The Vashon Island School District (VISD) board is in the process of planning its Feb. 2023 bond, and may also increase the salaries and benefits for certified administrative staff members in the district.
During the Thursday, March 24 meeting, the board began planning its next bond ask, slated for the Feb. 2023 ballot.
Executive Director of Business & Operations Matt Sullivan, and Brandy Foss, who has worked with VISD in the past in planning VISD’s $10 million bond that passed in 2017, presented a working document of what projects are needed to be completed by the district.
The document, available at bit.ly/3uxR3Ch, lists projects such as the replacement of the VISD bus barn, fire alarm replacement at Chautauqua Elementary school due to the lack of available replacement parts for the system, and energy reduction measures to comply with Washington state’s Clean Buildings Act.
Sullivan and Foss also listed the projects in a green “go” category, a yellow “consider” category and a red “hold” category based on the immediate need of each item.
However, said Foss, it is the board’s choice to what is included in the final bond ask that will go before voters. Currently, all projects on the list total more than $43 million, though board members did say it would be unlikely that the bond would total that amount.
During the meeting, the board also reviewed contracts for VISD’s certified administrators, which includes all of the principals and assistant principals on staff. This also includes the director of student services and the director of teaching and learning.
In the first read of the proposed contract, certified administrators would receive a 5% salary increase in the 2022-2023 school year, a 2% salary increase in the 2023-2024 school year and another 2% salary increase in the 2024-2025 school year.
According to Superintendent Slade McSheehy, these salary increases were based on comparable school districts such as the San Juan Island, Granite Falls, Coupeville, South Kitsap, Franklin Pierce and Tacoma School Districts. In order to be considered comparable, a school district must share three out of four factors such as size, geography, regionalization or years of service required to advance in a district.
The board also did a first read of McSheehy’s contract addendum, which will extend his employment with VISD to June 30, 2025. The addendum also raises McSheehy’s salary by 5%, which raises his base salary from $180,250 to $189,263. McSheehy also receives a package of benefits which includes a percentage of his salary paid to him to invest in a retirement fund. McSheehy’s contract addendum also adds Juneteenth to 12 other paid holidays he receives throughout the year.
