MONROE - The administration of Monroe school district is voluntarily giving up raises this year in response to economic concerns throughout the community and across the nation.
The school board has been meeting in closed sessions for several months to iron out details of administrators' pay increases. Superintendent Larry Brown announced Monday that in light of concerns about state budget issues and the economy in general, members of the administrative team recommended to forego a salary increase.
School districts around the state are looking at receiving reduced aid from the state for the coming school year. Brown said Monroe's budget is in good shape and administrators in Monroe don't intend the voluntary salary freeze to be a "budget fix;" rather, it stems from "an awareness of the economy" and economic difficulties throughout the community.
How much the district will save by not giving administrators raises is not yet known. Director of Curriculum and Instruction Jennifer Thayer resigned her position last week to take a position with the state Department of Public Instruction. Earlier this month, her position with the Monroe district was part of a reorganization effort to realign duties among administrators. Thayer was to take over a co-principal position at Monroe High School, in lieu of hiring a new assistant principal at the school. She was to retain oversight of curriculum at the high school, with Virtual School Principal Cory Hirsbrunner taking over curriculum for K-8.
With Thayer's resignation, the district must rethink its recent reorganization. Brown said nothing has been determined, except that Hirsbrunner will oversee curriculum for all grades, K-12. The search for a new assistant principal is now concentrated on internal candidates, he said.
He estimated administrative salaries will decrease 2.3 percent overall, depending on the salary for the assistant principal - some administrators will remain the same, but those who have been assigned additional responsibilities will be adjusted accordingly. New administrators set to begin this summer will remain at the salary at which they were hired. With salary and benefits combined, the total dollar amount paid for administrative salaries is estimated to decrease .83 percent.
School board vice president Pam Wyss commended Brown for recommending the salary freeze.
"It sets a fine example," she said.
The school board has been meeting in closed sessions for several months to iron out details of administrators' pay increases. Superintendent Larry Brown announced Monday that in light of concerns about state budget issues and the economy in general, members of the administrative team recommended to forego a salary increase.
School districts around the state are looking at receiving reduced aid from the state for the coming school year. Brown said Monroe's budget is in good shape and administrators in Monroe don't intend the voluntary salary freeze to be a "budget fix;" rather, it stems from "an awareness of the economy" and economic difficulties throughout the community.
How much the district will save by not giving administrators raises is not yet known. Director of Curriculum and Instruction Jennifer Thayer resigned her position last week to take a position with the state Department of Public Instruction. Earlier this month, her position with the Monroe district was part of a reorganization effort to realign duties among administrators. Thayer was to take over a co-principal position at Monroe High School, in lieu of hiring a new assistant principal at the school. She was to retain oversight of curriculum at the high school, with Virtual School Principal Cory Hirsbrunner taking over curriculum for K-8.
With Thayer's resignation, the district must rethink its recent reorganization. Brown said nothing has been determined, except that Hirsbrunner will oversee curriculum for all grades, K-12. The search for a new assistant principal is now concentrated on internal candidates, he said.
He estimated administrative salaries will decrease 2.3 percent overall, depending on the salary for the assistant principal - some administrators will remain the same, but those who have been assigned additional responsibilities will be adjusted accordingly. New administrators set to begin this summer will remain at the salary at which they were hired. With salary and benefits combined, the total dollar amount paid for administrative salaries is estimated to decrease .83 percent.
School board vice president Pam Wyss commended Brown for recommending the salary freeze.
"It sets a fine example," she said.