Newmarket School Superintendent Overpaid

New Hampshire Public School Superintendents and other school administrators are grossly overpaid and underworked; and local taxpayers are foolishly footing the bill without any objections. Here is just one example:

On April 20th, 2019, the Newmarket School Board entered into a three-year contract with Dr. Susan Givens to serve as the district's new superintendent of schools commencing on July 16, 2019; And what a sweetheart of a deal it is for Dr. Givens!

Dr. Givens will receive an initial starting salary of $145,000, with the potential for increases in the second and third years of her contract, making her one of the state's higher-paid superintendents.

Since Givens comes to Newmarket after an extensive educational career in Massachusetts, I am guessing she is already retired in that state. Securing the superintendent position in Newmarket at $145,00 is not a bad wat to spend your retirement; Cha-Ching!

This $145.000 starting salary for Givens is an increase of approximately $10,000
above the final year salary of Meridith Nadeau, whom Givens replaced. Whether it’s Givens, Nadeau, or any other superintendent, a salary of $145,000 is an Incredible salary for such a small school district as Newmarket. The entire district consists of just two schools and only about 1,000 students.

In addition to her salary, each year of her contract Dr. Givens will receive 15 paid holidays, 25 days of vacation, 14 days of sick leave, 3 days of personal time off, and 5 days of bereavement leave, if needed. If my math is correct, Givens' contract allows her to potentially have as many as 62 days off of work each year with pay. I won’t do the math, however, 62 days off with pay each year, at a salary of $145K per year, has the potential to cost Newmarket taxpayers a bunch of money for time not worked.

Newmarket’s generosity did not stop with an incredible salary and plenty of time off, oh no. Dr. Givens will also receive a very generous health package, which includes, an 85% employer-paid health insurance policy, a 100% employer-paid dental insurance policy, a 100% employer-paid life insurance policy with a face amount of $250,00, and a 100 % employer-paid Long term disability insurance policy,

In addition to all of the benefits listed above, Newmarket taxpayers also agreed to pay Dr. Givens up to $ 3,000 in educator dues and membership fees each year, unlimited mileage and other reasonable expenses in the performance of her duties as superintendent, a free cellular phone with data plan, and reimbursements for professional development expenses. Oh, and did I mention? Newmarket agreed to pay an Dr. Givens an annual annuity each year of her employment, prior to December 31, in the amount of $6,000. No reason was given for this annual annuity gift.
For anyone worrying that Dr. Givens may be overworked in her new position as Newmarkets Superintendent of Schools, fear not. The NH Department of Education Websites’ most recent data explains that Dr. Givens has approximately 190 individuals consisting of educators, paraeducators, office staff, and other administrators to assist her.

While I have certainly exhibited a bit of cheekiness in this opinion piece, the fact of the matter is taxpayers all across New Hampshire are overpaying school district administrators and rewarding them with obscene benefits packages they don’t deserve. Every dollar wasted on overpaying school district administrators and providing them with ridiculous benefits packages is another dollar that is not reaching the students.

In closing, I ask everyone reading this article: do you know what your local school district superintendent contract says? What your local school board has obligated you to pay for your superintends services? You have a legal right to know these answers. All you have to do is send an email to your school district or show up in person and under RSA 91-A, ask to see the superintendents contract. it’s your tax dollars that are paying for these outrageous pay and benefits packages; you should know the answer.