Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • June 25, 2014 FLOW Area Board approves agreement with administrators byFrank J. McMahon The Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School Board of Education has approved an agreement with the Ramapo Indian Hills Administrators Association for the school years 2013-14 through 2015-16. The Ramapo Indian Hills Administrator’s Association represents the principals of the two high schools, Louis Moore at Ramapo High School and Joseph Collins at Indian Hills High School; and four assistant high school principals, Claudia Dargento and Daniel VanderMolen at Ramapo and Linda Sisto and Daniel Guido at Indian Hills. Under this agreement, effective July 1, 2013, the com- bined salary base for all administrators will be increased by 2.5 percent based on their satisfactory performance. Effective July 1, 2014, the combined salary base for all administrators, inclusive of merit pay increases, will be increased by two percent with the individual administra- tors each receiving equal dollar increases to their respec- tive base salary. Effective July 1, 2015, the combined salary base for all administrators, inclusive of merit pay increases, will again be increased by two percent with the individual administra- tors each receiving equal dollar increases to their respec- tive base salary. In addition, a performance based compensation plan will allow for up to an additional one percent salary increase above an individual administrator’s annual salary, based on the administrator’s meritorious performance in each school year of this agreement. The additional one percent merit pay is intended to rec- ognize and reward the administrator’s greater contributions to the educational process. And the administrator could be awarded additional compensation within the range depend- ing on whether the administrator’s performance exceeds expectations, is superior or outstanding, as identified through the performance based compensation plan. Individual administrators, however, are not entitled to an automatic annual salary increase if their performance falls below expectations and the annual increase will be paid subject to the recommendation of the superintendent and approved by the board of education. The superintendent will recommend any performance based increase following the administrator’s annual perfor- mance evaluation, which will be completed on or before May 15 for the review and recommended action by the school board on or before June 30. For the 2013-14 school year, the performance based compensation plan will require a minimum of two goals that may be quantitative and/or qualitative. An administra- tor may be awarded an additional half percent of his or her annual salary for each merit goal that is achieved. In addi- tion, an administrator must achieve a rating of “effective” in all categories rated on the annual summary report and achieve a rating of “highly effective” on each merit goal to be eligible for the half percent increase of his or her annual salary for each goal achieved. The current salaries of the administrators included in this agreement are: Moore, $160,750; Collins, $156,250; VanderMolen, $116,350; Dargento, $121,325; Sisto, $152, 200; and Guido, $113,000. The school district is also in negotiations with the Ramapo Indian Hills Education Association for a new contract to replace the one that expired on June 30, 2013. The RIHEA represents more than 300 members including full- and part-time teachers, supplemental teachers, admin- istrative assistants, technical assistants, special education teaching assistants, custodial, maintenance, grounds, and security staff employed by the school district. The contract negotiations are now in the fact finding stage. Additional meetings with the state-appointed fact finder are scheduled for August. The Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School Board of Education has passed a resolution to set the date for the change in superintendents in the district. The resolution states that the school board wishes to exercise the notice provision in the employment agreement with Interim Superintendent Ernest Palestis to discon- tinue his employment agreement at the close of business on June 30. The employment agreement appointed Palestis as interim superintendent from Aug. 27, 2013 to Aug. 26, 2014. Beverly MacKay, whose appointment as the school district’s permanent superintendent was confirmed by the school board on May 29, will begin her five-year term as superintendent on July 1, 2014. “As I wind down,” Palestis said at the board’s recent public meeting, “I want to thank everyone for this past school year. Ramapo Indian Hills is a special place and I want to thank the board, the teachers, the staff, and the stu- dents. I was so proud to see the students’ accomplishments and the administrators in the district are second to none.” Palestis also commented, “As professionals, we should always take the time to reflect on what we have accom- plished. What we have here is something very special and I thank you for this year.” Palestis was appointed interim superintendent last year. (continued on page 12) Date set for superintendent change