Scotch Plains-Fanwood Superintendents, Principals Earn Over $150K

SCOTCH PLAINS/FANWOOD, NJ — Some of the highest paid superintendents and principals in New Jersey work in Scotch Plains. Ten superintendents and principals in Scotch Plains-Fanwood Regional School District are among 1,500 in New Jersey to have made $150,000 or more in 2019, according to the New Jersey Department of Education.

The Department of Education recently released its annual list of superintendents and principals and their salaries before the start of the 2019-20 school year. And the list of educators making $150,000 or more — a list that barely had any educators on it two decades ago — has grown in recent years.

It's also a small fraction of the more than 100,000 people who are teachers and administrators in public and charter schools in this state.

In Union County, Harold Kennedy Jr., Business Administrator for Elizabeth Public Schools was the highest paid and ranked at number 10 in the state. He has 18 years and makes $236,993. Followed by Janet Fike, Superintendent of Morris-Union Jointure Commission ranked at number 18 in the state, has 37 year of service and makes $221,899.

Here are the top principals and superintendents in Scotch Plains-Fanwood Regional School District, where they rank in the state, position, their years of service (which is surely a factor in their pay) and, finally, their salaries:

Superintendents:

• 50. MARGARET HAYES, Former Superintendent, 34, $204,526
• 223. JOAN MAST, Superintendent, 34, $181,990
• 609. DEBORAH SARIDAKI, Business Administrator/Board Secretary, 11, $160,043

Principals:

• 54. DAVID HEISEY, Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School Principal, 35, $181,389
• 137. KEVIN HOLLOWAY, Terrill Middle School Principal, 23, $172,185
• 496. COLLEEN HAUBERT, Evergreen Elementary School Principal, 25, $157,191
• 556. KAREN WETHERELL, J. Ackerman Coles Elementary School Principal, 3, $155,883
• 570. JOCELYN DUMARESQ, Park Middle School Principal, 9, $155,416
• 604. SASHA SLOCUM, William J. McGinn Elementary School Principal, 8, $154,481
• 730. SCOTT BORTNICK, Howard B. Brunner Elementary School Principal, 11, $151,581

In 2018-2019, the median salary for administrators $123,923, according to a Patch analysis of salary data for public school districts and charter schools. The increase was less than 1 percent above the previous year's median salary.

The Department of Education has said the department double-checks the data before delivering it to the media.

To view the entire statewide list click here.

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