School officials responded after a Patrick County High School teacher wrote a letter stating her concerns about rumored pay inequities in the division.
In the letter dated Aug. 13, writer Nancy Carlson questions the pay of several division personnel.
Schools Superintendent Bill Sroufe said Ronnie Terry, chairman of the Patrick County School Board, has responded twice to the letter and Cyndi Williams, assistant superintendent of instruction, met with Carlson.
According to Carlson, Williams received an 11.9 percent raise plus a stipend of $12,964 from 2015-16 to 2016-17, bumping her salary $102,303.
Sroufe said Williams’ base pay in 2015-16 was $79,832, including her doctorate supplement.
An employee went on long term leave, and then unexpectedly retired, Sroufe said. “I asked Dr. Williams if she would take on the additional duties.”
He said the head varsity coach is paid a 12 percent stipend. Teachers who agree to teach one extra block receive a 12.5 percent stipend. “That’s just for an extra block. Not an entire job,” he said.
Because Williams assumed the entire job and the responsibilities related to all federal programs, Sroufe said she was paid a stipend of 12.5 percent. “I thought that was the fairest way to do it,” Sroufe said.
The stipend increased her pay to $92,786 for that single year, not the amount named in the letter, he said.
Additionally, the stipend was for 2015-16 only, he said.
By 2016-17, Sroufe said “I felt given the additional responsibilities Cyndi was going to undertake, she deserved to be on an assistant superintendent pay scale.”
That year, Williams’ pay for her 12-month contract was $89,339, Sroufe said.
“I understand that is a lot of money, but we’re still paying below Floyd and Henry counties,” Sroufe said, and noted “Cyndi took on a whole different job.”
In her letter, Carlson also questioned other personnel, for instance, Katina Hylton, who had been named the director of finance before Sroufe’s tenure as superintendent began.
Other directors in the school division, specifically those of technology and maintenance, were on different pay scales and were paid more than Hylton.
“Her counterparts were being paid what she is being paid now,” Sroufe said. “I was trying to right a wrong” in making her pay equivalent. The adjustment “was well deserved. She does more than pay the bills” and also supervises two other employees. I think she has a very important job.”
Carlson questioned additional protocols for purchasing instructional and other materials.
Sroufe said individual schools used to buy their own instructional and other materials. “One of the things I thought we needed to do was centralize our way of thinking” and not have individual schools doing their own purchasing.
“I wanted some accountability” and now, three signatures are needed on a purchase order, he said.
In her letter, Carlson questioned Amanda Holt’s salary and education.
Sroufe said Holt was hired by his predecessor for the Medicaid reimbursement program and also to oversee truancy issues.
After an employee hired to oversee licensure left the division, Sroufe said he felt it was time to consider a position responsible for human resources.
“Recruitment is getting harder and harder” across Virginia, Sroufe said “I really wanted someone who could devote their time to HR. We didn’t fill a position, we absorbed it,” he said, and added Karen Fulcher took over Medicaid reimbursement.
Holt kept the truancy portion of her job, and also filled the human resources post. As a result, Holt went from an 11- to a 12-month contract, which meant her pay increased.
Fulcher was paid a stipend because Medicaid reimbursement was added to her other duties, Sroufe said. “Again, I think it’s appropriate when people pick up half or a whole other job, I think that (stipend) is the right thing to do,” he said.
In her letter, Carlson also questioned a pay raise received by Shannon Brown.
“She simply got a promotion,” Sroufe said. Part of the restructuring in the school board office was to hire another instructional coordinator “The job was advertised, she applied for it” and was hired to fill it.
Sara Vernon, who also was questioned in Carlson’s letter, is an instructional coach, and provides support to teachers and principals at all schools in the division, Sroufe said. He added the division used funds from within the budget to pay for the post.
“We advertised the job. We had four applicants, and we hired three. One was promoted to principal” when another principal resigned shortly before the start of a new school year, Sroufe said.
The school division was 76th in state and not SOL accredited when Sroufe was named interim superintendent.
“We’ve gone from 76 to 17, and when the poverty level is taken into account, we’re in the top 10” in the state, Sroufe said. “We’ve replenished our bus fleet,” have the one to one (Chromebooks) initiative at the high school and to 5th grade in elementary schools, and “we’ve remodeled some bathrooms at the high school; put up a greenhouse … We haven’t been sitting still.
“I understand that not everybody likes change, but I do think the changes we’ve put in place” have been successful, Sroufe said, and added “teachers do a fantastic job, our students are engaged now more than ever.
“There is not one person or something singular” to pin the success on, Sroufe said. “This is a group effort, a team effort” that includes not just teachers or central office staff, but bus drivers, cafeteria employees, custodians and other support positions, as well as the community as a whole.
“I think we have great school district,” he said.
