Protesting Super's Pay Increase

A teacher in Louisiana was hauled off in handcuffs at a school board meeting for protesting the superintendent's pay increase. Teacher’s Arrest For Criticizing Boss’ Pay Raises ‘Serious Constitutional Concerns,’ ACLU Says Here in Mt. Lebanon, teachers may be more subtle.

Watching Monday's school board meeting, I don't know how our superintendent can sit at a school board meeting and not be uncomfortable. Finance director, Jan Klein was talking about the "preliminary budget," once referred to as the "fake budget." She said that she has salaries at 3% (39:25 time stamp). She also emphasized that everything is an unknown at this point, especially with the teachers' contract.

Why should the teachers settle for a 3% increase, when Timmy is sitting there pulling in a 6% increase this July? We have the old school board to thank for that brilliant contract.

We don't have teachers being arrested over our super's pay increases, but it should be interesting to see what the new teachers' contract will cost Mt. Lebanon. Thanks to Timmy and his supporters for putting us in this position. A special thanks to Elaine Cappucci who played a major part in that decision and will be voting to accept the teachers' contract for her son.

Pursuant Ketchum Going...Going...

Looks like Pursuant Ketchum is on their way out, according to the article in the Trib, Vote set on hiring of new advisor for Mt. Lebanon School District Alyssa DeLuca, who just returned from family leave, will continue to lead the fundraising campaign at $82,500 per year. Maggie Schmidt will replace Pursuant Ketchum and will be advising Alyssa DeLuca at a rate of $62.50 per hour for as many as 32 hours per month.

Schmidt would replace staff from consulting firm Pursuant Ketchum, which has been advising Mt. Lebanon on the campaign since March 2013. Pursuant Ketchum recommended Schmidt to the district, and she will replace consultants who had been traveling about once a month from Pursuant's Boston offices at Mt. Lebanon's expense, said Superintendent Tim Steinhauer.

Also from the Trib article:

The board also discussed hiring former employee Stephen Schuerer as a human resources consultant, also at a rate of $62.50 per hour, to work with the district on a new contract for its teachers. The current contract runs through June 30.

If Steve Schuerer is not currently working for the district, who is the director of human resources? He is currently listed as the Title IX compliance investigator on the MTSLD calendar and in other places. Every school that receives federal money is supposed to have one. Is Steve Schuerer an attorney? If not, why is he being hired to work with the district on a new teachers' contract? Nice that he can double dip.

Speaking of teachers and administrators, we can find out how much administrators and teachers earned in 2012-13 here: Pa. posts school administrator, teacher salaries to website The salary information is difficult to find. To view individual teacher salaries, choose Allegheny County, then Mt. Lebanon School District. View district information. In the top right of the next page, view fiscal information. Scroll down on the right, and go to School Personnel Salary Date. It's a downloadable spreadsheet.