Dist. 214 gives Schuler new 5-year contract
The District 214 school board has approved a new contract for Superintendent David Schuler that will run through June 30, 2014.
The contract - which was agreed to in January and obtained by the Daily Herald through the Freedom of Information Act - details Schuler's salary and perks, including a $600 per month car allowance and a cell phone paid for by the district.
In 2008-09 Schuler earned $215,908, which includes benefits and a base salary of $198,408. That salary was frozen for 2009-2010.
Every following year of the contract Schuler will be given a raise of either 2 percent or the percentage change of the Consumer Price Index, whichever is greater.
Schuler said he took the one-year pay freeze because the teacher's union did the same thing for 2009-10. Teachers still get their step raises which vary from 2 to 2.5 percent.
"It wouldn't be right not to," he said about the pay freeze. "Everyone has to play their part."
That doesn't mean Schuler is completely without pay increases. At any time, the school board can also give Schuler bonuses throughout the year. For example, the board gave him two $7,500 bonuses - in August and in January.
Board members Lenore Bragaw and Alva Kreutzer voted against giving Schuler the second bonus. Both said their vote had nothing to do with Schuler's performance.
"It's just a bad year, given the economic climate," Bragaw said.
Kreutzer agreed.
"I just couldn't justify giving another increase knowing the financial condition of our state and nation," she said. "It's not about his performance, he's doing a great job."
Bragaw said what's important is Schuler's new contract, which shows he is "fairly compensated."
"We look at what other superintendents are making in the area," she said. "You don't want your superintendent saying 'Why am I last?' but you also don't want to have the highest paid superintendent in the world either."
Board President Bill Dussling said Schuler's salary is "probably about midrange."
"He's doing a super job," Dussling said. "Since he's been here our ACT scores have been increasing, our budget is balanced and he has a great relationship with our unions."
According to the contract, Schuler will also receive 20 vacation days, not including holidays; four personal days and 14 sick days. If Schuler doesn't use all his sick days, they will roll over; he is allowed to bank a maximum of 240 days.
This is Schuler's fifth year as superintendent of Northwest Suburban High School District 214. A Wisconsin native, Schuler, 39, was the superintendent of a 7,500-student district in Stevens Point, Wis. before he replaced Elizabeth A. Ennis, who retired in 2005.
When he was hired, Schuler's base salary was $175,000.
In 2008, Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 Superintendent Nancy Robb's was given a contract with an annual average of $230,000, including salary and benefits. Her starting base salary is $205,000. Robb's contract runs through June 30, 2012.