LAWRENCE: Principals, supervisors get raises

By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
   Principals and supervisors will receive pay hikes of 2 percent over the next three years, based on a contract approved last week by the Lawrence Township Principals and Supervisors Association and the Lawrence Township Board of Education.
   The school board approved the contract, which covers 11 principals and assistant principals, seven supervisors, the interim director of student services and the athletic director, at a special meeting June 27. It took effect July 1 and expires June 30, 2015.
   The three-year contract grants a flat $2,000 salary increase to assistant principals and supervisors who work for 10 months of the year. Principals, assistant principals and supervisors who work 12 months are granted flat increases of $2,640 for the first year, $2,614 in the second year and $2,688 in the final year of the contract.
   Salaries for the principals range from $116,735 paid to Ben Franklin Elementary School Principal Christopher Turnbull for 2011-12 up to $145,333 paid to Lawrenceville Elementary School Principal Judith Bronston.
   Lawrence High School Principal Jonathan Dauber and Eldridge Park School Principal Kathryn Robbins each earned $134,778 for 2011-12, and Lawrence Middle School Principal Mindy Milavsky was paid $129,357. Slackwood Elementary School Principal Jay Billy earned $142,945.
   The seven supervisors’ salaries vary from $90,232 to $124,784 in 2011-12. Erin Servillo, the interim director of student services, earned $139,484. Ken Mason, the director of health, physical education and athletics — also known as the athletic director — earned $132,647.
   Exceptions to the flat-rate increases were made for four employees, who were granted larger salary increases. The goal is to bring their pay closer in line to that of principals and assistant principals who had held their positions for a longer period of time. After the one-time bump for 2012-13, they will receive the same flat-rate salary increase as the other union members.
   For 2012-13, Lawrence Intermediate School Principal David Adam will see his salary rise from $116,000 to $120,000. Lawrence Middle School Assistant Principal Frederick “P.J.” Barrett’s salary will climb from $86,500 to $91,000.
   Lawrence High School Assistant Principal Clifford Williams is on track to earn $102,000 for 2012-13, up from $96,000. Maureen Hayes, an instructional supervisor, will be paid $95,000, which is an increase over her current salary of $90,232.
   ”We just wanted to inject some equity in the agreement, so people at the bottom of the pay scale would get more of a bump than the others,” said school board President Laura Waters. When the salary increases were tallied, they fell within the 2-percent annual limit set by the school board, she said.
   ”The other big factor is they will pay a lot of money into their health benefits,” Ms. Waters said. State law now requires public employees to contribute more toward their health insurance and pension benefits. The percentage is being phased in over three years.
   Depending on the employee’s salary, he or she may contribute as much as 35 percent toward the cost of the health insurance premium when the law is fully phased in, Ms. Waters said. Until the new law was adopted, the employee’s contribution typically had been 1.5 percent of the premium.
   Ms. Waters said she was pleased with the new contract, which was hammered out after two sessions between negotiating teams fielded by the principals and supervisors union and the school board. An agreement was reached at the second session last month.