La Grange Highlands Officials Get Raises

LA GRANGE, IL – Most La Grange Highlands School District 106 administrators are getting a 4 percent raise this year, officials said.

This is because their salaries are largely in line with their peers in other districts, according to a public statement this week from the school board.

One administrator received a 5.2 percent hike because of a below-average salary. Another got a 6 percent increase in accordance with a retirement agreement with the district, the board said.

These increases were lower than the 8 percent to 17 percent raises that most teachers are getting this year. These hikes were a result of an analysis showing that District 106 teachers' salaries were lower than those in nearby districts, leading to high turnover, according to the board.

Superintendent John Munch, however, received a 12 percent raise this year, to $215,000. This was done after an analysis of superintendents' pay in 13 nearby districts, mostly those that feed into Lyons Township High School, Hinsdale Central or Hinsdale South.

The school board said it found that Munch's salary had been 14 percent lower than the average of his peers.

"We took action in the contract signed earlier this summer to ensure John's salary more closely matched his peers," the board said in the statement.

Because superintendents have a big impact on school culture, the board said, it wanted Munch to continue his leadership over the next five years.

In an interview at his office, Munch said he appreciated the agreement.

"With this new contract, I feel I am very fairly compensated," he said. "I'm blessed to be at Highlands."

La Grange Highlands School District 106's analysis on area superintendents' salaries: