The Okanagan Skaha School District is trimming its budget by $1.1 million this year but the superintendent’s salary is significantly higher than last year’s amount.
The pay raise, approved in early December, raises Wendy Hyer’s salary from $135,000 to $152,000.
Hyer and other administrators in the province were under a compensation freeze which began in 2009. Three years ago, Hyer was released from that freeze, but she chose not to take compensation increases at that time, said Linda Van Alphen, chair of the school board.
“We decided to give her a fair raise,” Van Alphen said.
She added that wage increases for administrative staff are needed in order to be able to attract and retain good people at those levels.
“Here is a person who is well worth every dollar,” Van Alphen said. “We’ve got the best superintendent in the province.”
The school budget, which is yet to be finalized, has cuts of $770,000 and another $320,000 worth of savings in administrative changes, as mandated by the provincial government.
Across the province, school districts have been ordered to trim $29 million in administrative savings this year.
Reserve funds have been reduced in order to balance this year’s proposed budget, Van Alphen said.