Snow days may cause problems for retiring teachers. Teachers are paid for these days when they occur, but they must be made up later. These make-up days may force some teachers to work past their planned retirement date.
"Separation of service" means you are no longer physically performing work in the classroom. For example, if you plan to retire on June 1, but snow make-up days cause you to work until June 1 or later, you are physically performing work in the classroom and therefore are not eligible to retire until July 1.
Your first benefit payment would then fall in July. It would include a prorated payment back to the last day you were physically in the classroom.