By MIKE ANTHONY

Executive Editor

Administrative pay raises ranging from 2.6 percent to 9.5 percent for the 2003-2004 school year recently were approved by the Mehlville Board of Education.

The district’s 52 certificated administrators collectively will be paid $4,683,195.87 during the 2003-2004 school year, up roughly 4.2 percent from the previous year’s payroll of $4,492,886, according to information provided by A.D. McClain, assistant superintendent for human resources.

Board members voted during a May 27 closed session to approve the administrative salaries for the coming school year. Board member Rich Huddleston’s motion to ap-prove the salaries was seconded by board member William “Bill” Schornheuser Jr. and approved with a 6-0 vote. Vice President Matthew Chellis was absent.

The district’s superintendent, deputy superintendent, area superintendent and four assistant superintendents collectively will receive total compensation of $822,175.74 for the 2003-2004 school year, up roughly 4.4 percent from last year’s total compensation of $786,797.

With the board’s action, Ricker, who will become superintendent July 1, will receive a compensation package totaling $153,200 for the 2003-2004 school year. Besides salary, Ricker’s compensation also includes an additional 10 percent of his base salary for retirement and an in-district travel allowance of $600 per month — $7,200 annually.

When the Board of Education announced in January it had reached an agreement with Ricker to replace retiring Superintendent John Cary, Ricker’s total compensation package was valued at $150,200, which included a base salary of $130,000, an additional 10 percent of his base salary for retirement and an in-district travel allowance of $600 per month.

For the 2002-2003 school year, Cary was paid $133,000 — a 3.91 percent increase from his 2001-2002 salary of $128,000. Cary also received an additional $13,300 — 10 percent of the annual salary amount — as compensation for retirement, and $500 per month for in-district travel, bringing his total compensation package to $152,300.

Ricker has served as the district’s south area superintendent since 2001. For the 2002-2003 school year, Ricker was paid $108,885 — a 3.7 percent increase from his 2001-2002 salary of $105,000. He replaced Brent Under-wood, who began serving as superintendent of the Web-ster Groves School District during the 2001-2002 school year. For the 1999-2000 school year, Underwood was paid $98,171. The previous year he was paid $90,600.

Reed, who becomes deputy superintendent July 1, will receive a compensation package totaling $130,575 for the 2003-2004 school year. Besides salary, Reed’s compensation for the newly created position of deputy superintendent includes an additional 10 percent of her base salary for retirement and an in-district travel allowance of $400 per month — $4,800.

Reed has served as the district’s north area superintendent since 2000 and will continue that role besides her deputy superintendent responsibilities. For the 2002-2003 school year, Reed was paid $109,922 — a 3.7 percent increase from her 2001-2002 salary of $106,000. For the 2000-2001 school year, she was paid $102,000. Reed replaced Kathleen Keusenkothen, who became the superintendent of the City of St. Charles School District. As area superintendent, Keusenkothen was paid $99,075.53. The previous year she was paid $91,772.

Salaries for other Central Office administrators for the 2003-2004 school year are:

• McClain, who will be paid $112,183.49, up 4 percent from last year’s salary of $107,848. The previous year he was paid $104,000. For the 2000-2001 school year, Mc-Clain was paid $94,585.20. He began his duties in Mehl-ville during the 1999-2000 school year with a salary of $92,000.

• Connie Hurst, assistant superintendent for curriculum, who will be paid $112,183.49, up 4 percent from last year’s salary of $107,848. The previous year she was paid $104,000. During the 2000-2001 school year, Hurst’s salary was $92,000. Before that, during the 1999-2000 school year, George Ann Fisher held the position before retiring with a salary of $98,171.

• Randy Charles, assistant superintendent for finance and chief financial officer, will be paid $111,104.80, up 4 percent from last year’s salary of $106,811. The previous year he was paid $103,000. Charles had served as Mehlville Senior High School principal with a salary of $99,410 and replaced Tom Foraker, who retired after the 2000-2001 school year with a salary of $92,282.

• Keith Klusmeyer, south area superintendent, will be paid $106,000. Klusmeyer, who currently serves as principal at Remington Traditional School in the Pattonville School District, fills the position being vacated by Ricker.

• Cindy Lynch, assistant superintendent for student services, will be paid $96,928.96, up 4 percent from last year’s salary of $93,183. The previous year she was paid $89,000. Lynch earned $83,455 during the 2000-2001 school year. She formerly served as executive director of pupil personnel services and earned $80,000 for the 1999-2000 school year.

Salaries approved for high school principals and assistant principals are:

• Vince Viviano, Mehlville Senior High principal, $101,889.84, up 4 percent from $97,888.

• Eric Knost, Oakville Senior High principal, $104,057.71, up 4 percent from $100,016.

• Angelo Colona, Mehlville Senior High assistant principal, $90,065.10, up 3 percent from $87,377.

• Dave Mana, Mehlville Senior High assistant principal, $90,065.10, up 3 percent from $87,377.

• Sharon Mackay, Mehlville Senior High assistant principal, $89,079.71, up 4.2 percent from $85,443.

• Denise Driscoll, Mehlville Senior High assistant principal, $90,393.57, up 4.2 percent from $86,732.

• Janet Anthony, Oakville Senior High assistant principal, $84,152.73, up 4.4 percent from $80,606.

• Jan Kellerman, Oakville Senior High assistant principal, $88,094.31, up 4.2 percent from $84,475.

• Brian Lane, Oakville Senior High assistant principal, $83,167.34, up 4.4 percent from $79,639.

• Arthur “Rocky” Streb, Oakville Senior High assistant principal, $82,181.94, up 4.4 percent from last year’s salary of $78,672.

Salaries approved for middle school principals are:

• Bob Linderer, Washington Middle School principal, $94,203.76, up 4.1 percent from last year’s salary of $90,472.

• Vicki Van Laere, Oakville Middle School principal, $97,488.41. She replaces John Brandenburg, who retired. Brandenburg was paid $95,309.

• Scott Hayes, Buerkle Middle School principal, $92,561.44. Hayes replaces Jerry Langsdorf, who retired.Langsdorf was paid $94,342 for the 2002-2003 school year. For the 2002-2003 school year, Hayes served as the school’s assistant principal with a salary of $76,673.

• Michelle Condon, Bernard Middle School principal, $93,218.37. This new middle school, built as part of Mehlville’s Proposition P districtwide building im-provement program, will open for the 2003-2004 school year. For the 2002-2003 school year, Condon was paid $86,281 as principal of Bernard Elementary School, which is closing. The elementary school will house pupils from Oakville Elementary School during the coming school year while a new Oakville Elementary School is built as part of the Proposition P program.

Salaries approved for elementary school principals are:

• Steve Brotherton, Rogers Elementary School principal, $91,904.51, up 4.1 percent from last year’s salary of $88,215.

• Dexter Schraer, Forder Elementary School principal, $92,889.90, up 4.1 percent from last year’s salary of $89,183.

• Ellen Henneberry-Smith, Wohlwend Elementary School principal, $96,831.48, up 4.1 percent from last year’s salary of $93,052.

• Steve Langhorst, Bierbaum Elementary School principal, $95,189.16, up 4.1 percent from last year’s salary of $91,440.

• Amanda Lewis, Oakville Elementary School principal, $96,831.48, up 2.99 percent from last year’s salary of $94,019.

• Connie Lohse, Blades Elementary School principal, $98,145.34, up 4 percent from last year’s salary of $94,342.

• Jan Walkonis, Beasley Elementary School principal, $96,174.55, up 4 percent from last year’s salary of $92,407.

• Bill Schiller, Hagemann Elementary School principal, $93,875.30, up 4.1 percent from last years’ salary of $90,150.

• Joan Wiese, Trautwein Elementary School principal, $98,145.34, up 4 percent from last year’s salary of $94,342.

• Nancy Zitzmann, Point Elementary School principal, $90,919.11, up 4.1 percent from last year’s salary of $87,248.

Salaries approved for middle school assistant principals are:

• Carol Fouse, Oakville Middle School, $80,408.23, up 3.9 percent from the previous year’s salary of $77,318.

• Andrew Loiterstein, Washington Middle School, $77,452.05, up 4 percent from last year’s salary of $74,416.

• Mark Delaney, Buerkle Middle School, $76,466.65. He replaces Hayes.

• Jeff Bresler, Bernard Middle School, $76,466.65. This is a new position.

Salary increases for elementary school assistant principals and district directors range from 2.6 percent to 9.5 percent for the 2003-2004 school year.