Under Salary,
A. Annual compensation adjustments for administrators shall be determined by the Board of School Directors with input from the Act 93 Committee and the Superintendent. Administrators with a Meets Expectations rating shall receive a compensation adjustment equal to the Act 1 Index (Special Session Act 1 of 2006), but within the range of 1.4% to 3.5%. If the Index percentage for any given year falls outside of the above mentioned range, either party may exercise their option to meet and discuss the matter.Look at the fringe benefits. They are unreal. Could someone with a knowledge of the previous agreement, kindly compare it to this one, which the dynamic duo (Posti and Cappucci) put together? I can't believe what I am reading.
B. In addition the Board may authorize additional funds that can be used for merit and/or salary adjustments. The Superintendent has the discretion to award those additional funds based on individual performance and potential for any administrator earning a rating of Meets Expectations or Far Exceeds Expectations.
Here is Posti's perspective taken from her Center Court blog:
Tonight, the Board will take action on a new five-year Act93 agreement. This agreement applies to principals, assistant principals, the technology director, supervisors, the director of special education, the athletic director, and all members identified as Act 93 employees and it details compensation, benefits and the evaluation system used for our administration. Its development is the result of many years’ worth of discussions and observations and more than a year’s worth of negotiations. Mr. Ostergaard and I began negotiations with Mr. McFeeley, Mr. Freil and Mr. Wolfson last year and Mrs. Cappucci and I continued that work this year on behalf of the Board.
The new agreement is much simpler and streamlines the compensation process, eliminating the “lump sum” provision as well as the tenure bonus for administrators who have worked in the District for 10 years or more. It also bases annual salary increases for this group on the Act 1 Index, offering them a predictable roadmap and the Board a better forecasting tool along with the ability to consider merit increases for the District’s high performers.
This five-year agreement uses the Act 1 Index as a basis for merit increases identifying the minimum as 1.4 and the maximum as 3.5. 1.4 is the historical low of the Act 1 Index and while the historical high was 4.4, the Board chose a more reasonable cap for merit increases. This year’s Index is 1.7% and is locked in next year at 1.7 because it is a reassessment year, giving the Board and the administration an indication of the possible merit increase that two of the five years of the agreement are based upon.
The administrators’ evaluation tool will also be improved, basing measurements not only on achievement of their annual goals but on performance of their day-to-day management duties. The end result is an agreement that takes into account our community’s high expectations of the District’s management team along with our taxpayers’ available resources which the Act 1 index helps indicate. I’d like to thank Dr. Steinhauer and the negotiation team for their thoughtful, collaborative work during the past year.
It is getting to the point where I get suspicious after seeing the words, "collaborative" or "collaboration." Why is that?
Ostergaard & Posti started the job, but Posti& Cappucci finished the job.
ReplyDelete"The community's high expectations"...right, Jo. Why not just be honest and write it accurately--"the Board's expectations that teachers will love us and to hell with the community".
ReplyDeletePosti, you're a piss-poor excuse for a school board president. You should never be in charge of any decision above what shoes to wear or "would you like fries or cole slaw?". Please stop embarrassing yourself and this community and resign.
Supervisors? Dr. Steinhauer eliminated the supervisors as part of his redding up campaign. Is he an Act 93 employee? Is Mrs. Klein? Both Jo and Cappucci are embarrassments to this community and need to go.
ReplyDeleteIt eliminates the mandatory lump sum that Act 93 folks got for being at the top of their salary step.
ReplyDeleteBut this seems to do away COMPLETELY with the steps.
Act 93 employees are now guaranteed an increase every year regardless of performance. A poor performer still gets the Act 1 increase. A person who simply meets expectations gets looked at for a bonus. Are we in 2012 or what? Average performance and you get considered for a bonus! Woohoo! Sign me up!
Previously there were effectively "steps" associated with your service time. At some point you would hit the top step and all you would get is the COLA raise of a 1-2% per year plus a lump sum bonus of any increase that could not go to salary due to hitting the top of the step.
For round numbers let's look at a $100,000 salary.
Old formula for someone at top step:
2% Cola raise. 5% raise for being a top peformer.
Next year salary is $102,000. Bonus this year is $3000
New formula for someone at the top step:
2% Act 1 increase. Undertermined bonus.
Next year salary is $102,000. Bonus is determined by the Board.
In the old formula, the bonus was less "subjective". High performers more or less had the same salary increase as each other. Meets expectation had the same salary increase as others who met expectations and poor performers got the COLA increase plus a modest increase in salary (yes, they still got a raise on top of COLA but very few Act 93 people ever got a poor performance grade).
On one hand I can see how this might help the district in the long run in that those people who are NOT at the top of the salary scale will not be getting 5% raises for an "exceeds expectations". Instead, their salary increase will be capped at the Act 1 limit. That is a good thing since the highest raise anyone will receive is 3.5% instead of what used to be basically unlimited (5% was not out of the norm, just ask Ms. Klein).
However, the "give" if you will, is that at the top end, the COLA adjustment is now tied to Act 1 which means in the past where the district might have gotten away with a 1.5% or 2.0% COLA increase, there is the chance the guaranteed rate of salary increase will be 3.5% which would be slightly more detrimental to the long term health of the budget.
I don't know, it seems that there is something for everyone in this agreement.
I don't like guaranteed raises for anyone, especially with such an underfunded budget and this contract has that. There is effectively a guarantee that salaries will increase no matter what the budgetary situation...but this is the same as the teachers contract. At least the teacher contract stipulates no salary increase for poor performers.
But I also don't like anyone in this economy getting a 5% raise when they already make $140,000 and this takes that ability away.
Oh goodness Elaine, it looks like another compromise. I have to think about it a little more to see how well it sits with me.
I take it back in that last comment...there is no raise for the bottom performers and those on an improvement plan receive less than the Act 1 increase. Meets or exceed expecations still get the Act 1 increase and are eligible for the bonus. I stand by the rest of that comment.
ReplyDeleteAs for the health benefits, most are pretty standard fare. Full dental/vision payment and coverage is not terribly expensive. However, the vacation days are ENORMOUS!
Act 93 STARTS at 20 days (goes to 25 after 9 years of service) with an additional 3 personal days and an additional 12 sick days. That is a BOATLOAD of days.
The severance and retirement parts of the agreement are NOT your standard fare. Those are exceptional.
One final note...
Congrats to the Board posting the agreement online. I don't like to admit when they did something right, but for once, they posted something online that actually mattered.
Let's hope this is the beginning of a new pattern (HA HA HA!).
Jan Klein received a 6.9% raise this year before this agreement was approved. There is no cap for merit and salary adjustments.
ReplyDeleteThe vacation days are in addition to a four day work week in the summer?
Yes, let's hope it is the beginning of a new pattern, but RTKs were already filed.
Elaine
"...that is market competitive" ? Defined as compared to what other districts in Allegheny County, or Western PA (like Fayette, Greene, Washinton, Butler, etc. counties) ?
ReplyDeleteShow us the proof & comparitive bases !
Yes, Jo, what market?? Or do I need to fill out an RTK to get your answer
ReplyDeleteTo clarify a previous statement I made, the RTK was for a copy of the agreement, not realizing how vague the agreement actually is.
ReplyDeleteI want to know how Jan was able to pull off that raise before the agreement was made. Another illegal move?
Is anyone out there getting mad enough to take action, or do I do this to keep myself out of the bars? How much proof does the community need to see the corruption on this school board and administration?
Elaine
Can anyone on this school board ever say "NO"?
ReplyDeleteLet's take a little tally of what's transpired in the district. Who's benefitted, whose sacrificed.
ReplyDeleteWe'll look at the students first.
• classroom supplies and materials budgets have been cut once again
• some extracurricular activities saw budget reductions
• they pay to park at the high school (no one else does)
• fewer counselors to help students in need
Now the taxpayer/parent:
• new higher property assessments
• increased mullahs rate
• ticket price increase to sporting events
And now the administration and teachers: (keep in mind this is the worst economy since the Great Depression, unemployment hovers at 8%)
• teachers get raises, jump steps
• slight increase in health insurance payment
• Jan Klein gets a whopping 6.9% salary increase (but she can't confirm YSA payments)
• Dr. S gets a big salary increase plus extra vacation days
• Dr. S gets a hired strategic plan FACILITATOR (isn't that what supers normally do????)
• His administrative staff also get nice raises (but the facilities people don't know where a utility line is that was replaced a few years ago)
• the administration enjoys 4 day summer work weeks (nice 3 day weekends all summer)
Seems a little lopsided don't it, for an operation that says it's all for the kids?
They staff ought to be thankful they have jobs. Check out how many teachers elsewhere have been cut.
As for the super, how many have we've been through in the past 8 years? Can anyone point out in comparing year to year test scores and student achievements where say Dr. Wilson left. How about Dr. Allison?
I'm betting that if Dr. Tim left today, if it wasn't broadcast, no one would know or question it until the next board meeting when they found his chair empty.
And you could layoff the entire teaching staff and could replenish it with highly competent, educated new teachers tomorrow. Many would be thankful go be in MTLSD because it'd be a damn sight better than the district they were laid off from.
And student performance wouldn't falter, because their high achieving, educated parents expect success.
So I'm sick of hearing it's for the kids.
The motto should be:
"I'm getting mine first - then we'll worry about the students." Lets just be honest for a change.
Then run!
ReplyDeleteMake it about the kids by freezing all salaries for four years to maximize funds going to students.
Better yet, roll back administrator salaries by 5% and institute pay freezes on all teachers. That way the Union might just buy in if everyone takes a hit.
Those who leave will be replaced by teachers and administrators who will be damn happy to take their place!
Just stop pushing it all on the overburdened taxpayer.
So...........who is running for school board?
ReplyDeleteThere should be an all-out effort afoot to find viable candidates!
Show of hands.
ReplyDeleteWhom making a six figure salary has seen a 6.9% raise in the last four years. Not obliging those who's job title, duties or responsibilities increased also.
Then of the people, who has job security, and 80% guaranteed pension and contributes a minimal amount to their health insurance. Don't forget 28 hour summer work weeks!
What kind of crazy person would run for the school board given how badly Jo and her friends have screwed it up? You'd spend every meeting voting on how best to roll back some half-witted agreement they made.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with running for the school board is that you will catch all the flack trying to clean up this mess.
ReplyDeleteLet 'em stay now and pay the piper. The damage has been done, we're getting the bill regardless.
"And in their styes with all their backing
ReplyDeleteThey don't care what goes on around
And in their eyes there's something lacking
What they need's a damm good whacking."
Yes, we've seen the little piggies, Georgie, alas too late.
3:48- you write let 'em stay now and pay the piper. How so? There will be that many more things to undo, more change orders, more damage done, more eyes a rollin', more BS. Where's that petition to get the resignations a rollin'
ReplyDelete5:25 PM, the most popular petition in the history of Mt. Lebanon had close to 4,000 signatures. Where did that get us? We still have Mary Birks who said she had paper cuts from looking at them. Awww, poor baby. I presented them to Kubit. He is still there. Posti is still there. Remely said there was no plan for $75 million, while finding out that we had no plan for $113 million. He's still there. Cappucci is still there. Ostergaard is still there with the DAD team promising under $95 million. So where did that get us? I have no more time or energy to do another petition. They are breaking laws left and right. They lie to us. Yes, they can say no. To us! I don't know what else to do. Contact elected officials? Did that. I waited for the last election and the same clowns are still there. Start a blog? Check that off the list. Pray? Posti has that covered. Hope for Karma, I guess. I don't know what else can be done. We're living in the Twilight Zone.
ReplyDeleteElaine
3:45 7 3:48 Do you seriously think that these people should be permitted any further responsibility beyond their current terms of office considering where they have taken this community? Yes, there is a real mess to clean up, but why in the world should they be trusted with managing school district affairs going forward? How about getting new faces on the board that can start with a change in auditors? That’s one simple change that would make people feel a whole lot better!
ReplyDelete5:53 as long as where paying exorbitant prices to the scalpers, we might as well sit back and enjoy the show. It's sure to be spectacular.
ReplyDeleteI wish Pursuant Ketchum would offer Dr. Steinhauer a job though. Perhaps his real talent lies in PR, he did an excellent job for them.
Wait, where is that Pursuing Ketchup presentation nowadays?
ReplyDeleteYeah, where is the presentation, school board? Or did you spend 40k for no reason? I'm a taxpayer and I want to see either the PK write-up or I want the money back. Pick one, Posti.
ReplyDeletePosti? Yeah, she's the president but Steinhauer was the big advocate for hiring PK. He saw dollar signs and fell for the scam.
ReplyDelete