The Hanover School Division Board of Trustees is providing the reasoning behind the superintendent's bump in salary between 2021 and 2022. 

This has been a hot topic in the community ever since news broke that Educational Assistants in the HSD voted in favour of strike action. As we reported on Wednesday, according to the government website InfoMB, the superintendent made $183,875 in 2022 which is up $31,043 from the $152,832 she was paid in 2021.   

Though it is the board of trustees that are in charge of the HSD budget and are negotiating with CLAC, the EAs union, many parents and community members were spreading this information and became focused on the division administration. 

The Board of Trustees now wishes to address false claims made by members of the community, specifically, one that suggested the Superintendent-CEO “gave herself a 20% raise in 2022”. 

In a statement for the public, Board Chair Brad Unger explains the compensation for the superintendent is determined by the Board of Trustees alone and not by the Superintendent themselves.  

The statement notes “The Superintendent-CEO does not have the authority to alter their compensation. The Superintendent-CEO salary is comparatively aligned with other superintendents across the province of Manitoba. It reflects the extensive experience, educational credentials, and expertise required for the role. Currently, our Superintendent-CEO earns less than counterparts in smaller school divisions with similar responsibilities.” 

According to the Board of Trustees, Superintendent Shelley Amos received the same increase in her wages over the past four-years as the division’s other employee groups. This being 1.6%, 1.4%, 0.5%, and 3.3%, increases that were benchmarked against teacher wage increases outlined in the their collective agreement. 

“The appearance of a larger increase in 2022 was a result of a lump-sum retroactive payment to compensate for a four-year salary freeze (2018-2022) for senior administration employees, as well as the transition from an interim role to the position of Superintendent-CEO.” 

“The Board wishes to make it unequivocally clear that the Board is solely responsible for contract negotiations with Educational Assistants and their union, CLAC, and we will not tolerate aggressive behaviour, verbal abuse, or harassment in any form directed at our employees.” 

In addition, the board encourages “all stakeholders to engage in respectful and fact-based discussions as we navigate the ongoing strike of Educational Assistants and other important matters related to our educational community.” 

 

The full statement from the Hanover School Division Board of Trustees can be read below: 

Dear Members of the Hanover School Division Community,

The Board of Trustees of the Hanover School Division wishes to address some recent false and misleading information circulating regarding our Superintendent-CEO, Shelley Amos, within the context of the EA strike. The spreading of false information has led to unfounded verbal abuse and personal attacks on her character.  

The false claims were included in the media coverage of the strike and suggested that the Superintendent-CEO “gave herself a 20% raise in 2022”.  

We aim to correct these false statements.  

Firstly, the compensation of our Superintendent-CEO is determined by the Board of Trustees alone and not by the Superintendent-CEO. The Superintendent-CEO does not have the authority to alter their compensation. The Superintendent-CEO salary is comparatively aligned with other superintendents across the province of Manitoba. It reflects the extensive experience, educational credentials, and expertise required for the role. Currently, our Superintendent-CEO earns less than counterparts in smaller school divisions with similar responsibilities.  

Secondly, regarding the reported amount of the wage increase in 2022, the Superintendent-CEO received the exact same increase in her compensation over the past four-year period as the Division’s other employee groups; being 1.6%, 1.4%, 0.5%, and 3.3%. These increases were benchmarked against teacher wage increases as per their collective agreement. The appearance of a larger increase in 2022 was a result of a lump-sum retroactive payment to compensate for a four-year salary freeze (2018-2022) for senior administration employees, as well as the transition from an interim role to the position of Superintendent-CEO.  

The Board wishes to make it unequivocally clear that the Board is solely responsible for contract negotiations with Educational Assistants (CLAC Local 306), and we will not tolerate aggressive behaviour, verbal abuse, or harassment in any form directed at our employees.  

We encourage all stakeholders to engage in respectful and fact-based discussions as we navigate the ongoing strike of Educational Assistants and other important matters related to our educational community. 

Sincerely,

Brad Unger, Board Chair Hanover School Division

 

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