Dist. 46 superintendent won't get raise to match teachers'

Grayslake Elementary District 46 Superintendent Ellen Correll has a salary increase and plans to stay in the district at least through June 2010.

District 46 board members recently approved Correll's salary for the 2008-09 academic year. Her base salary will rise 3.25 percent to $168,319, from the $163,021 she received in the 2007-08 school year.

Correll's complete compensation package for this academic year will be $190,318 when fringe benefits are counted. Benefits include a $17,464 employer contribution for Correll to the state's Teacher Retirement System.

District 46 board President Michael Linder said administrators in past years generally received raises that matched teacher pay hikes. However, he said, that's not the case this year because of projected revenue declines.

If Correll's raise had matched the teachers', it would have been 4 percent. The teachers will receive total average annual raises of 4 percent under a new three-year deal that became official last week.

"I think this is a very good deal for the district," Linder said of Correll's raise.

Correll said her contract will take her through the 2009-10 academic year.

District 46 hired Correll as superintendent in July 2005. She had been assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction in Corning-Painted Post, N.Y., before she came to Grayslake to replace Kurt Anderson, whose tenure lasted six years.

Education is part of Correll's family. Her husband, John Correll, is superintendent at Villa Park-based Salt Creek School District 48.

District 46 serves parts of Grayslake, Third Lake, Hainesville, Round Lake, Round Lake Park, Round Lake Beach and Lake Villa.