70s, and I'm one of them. We had a bubble of individuals hired, and then teacher hiring waned in the latter '70s through the '80s, and of course we are feeling the impact of that number of people leaving the profession now."

Elementary teacher Mary Wolf retired after 36 years teaching at Titus Elementary and then Menlo Park Elementary.

"I miss the kids and I miss my colleagues," she said, though she is enjoying retirement. "Huber Heights has been a very good district for me to work in."

During Board of Education meetings, Crabtree has offered brief biographies about retirees, speaking to the experience departing with the individuals.

"Any time we take teachers with that many years, it's going to hurt us a little bit in terms of experience they are taking with them," Crabtree said. "I hate to see our individuals go, because of what they contributed and what they are still contributing. But on a positive note, it's good to have new people come in."

The district only intends to fill 22 of the 24 open positions, but may add more teachers after assessing needs in the fall, Crabtree said.