Hoover-Schrum Elementary District 157's media director/technology coordinator will retire next month.

The District 157 School Board on Thursday accepted the retirement of Kathie Ogden and agreed to adjust her final year's salary to reflect a 6 percent pay increase over last year's pay.

Ogden, who spent 13 years overseeing the school libraries and helping teachers with technology and software, said it is time for her to retire.

She has worked in education for more than 30 years, spent time as junior high librarian at District 157's Schrum Memorial School, and began her career as a second-grade teacher in Homewood Elementary District 153. She also worked for a year at Dolton Elementary District 148's Lincoln Junior High School.

"We want to thank her for her years of service and dedication and wish her well in her retirement," District 157 School Board President Natalie Barnes said. "She'll be missed."

Ogden said she has enjoyed her time in District 157 and will miss the "great family of staff and students."

Upon retiring, she plans to spend time catching up on her reading, traveling and doing more volunteer work. She currently volunteers at the First Presbyterian Church of Homewood.

In other District 157 matters, following a closed-door discussion, the board approved the expulsion of a Hoover Elementary School first-grade student for the remainder of the current school year.

The student and his family moved out of the district to Harvey, but if they return to Calumet City and the student is re-enrolled in District 157, he will be placed on probation for the duration of the 2008-09 school year, said David Grace, interim superintendent.

Grace would only say the expulsion was due to a violation of the discipline code.