The Shawano School Board approved more than $500,000 in raises for employees at every level April 27, but some bristled at the idea of approving them all in one stroke.
All employees will be receiving a 2.63% cost-of-living increase. Support staff will also receive an additional 0.37% increase to round out the wage hike to 3%. Administrators will only see the cost-of-living increase.
Teachers’ raises, however, will vary up to 10.4% due to market adjustments and placement on a new salary schedule. The average increase will be about 3.85%, according to Bryan Kadlec, financial director.
“We see some higher estimates for outliers,” he said, “when we look at the comparison of this increase with what we set up last year, which is a little less.”
The measure approved by the board also increases the starting teacher pay from $46,070 to $47,281. The measure goes into effect for the 2026-27 school year.
The cost to the district for the teacher raises is $370,593, $83,174 for support staff and $50,632 for administration, according to Kadlec. He said the financial projections shared with the board included a 3% increase to salaries across the board, but other increases were available after the district’s insurance renewal came in 4% below original estimates.
At least two board members had an issue with approving all the salaries instead of approving each group separately, although only one ultimately voted against the raises.
Board member Frank Kugel, who voted yes in the end, said he’s been getting information in the last few weeks regarding administrators, and he feels the board should have some voice when it comes to their evaluations.
“I taught for 34 years, and I know how it goes,” Kugel said. “I get information on occasion that sometimes an administrator is too busy to meet with a parent because they have a meeting to go to, and that just sort of turns me wrong.”
Kugel added that parents and students should be the top priority for administrators, and “meetings can come second.”
Board member Bobbi Lemerond, the lone vote against the collective raises, also had an issue with one vote for everyone.
“I would rather have them separated,” Lemerond said, adding that board members did not get their agendas until April 24 late in the day, which only gave her and her colleagues the weekend to research any issues in order to come to a decision.
“When we’re looking at this stuff on the weekends, you’re not typically in your offices on the weekend,” she added. “Especially with big issues like this, I would like more advanced notice.”
Lemerond said she objected to not being able to see how the pay increase breaks down among employees. She said she feared first-year teachers might be getting the higher raises while veteran teachers get lower compensation.
lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com
