Area administrators earn among top salaries statewide

The salaries of eight of the nine school district superintendents in our area are among the top 22 percent in Pennsylvania, according to a report released in November.

Additionally, the salaries of five assistant superintendents out of seven area school districts with assistant superintendents are among the top 15 percent in the state.

The Pennsylvania School Board Association issued its 2014-15 school management salaries report Nov. 28, which includes a list of the salary range percentages of superintendents and assistant superintendents, according to data submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

The report is based on the 497 superintendent salaries and 201 assistant superintendent salaries reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Since the information listed in the PSBA report is based on the 201415 school year, the most recent data available, it’s possible the statewide salaries could have changed between when the study was performed and today. The local salaries, however, are up to date.

The data shows that 22 percent of Pennsylvania superintendents earned a salary of $158,000 a year or more and 15 percent of assistant superintendents earned $150,000 or more a year.

Steve Robinson, a spokesman for the PSBA, said the study is performed on a yearly basis and members turn to the information when considering salary ranges.

“We offer no advice or guidance on what salaries should be,” he said. “It’s up to the school board to decide salary ranges.”

Salaries in general can account for up to 60 percent of a district’s budget, he said.

“That’s typical of any organization,” Robinson said.

In our area, the superintendents from the Boyertown, Owen J. Roberts, Perkiomen Valley, Phoenixville, Pottsgrove, Pottstown, Spring-Ford and Upper Perkiomen school districts each earn a salary of $158,000 or more today. Meanwhile, five assistant superintendents out of the seven school districts with assistant superintendents earn $150,000 or more.

Among the superintendents, Boyertown Superintendent Richard H. Faidley earns a salary of $185,661. That’s actually down from the 2015-16 school year when he earned $195,000. Faidley said he restructured his contract to make sure the district was “in good standing.” OJR Superintendent Michael Christian earns a salary of $217,474. Perk Valley Superintendent Clifford Rogers earns $200,000. Rogers is scheduled to retire June 30, 2017.

Phoenixville Superintendent Alan Fegley tops the list locally at $230,000. Pottsgrove Superintendent William Shirk earns $178,000. Pottstown acting Superintendent Stephen Rodriguez receives $625 a day. Considering there were 261 working days in 2016, he therefore earns a salary of approximately $163,000. Spring-Ford Superintendent David Goodin earns $188,700. Lastly, Upper Perkiomen Superintendent Alexis McGloin earns $187,113.

Daniel Boone Superintendent James P. Harris Jr. misses the cut, earning $140,000.

Among the assistant superintendents, Boyertown Assistant Superintendent Robert Scoboria earns a salary of $171,086. OJR Assistant Superintendent Kathryn Soeder earns $172,661. Perkiomen Valley Assistant Superintendent Barbara Russell earns $160,987. Russell is in talks to succeed Rogers following his retirement. Phoenixville Assistant Superintendent LeRoy Whitehead earns $155,000, while Spring-Ford Assistant Superintendent Allyn Roche earns $163,200.

Daniel Boone Assistant Superintendent Robert Hurley misses the cut earning $116,051, as does Upper Perkiomen Assistant Superintendent Sean Arney, who earns $140,985. Pottsgrove and Pottstown School Districts do not have an assistant superintendent.

According to news reports, the state’s highest superintendent salary may well be that enjoyed by Amy Sichel, superintendent of Montgomery County’s Abington School District, who is in the second year of a five-year contract that put her annual salary at $319,714 in July 2015.

Sichel, who was the president of the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators in 2011, was named Pennsylvania Superintendent of the Year in 2010 by that organization. In 2014, she served as the president of the American Association of School Administrators.

According to the PSBA report, the average Pennsylvania superintendent salary was $137,326. The median (middle) salary was $130,295.

Eight percent of superintendents earn less than $102,000, the second highest percentage on the salary range. Among the assistant superintendents, 12 percent earned between $130,000 and $133,999 and 10 percent earned between $114,000 and $117,999.

For full details from the PSBA report, visit http://bit. ly/2kTaAfg.