The Hillsboro R-3 School District will spend $75,350.93 less on administrative salaries this school year than it did during the 2024-2025 school year, school officials reported.
This fiscal year began July 1 and ends June 30, 2026.
The district has allotted $2,006,596 for administrator pay for this fiscal year, down $75,350.93 from last year’s total of $2,081,947.03, according to district records.
Superintendent Jon Isaacson said the decrease in spending is due in part to the elimination of the chief operating officer position, previously held by Kelly Genge. He also said that he and associate superintendent Melissa Hildebrand and assistant superintendent Clay LaRue have each absorbed a portion of Genge’s duties.
Additionally, Jennifer White, the district’s accounts payable and payroll specialist, will now serve as the director of finance, Isaacson said, adding that White will “lead the district’s day-to-day financial and accounting operations, ensuring both continuity and a high standard of fiscal oversight.”
Those are just some of the staffing realignments the district has implemented for the 2025-2026 school year, Isaacson said.
Amy Phillips, the assistant Primary School principal, is now the principal of the district’s new early childhood program.
Shannon Murray, who has been with the district for 26 years, will serve as the Primary School principal, following former principal Cathy Freeman’s retirement.
Isaacson said that because of lower projected enrollment at the Primary School, the district will not replace the assistant principal position Phillips previously held.
“Instead, two principals will collaborate to lead both the Early Childhood and Primary programs efficiently,” he said.
Berry Ijames, the assistant principal at Hillsboro Intermediate, will now hold the title of assistant principal at Hillsboro Junior High.
Isaacson said Ijames is filling the role vacated by Kim Copeland, who has taken a job as the middle school principal for the Grandview R-2 school district.
In addition, Phil Jacquot, the assistant principal at Hillsboro Elementary, will now serve as the assistant principal at Hillsboro Intermediate.
Jennifer Freiner, a reading teacher at Hillsboro Elementary, will become the elementary assistant principal.
While the district has reduced overall administrative expenses for the current school year, Isaacson said administrators received an average 5.35 percent pay raise for this school year.
Certified staff, including teachers, counselors and instructional specialists, got an approximately 7.7 percent pay increase, Isaacson said.
As part of the district’s Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP), all district employees should be paid within the top 40 percent of similar school districts in the greater St. Louis area, he said.
“Our goal has always been to attract and retain the very best educators and leaders for our students. While we’ve reduced overall administrative spending this year, we also recognize the expanded responsibilities our streamlined leadership team has taken on,” Isaacson said. “Aligning administrator compensation with our teacher salary schedule ensures fairness and consistency across roles,” he said. “At the same time, our 7.7 percent increase for certified staff reflects a strong investment in the classroom. These decisions are grounded in our CSIP goal to remain among the top 40 percent of competitive districts in the region, because when we support our people, we support our students.”
2025-2026 administrator salaries
- Jon Isaacson, superintendent, $220,028
- Melissa Hildebrand, associate superintendent, $159,559
- Clay LaRue, assistant superintendent, $148,795
- Mark Groner, high school principal, $134,318
- Matt Whitehead, executive director of special services, $128,784
- Eric Detweiler, elementary school principal, $128,557
- Bill Murphy, junior high principal, $110,895
- Leslie Marchetti, intermediate principal, $109,076
- Amy Phillips, early childhood principal, $108,091
- Gary Drury, high school learning center assistant principal, $103,846
- Brian Sucharski, high school assistant principal/activities director, $99,791
- Amber Gillick, high school assistant principal, $99,298
- Shannon Murray, primary principal, $93,992
- Billy Reece, high school assistant principal, $93,992
- Phil Jacquot, intermediate assistant principal, $90,960
- Berry Ijames, junior high assistant principal, $90,202
- Jennifer Freiner, elementary assistant principal, $86,412
- Jennifer White, finance director, $82,500