Mehlville School District middle-school and elementary principals and assistant principals will receive salary increases ranging from 1.1 percent to more than 8.5 percent for the coming school year.
Mehlville Board of Education members recently voted in closed session to approve the salary increases for the middle-school and elementary school administrators, who did not receive increases for the 2008-2009 school year because of a salary freeze. For the 2007-2008 school year, all administrators received a 6-percent pay increase.
Board members voted 6-1 — Venki Palamand was opposed — to approve the following salary increases for middle-school principals and assistant principals for the 2009-2010 school year:
Phil Milligan, Bernard Middle School principal, $103,000, up 3 percent from the $100,000 he previously was paid for the 2008-2009 school year, his first in the position. He replaced Michelle Condon, who was paid $103,588 for the 2006-2007 school year. Before that, she was paid $98,829. For the 2004-2005 school year, she was paid $97,357. For the 2003-2004 school year, her salary was $93,218.
Mike Salsman, Oakville Middle School principal, $105,098, up 4 percent from the $101,056 he previously was paid. For the 2006-2007 school year, he was paid $95,336.31. Before that, he served as the school’s assistant principal at a salary of $78,698.
Ross Bullington, Buerkle Middle School assistant principal, $84,700, up 3 percent from the $82,233 he previously was paid.
He was paid $82,233 for the 2007-2008 school year, his first in the position.
Patrick Keenoy, Washington Middle School assistant principal, $83,670, up 3 percent from the $81,233 he previously was paid for his first year in the position.
Board members voted 6-1 — Palamand was opposed — during the May 28 closed session to approve the following salary increases for elementary principals for the 2009-2010 school year:
Melody Gunn, Beasley Elementary School principal, $102,873, up 6.3 percent from the $96,762 she previously was paid. She was paid the same salary for the 2007-2008 school year, her first as principal.
Tina Hale, Blades Elementary School principal, $110,533, up roughly 7.4 percent from the $102,834 she previously was paid.
For the 2006-2007 school year, her first as principal, she was paid $97,013. She replaced Connie Lohse, who was paid $100,480 for the 2005-2006 school year.
Scott Andrews, Hagemann Elementary School principal, $108,483, up 3 percent from the $105,323 he previously was paid.
For the 2006-2007 school year, his first as principal, he was paid $99,361. He replaced Bill Schiller, who was paid $99,489 for the 2005-2006 school year.
Jim Walters, Point Elementary School principal, $106,480, up 4 percent from the $102,381 he previously was paid. Walters replaced Nancy Zitzmann, who was paid $100,368 for the 2006-2007 school year.
Before that, her salary was $96,519. For the 2004-2005 school year, she was paid $95,057. For the 2003-2004 school year, her salary was $93,218.
Donna Wagener, Trautwein Elementary School principal, $98,635, up 3 percent from her salary of $95,762 for the 2008-2009 school year, her first as principal.
She replaced Joan Wiese, who was paid $103,387 for the 2006-2007 school year. Before that, Wiese was paid $100,480. For the 2004-2005 school year, she was paid $99,984. For the 2003-2004 school year, her salary was $98,145.
Dave Meschke, Wohlwend Elementary School principal, $94,837, up 1.1 percent from the $93,762 he previously was paid as interim principal. He was named interim principal after Christa Warner left the district.
Kathy Fuchs, John Cary Early Childhood principal, $107,384, up 3 percent from the $104,256 she previously was paid.
For the 2006-2007 school year, she was paid $98,355. Before that, Fuchs was paid $94,539.
Board members voted unanimously to approve salary increases to two elementary-school principals who earned doctorate degrees:
Kristy Roberts, Bierbaum Elementary School principal, $104,425, up 7.1 percent over her salary of $97,500 for the 2008-2009 school year, her first as principal. She replaced Steve Langhorst.
Jeff Bresler, Rogers Elementary School principal, $107,000, up more than 8.5 percent from the $98,567 he previously was paid. For the 2006-2007 school year, Bresler was paid $92,988. For the 2005-2006 school year, his first as principal, he was paid $89,275.
Palamand, who opposed most pay raises for administrators for the coming school year, told the Call he could support the increases for Roberts and Bresler because they had earned doctorate degrees.
“Over a lifetime, someone with a four-year college degree will earn, on average, $1 million more than someone with just a high school diploma. Those who achieve a master’s degree will earn even more. Education is the ticket to a middle-class lifestyle and beyond,” he said.
“We are an educational institution that encourages both students and staff to pursue higher education. Earning a doctorate is an impressive achievement that takes years of hard work. These specific raises were rewards based on that achievement,” Palamand added.
Board members voted unanimously to hire the following elementary principals and middle-school assistant principal:
Chad Dickemper, Oakville Elementary School principal, $93,000.
Scott Clark, Forder Elementary School principal, $93,000.
Lori Weber, Bernard Middle School assistant principal, $82,333.
