Salaries: What CV Educators Make

An annual survey shows that 216 of the 1,442 employees in the Castro Valley Unified School District made more than $75,000 last year in salary.

Of those, 33 earned more than $100,000 in 2010 and the top two district officials were over the $200,000 mark.

The salaries were released this week as part of a survey by the Bay Area News Group. The newspaper chain has published the salaries of most public employees in the Bay Area on its website.

For perspective, other sites with salary information include a Wall Street Journal survey of CEO compensation in 2009 that says Alan Mulally of Ford Motor Co. made $1.4 million and Larry Ellison of Oracle made $250,000. A site called city-data.com says the median household income in Castro Valley in 2008 was $76,197, compared to a statewide median of $61,154. Another site, SimplyHired.com, offers more detail about Castro Valley jobs and salaries.

Castro Valley School Superintendent Jim Negri said his district's salaries are comparable to districts of similar size.

In the neighboring San Lorenzo Unified School District, which has more than 1,700 employees, 40 workers last year were paid above the $100,000 level and three were paid more than $200,000.

"We tend to be comparable to other districts. We're not out of line," said Negri.

The superintendent pointed out that the district does not pay overtime to its top-level employees and also doesn't pick up the employee contribution to pension plans.

Negri has the top salary, taking in $239,697 last year. If you add in health benefits and district pension contributions, the compensation rises to $274,041.

Assistant Superintendent Michael Bush is next, earning $202,617 in 2010 with a total compensation package of $236,970.

Assistant Superintendent Sherri Beetz received $189,158 in salary last year and compensation worth $217,538.

Assistant Superintendent Margaret Macisaac earned $175,728 in salary and $202,571 in total compensation.

Eleven school principals earned more than $100,000 in salary.

The highest paid was Canyon Middle School Principal Mark Croghan, who took in $131,524 in salary in 2010.

Creekside Middle School Principal Mary Ann Degrazia earned $130,264 last year.

Negri said both principals have more than 30 years in the education field, most of them in Castro Valley.

Three teachers were in the six-figure range.

The highest paid was Diane De Young, a teacher at Canyon Middle School. She recieved $107,174.

Christopher Burns, a teacher at Castro Valley High School, was next with a 2010 salary of $106,895.

Another Canyon Middle School teacher, Jeanette La Montagne, received $100,233.

Negri said all three teachers are classroom veterans with advanced degrees.

He added that teachers, principals and other school employees should be paid fairly because of the important job they do.

"We're dealing with students. They're the future. This is an investment," he said.

The district's budget this year was about $90 million. Negri said they are anticipating a state funding cut of $349 per student in the next school year. The district sent out a dozen pink slips this spring to employees, notifying them they might be laid off this summer.