Lombard District 44 paying administrators $424K to leave
Lombard Elementary District 44 is on the hook to pay a combined $424,900 in salaries and vacation days next school year to two top administrators with whom it is cutting ties.
But the school board president says she expects the community will be "thrilled" when officials announce the direction the district is taking to choose its next superintendent.
The district released separation agreements with Superintendent Michael Robey and Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources and Public Relations Aldo Calderin in response to a Freedom of Information Act request from the Daily Herald.
The school board unanimously approved the agreements May 9, saying officials were "not seeing eye-to-eye" with Robey and also wanted to part ways with Calderin, whom Robey hired when the superintendent began working in the district two years ago.
The documents show Robey, whose tenure as superintendent ends June 30 - two years before his four-year contract was to expire - is owed $244,517 in 24 semimonthly severance checks next year, along with $8,416 for 10 unused vacation days. Documents show Calderin, whose time in his position also expires June 30, is owed $164,244 in severance and $7,723 for 15 unused days off.
The agreements say both administrators are required to inform District 44 if they accept other jobs. If their new salaries will be equal or higher than what District 44 owes them, the district no longer will have to pay. If their new salaries will be lower, the district will pay only the difference between the two amounts to ensure their salaries next year matches the promised severance total.
Robey and Calderin are finishing their tenures with the district working from home and not from the administration center at Madison Elementary School. Calls to Robey and Calderin at home were not returned.
School board President Courtney Long said the board intends to announce its plans for finding its next superintendent at its June 13 meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. in the administration center at 150 W. Madison St.
"We're really excited about what's to come and can't wait to make the formal announcement," Long said. "I think our community, our staff and our students are going to be thrilled with the next direction."