(DANA REYNOLDS / iNFOnews.ca)
April 30, 2015 - 11:32 AM
KAMLOOPS – As school districts across the province deal with budget shortfalls some boards are also offering up raises to administration.
The Kamloops-Thompson School District has faced cuts of nearly $3 million and is looking at laying off as many as 17 teachers and three educational assistants this year. Many other districts are facing similar cuts but some are still offering pay raises to their superintendents.
Wage freezes mean many superintendents have not seen a raise since 2009 and as a result some districts have agreed to bump up the salaries for those positions. But not in Kamloops.
According to Kelvin Stretch, secretary treasurer for the district, administration salaries stayed status quo, perhaps in the 'spirit' of former superintendent Terry Sullivan. Although administrative positions were not part of the provincial freeze, Stretch says Sullivan would not have taken an increase, even if he was entitled, because his colleagues could not.
“That is not the kind of man he was,” Stretch says.
He also mentions that when an incumbent leaves a position, it is acceptable to up the existing wage to attract a new applicant to the vacant position. Or a new applicant may negotiate a higher salary.
Karl deBruijn stepped into the position of superintendent last year after Sullivan stepped down. He would have been fully aware of his incumbent’s $160,673 salary but did not negotiate for more. Stretch notes this figure has stayed the same over the six-year freeze.
Other districts in the region did agree to pay raises for their top position recently though. Penticton’s Wendy Hyer received a $17,000 pay raise, or 13 per cent raise, to bring her salary to $152,000 and Kelowna’s Hugh Gloster received a $22,000 pay raise, though he relinquished his $8,500 annual car allowance, putting his salary at $176,742.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Dana Reynolds at dreynolds@infonews.ca or call 250-819-6089. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2015