Decorah School Board approves administrative and other salaries

The Decorah Community School Board met in special session on Monday to approve issuance of Administrative, Central Office, and Other Staff contracts.  Superintendent Haluska said that efforts had been made for salary packages to parallel the 3.59 percent negotiated with the Decorah Education Association.

However, the total package for the Administration averaged 3.87 percent. Haluska and some board members said this was due to two salary adjustments where principals were falling behind scale and could be making less that the highest paid teaching staff. When administrative staff took no salary increase three years ago, that put several staff behind normal salary progression in contrast to teachers.  Board member Rick Valley said that he felt that they should hold firm to similar salary package increases and was the sole dissenting vote.

The Board then approved the Central Office Staff contracts, which averaged 3.58 percent; and the Other Staff package, which averaged 3.82 percent. That package average was higher due to some salary adjustments and some technical issues related to where monies come from, and the approval passed without dissent.

District salaries included: Superintendent Mike Haluska, $143,150; Middle School Principal Leona Hoth, $83,475; Associate High School Principal Adam Riley, $75,000; High School Principal Kim Sheppard, $102,210; Carrie Lee Principal Cheryl Miller, $71,000; and John Cline and West Side Principal Rick Varney, $85,910.