District 88

approves

contracts

Principals get

2.25 percent raise for 2001-2003

By RACHEL WEDDIG

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- The District 88 Board approved the master contract for principals during its meeting Thursday night. The previous contract expired at the end of June.

Board members Susan Nierengarten and Brian Wieland as well as Superintendent Harold Remme and Business Manager Donna Luhring have been involved in negotiation sessions with the principals since summer. The district is currently negotiating with all union employees. The settlement with the principals is the first for the current round of bargaining.

The board approved a 2.25 percent salary increase for the principals. The contracts are good for two years and included very few language item changes.

Senior High Principal, Dick LaPatka, has a 260-day, 12-month contract. He will make $81,333 this year and $82,984 in 2002-2003. Senior High Assistant Principal, David Schmidt, has a 220-day, 10-month contract. He will make $67,052 this year and $68,704 in 2002-2003.

Middle School Principal Steve Weber and Jefferson Elementary Principal Tanya Schull, have 240-day, 11-month contracts. They will make $72,846 this year and $74,497 in 2002-2003. Washington Elementary Principal, Randall Voth, has a 240-day, 11-month contract. He will make $72,845 this year and $74,497 in 2002-2003.

In other news, Remme presented information on the $26.5 billion federal education bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last week and the U.S. Senate Tuesday.

In 1975, the federal government passed a special education bill promising to pay for 40 percent of special education funding. Remme said the government has never been able to come up with the 40 percent promised. He said, over the past several years, funds have provided about 10 percent. Remme pointed out that even with the education bill, the funding still won't be close to providing 40 percent.

"We're pleased that a bill is there, but it doesn't get us anywhere we needed to be able to fully fund education costs," Remme said.

Most of the Minnesota delegation voted "no" on the education bill due to lack of funding. Remme said $26.5 billion is a lot of money, but when divided out among school districts across the country, it doesn't amount to what is needed.

Remme provided figures that showed the district's cost of special education funding for last year was $2,489,503. The district received $1,329,657 from federal and state funding, leaving a district shortfall of $1,159,846.