The Valparaiso Community Schools board held a special meeting Monday afternoon to present the proposed contract for the soon-to-be-named new superintendent who will take over upon the resignation of Jim McCall at the end of the month.
“We believe that we have done our due diligence in reviewing this contract,” said Board President Erika Watkins before opening the floor to members of the audience who wished to speak on the matter.
John Sut, of Valparaiso, was the only person to sign up to speak.
“I realize that you spoke at the last contract,” Watkins said as she welcomed him to the lectern.
“I believe I’m the only one ever,” he replied before launching into his concerns with the proposed contract, starting with a base salary increase from $175,000 to $210,000.
“I think that’s too much,” Sut said. He also questioned the need for the proposed $600 per month vehicle allowance. “How much travel are they actually doing?” he asked.
Sut also had a problem with the additional $10,000 being offered should the future superintendent choose to live within the school corporation’s physical boundary. “We don’t offer that same extension to the teachers,” he pointed out.
“I think they had 20 people apply. Let them earn this money. Let them show what they can do for VCS,” Sut added. “I don’t want to pay Julie Lauck again because that was ridiculous,” he added, referring to the former superintendent who received her base salary of $170,725 plus tens of thousands of dollars in additional benefits upon her resignation in 2020, according to Post-Tribune archives.
Board Vice President Ashley Kruse said McCall’s current salary is close to $200,000 and that $175,000 was the figure when he was hired in 2020. “Obviously, as time has progressed, he’s qualified for increases,” she said.
Other features of the proposed contract include: a work year of 260 days with annual entitlement vacation days, annual holidays, sick days, personal business days, and bereavement days per the then-current version of the administrative handbook; the school corporation will pay the statutory requirement of 3% of the superintendent’s base salary into the Teachers Retirement Fund; a deferred annuity of 12% of the superintendent’s base salary will be paid into a 403(b) account; the board will pay 80% of health, vision, and accident insurance for the superintendent and his or her family; in case of retirement or severance, the superintendent is entitled to continued coverage after assuming all premium costs otherwise due; professional membership and conference costs will be covered; a life insurance policy worth two-and-a-half times the base salary will be provided after the superintendent has paid $1 annually, with the same terms apply for long term disability and dismemberment insurance.
The board will meet with the superintendent annually to “discuss performance evaluation.”
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The board intends to vote on the proposed contract at its special meeting June 30.
Board approves cellphone plan
In other business, the board unanimously approved the new cellphone policy without actually saying which version it was going with, but added the caveat that amendments may need to be made.
A search of the corporation website reveals the document and its prohibition of wireless devices on students’ persons, except in cases of being necessary to manage medical conditions or as allowed by a student’s individualized education program.
Electronic devices, including cellphones, tablets, laptops, gaming devices, smart watches, “and any other device that is capable of being connected – either directly or through another wireless device – to a cell tower or the internet,” are prohibited during the entire school day, including passing periods, recesses, and lunch breaks and must be kept powered off in lockers or cubbies and inaccessible to students.
The policy takes effect July 1.
“This is probably the longest policy that we’ve had conversation about,” Watkins said.
“We’ve considered a lot of everyone’s comments that have come since the last meeting,” said Board Member Karl Cender. He said teachers and administrators were not happy with how the Indiana General Assembly “broke this bill.”
Kruse said a lot of work will be put in over the summer to ensure the policy is communicated to students and their families. Watkins said a fact sheet will be put out after careful attention is given to its wording.
Board Member John Peluso said he’s spent time speaking with the state’s superintendents and school board associations to determine what bumps the corporation should expect in implementing the policy.
“This is our best good faith attempt to try to put into place requirements of the General Assembly,” he said.
Board Secretary Kaye Frataccia-Seibert said some parents have communicated concern over who will have access to confiscated devices and suggested perhaps they be held in a holding chamber being recorded at all times.
Shelley Jones is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.