NASD Superintendent Gets 4.2% Retroactive Pay Raise

The Morning Call reports that NASD Superintendent Vic Lesky was awarded a 4.2% retroactive pay raise, which will increase his annual salary to $149,708

In the article it notes:

Lesky's salary ranks in the middle among the salaries paid to superintendents in the Lehigh Valley's 14 school districts, the board was told.


Bethlehem Area pays the highest ($172,744), and Bangor Area the lowest ($121,095), according to figures Lesky provided the board.


I’m not sure what constitutes the “Lehigh Valley”, because the Lehigh Valley Conference has 12 schools representing 8 school districts and the Diocese of Allentown and the Colonial League has 11 school districts, the Diocese, and one private school.


Bangor, the lowest according to the reported numbers, is close in size to Nazareth. In the LVC, of the 12 schools, only Central Catholic, Bethlehem Catholic, and Whitehall have a smaller student population than Nazareth.


The highest salary goes to Bethlehem, which has to manage two high schools, four middle schools, 17 elementary schools, and a pre-k (view a school directory here). By comparison Nazareth has one HS, one MS, and four elementary schools (3 k-3 and one 4-6).


The reason for Lesky’s raise was the addition of the intermediate school according to the article.


At a time when most people get no raise, unemployment hovers at 10%, and the school hasn’t balanced its budget, it seems a 4.2% raise retroactive to July is a bit much. And I don’t blame Lesky. As an individual I’d try to get the best pay I could without losing my job, but I do question our Board for making this decision and have to wonder what information they studied that made them believe this salary was warranted for management of this size district.

FROM ROSS NUNAMAKER

Here is the Morning Call Article:

By Joanna Poncavage

SPECIAL TO THE MORNING CALL

April 30, 2010
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The Nazareth Area School Board has voted to raise Superintendent Victor Lesky's annual salary by 4.2 percent to $149,708, retroactive to July 1.

''During the time that that increase accounts for, we reconfigured our entire school district. We added the intermediate school and that was a challenge for all of us,'' school board Vice President Maurice C. Heller said after the meeting Monday when asked why Lesky received a raise.

Lesky's salary ranks in the middle among the salaries paid to superintendents in the Lehigh Valley's 14 school districts, the board was told.

Bethlehem Area pays the highest ($172,744), and Bangor Area the lowest ($121,095), according to figures Lesky provided the board.

In December, Nazareth teachers approved a four-year contract with salary raises of 3.75 percent each year.

The board signed off on a new playground at Nazareth Area Intermediate School, which should be finished by August.

Parents had complained that the school, which began serving sixth- and seventh-graders in the fall, lacked a play area with equipment.

The board directed D'Huy Engineering of Bethlehem to proceed with the design and bidding for the project at a cost of $106,660. Site work, including grading, drainage and mulch, will be funded through the district's capital reserve fund.

Additional money for playground equipment includes $10,000 from the intermediate school's PTO; $10,000 from the activity fund raised by the school's students while in lower grades, and $22,000 from an anonymous donor.

Lesky said the donor told him, ''When I drive past and see that playground there, that will be my thank-you.''

Two Fourth Street residents told the board there are still problems with traffic through the Fourth Street gate at the intermediate school.

Becky Bartlett said her child was almost hit by a car twice. There is no sign to discourage traffic, and parents are still using the gate as a main entrance, she said.

Lesky said area residents would be notified by mail if the gate situation were to be discussed in a buildings and grounds committee meeting.

In other business:

Nazareth boys basketball and wrestling team members were presented awards for their championship seasons in the Lehigh Valley Interscholastic Athletic Conference.

Joseph R. Kaminski, a junior, received the Dwight D. Eisenhower Leadership Award of the West Point Society of the Lehigh Valley.

It was reported that Jim Waters of Nazareth Area Meals on Wheels presented a certificate of gratitude to Nazareth Intermediate School for a contribution. The school collected $700 through the school's Friday ''dress-down'' days. The contribution paid for 660 meals for 75 seniors in the Nazareth area.

Next Friday, the district will hold a Diversity Fair at 6:30 p.m. at Nazareth Area Middle School at the end of its Diversity Week. Students will present various activities highlighting ethnic and cultural practices.

Joanna Poncavage is a freelance writer