WEATHERSFIELD School board grants administrative raises

A board member said administrators don't get step increases like teachers.
By MARY SMITH
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
MINERAL RIDGE -- Despite criticism from some teachers, the Weathersfield school board approved raises for some of the district's administrators.
The board approved the following increases:
UCynthia Mulgrew, elementary school principal, from $59,878 to $63,338 (5.7 percent) retroactive to Aug. 1 this year, and to $65,501 (3.4 percent) starting Aug. 1, 2006. Board member Dr. Douglas Darnall, who explained the rationale for the board's decision at Wednesday's meeting, said Mulgrew has not had a raise in four years. He added that unlike teachers, administrators do not receive step increases even when salaries are not increased.
ULew Lowery, high school principal, from $60,856 a year to $63,463 (4.2 percent) effective Aug. 1 this year, and to $65,755 (3.6 percent) on Aug. 1, 2006.
UTreasurer Angela Lewis, from $47,250 a year to $53,000 (12.1 percent), retroactive to Jan. 1, 2005, and to $60,000 (13.2 percent) a year starting Jan. 1, 2006. Darnall said Lewis is one of only three certified public accountants in the county working as a school treasurer, and she is the third-lowest-paid treasurer in the county. He said the board knew when Lewis was hired at $45,000 a year that it would have to give her more money.
USuperintendent Michael Hanshaw, who turned down a raise to $73,000 a year when he became superintendent in August 2004, remains at $68,000 but will receive longevity pay of $1,000, retroactive to Aug. 1 this year.
Teachers' situation
The district's 69 teachers received a new, two-year contract in August effective to July 17, 2007. Teachers received a $250 signing bonus for the 2004-05 school year, a 2-percent pay increase for 2005-06 and a 2.25- percent increase for 2006-07.
The district's 30 nonteaching employees also received a 2-percent increase for the 2005-06 school year and a $225 signing bonus under their current one-year contract agreed upon in May.
The nonteaching employees had a "me-too" clause in their contract if raises were granted teachers.
Teachers and nonteaching employees had taken wage freezes for three years while the district had financial problems.
Some of the teachers criticized the raises for administrators. Among them was Brenda Mealy, a Weathersfield resident. She agreed that everyone deserves a raise but added she believed the percentages of raises given administrators "are far and above what you granted teachers and nonteaching employees. I feel like I've been slapped in the face."
Darnall told teachers that Weathersfield schools compete with every district for teachers and administrative staff. "Our district went into a hardship, and administrators did not receive any step increases," he said.
He noted teachers work 183 days; the superintendent works 260 days, and principals work 220 days.
Board member Fred McCandless added that the board has no salary schedule for administrators and plans to look into a schedule this year.