57 School Employees Made $100K At District 204

JOLIET, IL - A total of 57 employees with Joliet Township High School District 204 made at least $100,000 in salaries during the 2017-2018 school year, a Joliet Patch analysis of the district's public salaries found. In recent weeks, District 204 mostly complied with a Joliet Patch Freedom of Information Act request seeking access to the past five school years worth of salaries and fringe benefits data for full-time teachers and administrative staff. Patch had also requested the salaries for the current school year 2018-2019.

In turn, District 204 furnished Patch with the past four school years of data, which is good through 2017-2018, but school officials indicated at the time of Patch's FOIA that the school board had not reviewed the employee compensation for the new school year, 2018-2019.

"FY19 will be presented for board approval at the September 18th meeting, and posted on the district’s website," Joliet Township District 204 Freedom of Information Act officer Ilandus Hampton informed Patch in an email.

At any rate, the following public salary data is intended to provide you with greater transparency on how your public school tax dollars are being spent by District 204 officials. After all, the majority of District 204 expenses go to fund the salaries and benefits packages for teachers, administrators and additional support staff.

After analyzing the salary data, Joliet Patch comprised a list of all District 204 officials who topped $100,000 in pay during the 2017-2018 school year. Patch also included their salaries from the previous school year, in 2016-2017, and analyzed how much of a salary increase these top-paid teachers and administrators received between 2016-2017 and 2017-2018.

Bear in mind that this is not Patch's first story analyzing District 204 school salaries.

In May, Joliet Patch was the first news outlet to report that the District 204 School Board, led by President Jeff Pierson, a board member since 2001, had quietly awarded Superintendent Cheryl McCarthy a new five-year contract back in May 2014 that gave her guaranteed 6 percent raises every single school year. McCarthy got a raise of $16,626 in May, boosting her current salary to $293,724.

Under Pierson's leadership on the school board, McCarthy has received more than $61,000 in salary increases during the past four years alone. McCarthy will be leaving the district next summer, and a search is currently underway to name a new superintendent for Joliet's high school district.

JOLIET TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT 204

Administrators who made more than $100,000 during 2017-2018 year:

1. Cheryl McCarthy, district superintendent

2016-2017 $261,413
2017-2018 $277,098
Pay increase: $15,685

2. Ilandus Hampton, assistant superintendent for business services

2016-2017 $195,833
2017-2018 $201,708
Pay increase: $5,275

3. David Gray, director of support services, transportation center
2016-2017 $175,100
2017-2018 $185,606
Pay increase: $10,505

4. Teresa Gibson, principal Joliet West

2016-2017 $174,201
2017-2018 $179,427
Pay increase: $5,226

5. Karla Guseman, assistant superintendent educational services

2016-17 $155,559
2017-2018 $160,226
Pay increase: $4,667

6. Shad Hallihan, principal at Joliet Central

2016-2017 $153,750
2017-2018 $158,362
Pay increase: $4,612

7. Christopher Olson, director of human resources

2016-2017 $143,487
2017-2018 $147,791
Pay increase: $4,304

8. Brian Shaw, assistant principal at Joliet Central

2016-2017 $139,057
2017-2018 $143,229
Pay increase: $4,172

9. LaTanya Harris, director of the Alternate School

2016-2017 $132,211
2017-2018 $136,178
Pay increase: $3,967

10. Lynn Benson, Academy Coordinator Joliet Central*
2016-2017 $123,445
2017-2018 $130,852
Pay increase: $7,407
Retired in May 2018 after 19 years of service at Central

11. Michael Lutz, Academy Coordinator, Joliet Central
2016-2017 $120,871
2017-2018 $128,123
Pay increase:$7,252

12. Jo Wooten, assistant principal at Joliet West

2016-2017 $119,925
2017-2018 $123,523
Pay increase: $3,598

13. Terri Schrishuhn, assistant principal at Joliet West
2016-2017 $119,392
2017-2018 $122,974
Pay increase: $3,582

14. Iman Ellis-Bowen, director of special services

2016-2017 $117,260
2017-2018 $120,778
Pay increase: $3,518

15. Robin English, Academy Coordinator Joliet Central
2016-2017 $117,223
2017-2018 $120,750
Pay increase: $3,527

16. Angel Hauert, Academy Coordinator, Joliet Central
2016-2017 $114,675
2017-2018 $118,115
Pay increase: $3,440

17. Patty Sewing, special services, Joliet West campus liaison
2016-2017 $108,754
2017-2018 $115,280
Pay increase: $6,526

18. Jenine Wright, special services, Joliet Central campus liaison
2016-2017 $108,184
2017-2018 $111,429
Pay increase: $3,245

19. Eduardo Contreras, dean of students, Joliet Central

2016-2017 $106,179
2017-2018 $110,194
Pay increase: $4,015

20. Susan M. Harris, dean of students, Joliet West
2016-2017 $106,179
2017-2018 $110,194
Pay increase: $4,015

21. Tino Villaflor, assistant principal, Joliet Central

22. Lynn Plarski, dean of students, Alternate School
2016-2017 $103,270
2017-2018 $106,914
Pay increase:$3,644

NON-CERTIFIED STAFF making more than $100,000 during 2017-2018

Karen Harkin, director of technology services

2016-2017 $157,627, benefits $11,582
2017-2018 $150,534, benefits $50,877

Joseph Lopez, director of buildings and grounds

2016-2017 $126,358, benefits $14,506
2017-2018 $126,358, benefits $39,056

Kristine Schlismann, director of community and alumni relations

2016-2017 $115,403, benefits $15,427
2017-2018 $110,210, benefits $42,363

DISTRICT 204 teachers who made more than $100,000 during 2017-2018:

1. John Krebs, Applied Life Skills, Joliet West, arts and communication academy, physical education, driver education*

2016-2017 $150,365
2017-2018 $159,387
pay increase: $9,022

*Krebs retired in May 2018 after 20 years of service in applied life skills

2. Vernon Jordan, AVAC/Transition Center, special education teacher*
2016-2017 $136,830
2017-2018 $145,040
Pay increase: $8,210
* Jordan retired in May 2018 after 32 years of service

3. Andrew Tomala, industrial technology Joliet Central*
2016-2017 $133,881
2017-2018 $141,914
Pay increase: $8,033
*Tomala retired in May 2018 after 33 years of service at Central

4. Ellen Begler, math teacher Joliet West*
2016-2017 $130,695
2017-2018 $138,537
Pay increase: $7,842
*Begler retired in May 2018 after 33 years of service

5. Dawn Krantz, special education, health and medicine academy, Joliet Central
2016-2017 $129,977
2017-2018 $137,776
Pay increase: $7,799

6. Doug Cherry, STEM Academy, social science, Joliet Central
2016-2017 $129,561
2017-2018 $137,335
Pay increase: $7,774

7. Patricia Edwards, special education, applied life, physical education Joliet Central
2016-2017 $129,108
2017-2018 $136,855
Pay increase: $7,747

8. Mary Gorecki, special education, Joliet Central
2016-2017 $125,531
2017-2018 $133,063
Pay increase: $7,532

9. Daniel Spradley, arts and communication Academy, mathematics, Joliet West
2016-2017 $117,202
2017-2018 $131,770
Pay increase $14,568

10. Judith Lee, listed as special education teacher on public salary data report, not listed on District 204 website.
2016-2017 $123,645
2017-2018 $130,909
Pay increase: $7,264

11. Cheri Vogt, special education Joliet West*
2016-2017 $118,948
2017-2018 $126,085
Pay increase $7,137
*Retired in May 2018, years of service not listed at time of retirement

12. Carol Parker, business education Joliet West*
2016-2017 $118,052
2017-2018 $125,135
Pay increase $7,083
*Retired in May 2018, years of service not listed at time of retirement

13. Lisa Ryan, arts and communication Academy, world language, English at Joliet West
2016-2017 $117,202
2017-2018 $124,234
Pay increase $7,032

14. Karen Paul, BMIS Academy, English at Joliet Central
2016-2017 $112,492
2017-2018 $119,241
Pay increase $6,749

15. Lynn Price, listed as teacher on public salary data report, not listed on District 204 website
2016-2017 $111,200
2017-2018 $113,615
Pay increase $2,415

16. Susan O'Connell, listed as special education teacher on public salary report, not listed on District 204 website
2017-2018 $113,538
2016-2017 $107,111
Pay increase $6,427

17. Barbara Golden, business education at Joliet West*
2016-2017 $106,708
2017-2018 $113,110
Pay increase $6,402
Retired in May after 20 years at West

18. Karen Stiehr, Health and Medicine Academy, Science, Health Occupations, Joliet Central
2016-2017 $106,604
2017-2018 $113,000
Pay increase $6,396

19. Lisa Dewispelaere, STEM Academy, special education, Joliet Central
2016-2017 $108,834
2017-2018 $112,949
Pay increase $4,115

20. Yvonne Yelnick-Pickett, Freshman Academy, world language at Joliet Central*
2016-2017 $104,635
2017-2018 $110,913
Pay increase $6,278
Retired in May after 16 years of service at Joliet Central

21. Mary Balsie, mathematics, freshman academy, Joliet West
2016-2017 $102,859
2017-2018 $109,030
Pay increase $6,171

22. Jennifer Christiansen, Applied Life, Physical Education, Joliet Central
2016-2017 $101,920
2017-2018 $108,035
Pay increase $6,115

23. Lourdes Paramo, BMIS Academy, English as a Second Language/Bi-Lingual, Joliet Central
2016-2017 $103,589
2017-2018 $107,506
Pay increase $3,917

24. Colleen Seneker, STEM Academy, Special Education, Joliet Central
2016-2017 $100,806
2017-2018 $107,506
Pay increase $6,700

25. Wendy Weith, World Language, Human Services Academy, Joliet Central
2016-2017 $102,284
2017-2018 $105,892
Pay increase $3,608

26. Stacy Eighner, Joliet West, Special Education, Human Services Academy
2016-2017 $101,063
2017-2018 $104,884
Pay increase $3,821

27. Jo Anne Bratkovich, Joliet West Arts and Communication Academy, World Language
2016-2017 $101,063
2017-2018 $104,884
Pay increase $3,821

28. Jon Williams, Joliet West, Arts and Communication Academy, Social Science
2016-2017 $100,998
2017-2018 $104,561
Pay increase $3,563

29. Michelle Steffa, Joliet Central, Freshman Academy, English
2016-2017 $97,832
2017-2018 $101,283
Pay increase $3,451

30. Jeanne De Lucio, Joliet Central, BMIS Academy, World Language
2016-2017 $96,165
2017-2018 $101,935
Pay increase $5,770

31. Tammy Hunsaker, Joliet West Health and Medicine Academy, World Language
2016-2017 $97,191
2017-2018 $100,620
Pay increase $3,429

32. Andrew Harris, Joliet Central, STEM Academy, English, English as a Second Language/Bi-Lingual
2016-2017 $96,602
2017-2018 $100,010
Pay increase $3,408

Main image for story Teresa Gibson, principal at Joliet West High School via district 204

Source: Salary data and job titles obtained for this Joliet Patch report via Joliet Township High School District 204 website and Freedom of Information Act requests.