$16,626 Raise For Cheryl McCarthy, Retiring 204 Superintendent

JOLIET, IL - This week marks the start of Joliet Township High School District 204 Superintendent Cheryl McCarthy's final year of employment. McCarthy's current five-year contract, approved by the District 204 School Board on May 20, 2014, was structured in such a way that it gave McCarthy predetermined pay raises several years in advance. In fact, her smallest pay increase during the past four years, according to the terms spelled out in her contract, was $13,959, Joliet Patch learned.

McCarthy's latest pay raise took effect on Monday, according to her superintendent's contract. McCarthy gets a salary hike of $16,626 over what she made during the 2017-2018 school year.

The District 204 School Board arranged for McCarthy to get $61,067 in pay raises during the past four years, Joliet Patch discovered, based on its review of her superintendent's contract.

Last week, Joliet Patch analyzed a copy of McCarthy's administrative contract with the Joliet Township 204 School Board. The 10-page document, obtained as a result of a Freedom of Information Act request to school district officials, is informative for District 204 taxpayers.

As superintendent, McCarthy oversees the district's two campuses, Joliet Central and Joliet West, consisting of more than 6,500 students, the district website notes.

In 2014, for instance, McCarthy made a salary of $232,657. Starting this week, McCarthy's pay increases to $293,724, the terms of her contract show. In sum, McCarthy's superintendent's salary will now be 26 percent more than what she made in 2014 when her salary was $232,657.

In April, Joliet Patch was the first Will County news organization to report that McCarthy will be departing District 204. The 204 school board is now in the process of selecting a superintendent headhunting firm to help give the board guidance in replacing McCarthy, who will wrap up her tenure one year from now.

The 55-year-old McCarthy, a University of St. Francis graduate, has spent her entire career as an educator and administrator employed by District 204. She started as a math teacher at Joliet West in 1986.

RELATED: McCarthy's Days As 204 Superintendent Are Numbered

Her current multi-year contract gave McCarthy a guaranteed pay hike of 6 percent every year, Patch determined.

Here is a breakdown of McCarthy's pay raises since 2014:

For the 2015-2016 school year, McCarthy's salary got increased by $13,959.

For the 2016-2017 school year, McCarthy's salary got increased another $14,807.

For the current school year, 2017-2018, McCarthy's salary got increased another $15,685.

For the upcoming school year, 2018-2019, McCarthy's last as superintendent, she will get the largest pay raise of her tenure as 204's superintendent, $16,626, bringing her salary to $293,724.

Meanwhile, Joliet Patch determined, several of the current 204 school board members were not on the board when McCarthy's five-year contract was approved in 2014, but three of the seven were.

Here's a breakdown of the current seven-member board and when the voters of 204 elected them:

Jeff Pierson has served on the board since 2001, and Pierson is a Joliet West High School graduate from the Class of 1982. He is the board president.

Board Vice President David Skorupa was elected in April of 2015. He graduated from Joliet West in 1980.

Teresa Spesia was appointed to the school board in May 2011.

Arlene Albert joined the school board in 1981 as a write-in candidate.

Meg Cappel was elected to the school board in April of 2017. She teaches special education in District 86.

Angel Contreras was elected in April of 2017. He is an alum of Joliet's Forest Park, Hufford, Joliet West and Joliet Junior College.

Frank Edmon Jr. was appointed to the board in June of 2017. He attended Joliet grade schools and graduated in 1975 from Joliet Central.

Main image of Cheryl McCarthy via Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center, images of District 204 school board via 204 website