School Administrators Back to 12 Months in New Contract

The this week approved a three-year contract with 27 township school administrators, including building principals, assistant principals and department heads, that will again allow them to work a full 12-month schedule rather than 10 months.

But because of negotiated givebacks in tuition reimbursement, three vacation days and other areas, the longer work year will not increase the overall budget to lengthen the administrator's work schedule, School Business Administrator Nick Markarian said.

The contract with the Bernards Township Administrators Association grants salary increases of 1 percent for the 2012-13 school year, 1.5 percent the second year and 2 percent the final year, school officials announced on Monday. The contract goes into effect on July 1.

School officials, including Markarian and Board President Susan Carlsson, said that the return to 12 months will allow the supervisors to write curriculum over the summer and fulfill other job responsibilities before school starts in the fall.

The positions were pared in length a few years ago as a way of absorbing budget reductions. Soon after the change was made, some parents said at board meetings that they were unable to get information they wanted during the summer months.

"It is not a total wash, but it is doable," Markarian said in an email on Thursday morning to explain how the administrators could return to a full-year work schedule without significant financial impact.

In negotiating the new contract, Markarian said the administrators gave up more than $50,000 in stipends, as well as agreeing to cap tuition reimbursement at $30,000 annually.

Along with giving up the vacation days, a base pay increase limited to 1 percent, and making health benefit payments, Markarian said, "The cost of moving the 10-months administrators to 12 months was offset."

The school district also is saving money because the position of director of curriculum is being eliminated in favor of a lower paid supervisor of guidance, he said. Sean Siet, the current director of curriculum, will continue to take on many of the curriculum tasks when he is promoted to assistant superintendent at the end of this school year, school officials said when Siet's new appointment was made earlier this year.