St. Charles school salaries rank among highest in Louisiana

Superintendent says competitive pay necessary amid shortages

Calling it a necessary competitive edge to retain best talent, St. Charles Parish Public Schools’ teachers, principals and administrators are among the highest earners in Louisiana systems.

“St. Charles Parish Public School employees are vital to the success of the school system and the students they serve,” said Superintendent Felecia Gomez-Walker. “In order to maintain an environment where employees feel valued and motivated, it is important that we provide competitive salary offerings.”

This year, the school district will pay $85.2 million in salaries and another $20.3 million in retirement benefits for employees.

In St. Charles Parish, teacher salaries range from $44,565 to $62,565 a year. Statewide, teacher pay averages $48,441, although the amount varies by years and experience, according to the state Department of Education.

Statewide, St. Charles Parish Public Schools ranked third highest in average principal pay at $93,551, according to the Louisiana Department of Education. Orleans Parish’s school district topped the list at $103,988 followed by DeSoto Parish at $99,763.

Hahnville High Principal Brian Lumar and Destrehan High Principal Stephen Weber each make the same salary at $95,973 this school year in a tiered pay system. This also applies to the district’s four middle school principals with each earning $90,145, and nine elementary school principals, who each receive $88,291.

In superintendent salaries, St. Charles Parish’s Felecia Gomez-Walker was among the top 20 highest paid superintendents in Louisiana, according to the state Department of Education’s 2015-16 data. She ranked 17th in the state at $175,448 in this listing. The state’s highest paid superintendent at this time was Lafourche Parish’s Joann Matthews, at $242,848.

Latest figures show Gomez-Walker’s salary increased to $185,709.

They also show St. Charles Parish’s two assistant superintendents, Ajit Pethe and Tresa Webre, each make $115,993. The district’s three executive directors – Erin Granier, elementary schools; Ken Oertling, secondary schools, and Jerry Smith, student services – will each receive a salary of $96,072 this year.

Of the St. Charles district’s executive staff, Donna Post, St. Charles’ chief financial officer and legislative liaison, will get a salary of $96,072 this school year. As the district’s chief plant supervisor and security officer, John Rome will receive $109,779.

Patrick O’Malley, who is administrator of ancillary services, and Kade Rogers, the school system’s director of safety, security and emergency preparedness, will both get paid $83,219. Stephanie Steib, St. Charles’ director of informational technology services, will earn $74,200 this year.

Also among the St. Charles executive staff is Stevie Crovetto. As public information director, Crovetto’s salary is $72,719.

In overall performance, the school district consistently ranks among the state’s top systems.

By test scores, it ranked among the highest school systems in the state with an ACT composite score of 20.2, above the state average of 19.6, according to the Department of Education. Districts with the highest average score were St. Tammany Parish at 22 followed by Zachary Community School District at 21.4.

St. Charles Parish ranked among the state’s 14 “A” rated systems in 2016, a grade it has gotten consistently since 2013. Of this group, it ranked as the eighth best performing system statewide.