The Jefferson R-7 School District will spend $55,318 less on salaries for administrative and professional contract employees for the 2023-2024 school year than it did this year.
Those costs have been reduced because administrative duties were restructured following the recent retirement of longtime Jefferson R-7 Superintendent Clint Johnston.
He officially retired on July 1, and new Superintendent David Haug has taken over the reins.
Haug said the district expects to spend $852,382 on administrator and professional salaries during the 2023-2024 year after spending $907,700 on those salaries for the 2022-2023 year, which ended June 30.
A deputy superintendent position was created in early 2022, with Haug, a former Jefferson High School principal, stepping into that role and former activities director Alex Rouggly moving to the principal seat.
During the 2022-23 school year, the district paid Johnston a $167,000 annual salary and Haug $116,546.
The 2023-2024 salary schedule approved at the June 28 board meeting calls for Haug to make $139,000 as superintendent and Rouggly to be paid $95,000 as principal.
The deputy superintendent position has been eliminated, but the board created a new executive director of administration position and hired Darren Schaffer to fill the job. He will be paid a $79,000 annual salary.
The following is a list of other staffing and salary changes.
■ Danby-Rush Tower Middle School Principal Cindy Holdinghausen was paid $107,722 last school year. She retired and former district intervention specialist Steven Horn has taken over at a salary of $80,000.
■ Telegraph Intermediate School Principal Dalania Watson was paid $80,312 last year and will make $84,914 in 2023-2024.
■ Plattin Primary Principal Tina Basler made $101,393 last year and will be paid $107,203 for the upcoming school year.
■ Director of transportation Jim Almany made $65,431 last year. Almany retired and Amy Manns has taken over at a salary of $55,000.
■ Director of technology Wayne Donjon made $72,590 last year and will make $76,749 this school year.
■ Director of food service Erin Carrico was paid $55,697 last year. She left the district, and new director Donica Wagner will make $52,000.
■ Director of maintenance Steve Walters made $62,664 last school year and will make $66,255 this one.
■ Director of accounting Ann Hampton made $78,345 last year, having absorbed some extra duties and associated stipends when assistant superintendent Amy Ramsdell left the district in late 2021. She will be paid $72,261 for the 2023-24 school year.
■ The base salary for new teachers in the district is set at $39,000, up from $37,500.
“This is kind of a good news, bad news thing,” Johnston said. “We are hopeful this will help us attract and retain staff, but it makes us ineligible for grants that are targeted for districts whose base salary is less than $38,000.”
■ Jefferson R-7 will once again offer a $1,250 wellness stipend to all staff who meet eligibility requirements.
“I think that’s been a great thing for our district,” Haug said. “It typically is paid out in November, and that really helps with holiday expenses.”
An emotional farewell
About 75 people attended a reception in Johnston’s honor held before the June 28 meeting in the Performing Arts Center at Jefferson High School.
Johnston and Haug both emphasized the value of the time Haug spent as deputy superintendent.
“I always said I wanted to wait to retire until I could turn things over to someone who could take this district forward to the next level,” Johnston said. “We’ve worked closely together for 18 months, and I can tell you, this (gesturing to Haug) is definitely the guy.”
Haug, who officially took over the superintendent position July 1, said the transition has been challenging but rewarding.
“I feel like we’ve worked really hard to get ready,” he said. “But you know, you can’t fully understand until you actually sit in the chair. I’m glad Clint will still be available if I have questions, and we have a fantastic staff in place. I’m excited going forward.”
At the meeting, the board recognized Johnston for his 13 years as superintendent of the district and presented him with a handmade quilt featuring all the schools he’s worked for in his 31-year career.
Johnston gave a brief but emotional speech urging board members to continue the tradition of excellence at R-7 and to focus on meeting the needs of each child regardless of politics or educational fads.
“It’s been an honor and a joy to be here,” he said. “I wish you all the very best.”