Newark schools reward chief

NEWARK -- The school board's unanimous decision to reward the superintendent with a $10,000 bonus -- at a time when the district faces economic uncertainty and ongoing contract negotiations with teachers -- has raised eyebrows among some district employees.

The bonus, to be paid over 10 months, brings Superintendent John Bernard's total take-home pay this school year to $177,623.

"I appreciate the board's acknowledgement of me ... and I thank board members for that," Bernard said.

The superintendent received

an estimated 0.5 percent raise, or $820, earlier this year, plus more than $8,000 to cover health care and dues to various professional organizations. Bernard began paying for his own benefits this year.

During the 2004-05 school year, the average salary for a superintendent in the area -- which includes Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties -- was $146,950, according to a report by the Association of California School Administrators.

Among school districts nationwide with student populations of 2,500 to 9,999 -- Newark has about 7,200 students -- the average salary of a superintendent was $123,990, the report said. It is unclear whether the figures include employee benefits.

Several board members said they approved Bernard's bonus because, unlike a raise, the bonus represents a one-time cost to the district.

"John's been here almost 21/2 years, and the administrators he's attracted to the district are really talented and qualified. They've gotten finances under control, the kids are performing (well) this year, so we've got a fantastic professional development program going on," board President Nancy Thomas said.

"He's deserving of more," she said.

Vice President Charlie Mensinger said it's crucial to offer competitive pay to retain a top management team during this time of economic uncertainty. The district also needs a stable leader now because it hired a number of new administrators this year.

"I personally believe that you pay as best as you possibly can -- all employees, every single employee," Mensinger said. "You keep people happy, and you keep the momentum going."

"Dr. Bernard did not ask for this bonus. He did not hint at this. This was a complete surprise to him," he said.

But a bonus to the district's top administrator is a "slap in the face" to other workers, district employee Valerie Aguilar said.

"We have employees across the board who have given so much. Some can't take vacation because their workload is so heavy. Do you realize what kind of thing this (poor) morale does to our district?" she asked board members at their meeting Tuesday.

Teachers union President Phyllis Grenier also attacked Bernard's bonus. Talks between the union and district over raises for teachers broke down in August, and a state mediator has been brought in to try to move negotiations forward.

"The district talks about there being no money. This is evidence that there is money," Grenier said.

This is the first bonus that Bernard has received since joining the Newark school district in July 2003.

As superintendent of the Novato school district before coming to Newark, Bernard received a $2,200 raise, but he handed a personal check for the same amount back to the district, according to a 2003 article by the Marin Independent Journal, a sister paper to The Argus.

Bernard returned the raise, he said, because the Novato district at the time had to slash $2.4 million from its budget midyear. Newark, however, is not plagued by the same problem, he said. The Newark school board received an updated budget Tuesday which showed that the district will end the fiscal year with $3.7 million in the general fund -- about $364,000 more than was projected when the board approved the initial budget in June.

c2005 ANG Newspapers. Cannot be used or repurposed without prior written permission.
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.