$100K Pay In District 86: 44 Administrative Staff, No Teachers

Joliet IL

24 February, 2021

1:00 AM

Description

JOLIET, IL — While more than 10,000 grade school and junior high students in Joliet's District 86 have not attended regular classroom activities with their classmates since March 2020, a total of 44 administrators and support staff are making more than $100,000 in taxpayer-funded pay during the current all-remote academic year. Many of these District 86 administrators and support staff make double and triple what their teachers get. Unlike Joliet Township High School District 204, no teachers in Joliet's grade school district make six-figure salaries, Patch learned through a Freedom of Information Act request. On the other hand, Joliet Public Grade Schools District 86 pays a full-time public relations director, Sandy Zalewski, approximately $140,000 in regular salary. District 86 taxpayers are also paying her pension contribution to the IMRF, data obtained by Patch showed. Zalewski, whose job title is coordinator for communications and development for Joliet District 86, currently draws a salary of $139,797. That makes her the 14th highest paid District 86 official. image via District 86 FOIA These days, one of District's 86 junior high school principals makes more than $165,000 in salary, even though the students at his building continue staying home this school year for online classes. On Jan. 21, Joliet Patch reported that District 86 Superintendent Theresa Rouse sent a letter home to parents informing them that District 86 would keep its school buildings closed and off-limits to students for the remainder of the regular school calendar, just as it did for the first and second trimesters of the 2020-21 academic year. "We will continue to review the data to see when it is safe to bring students back," Rouse wrote in her January letter. "Our top priority remains the safety of our students and staff members. "We realize that remote learning can be a challenge for some students. If your student is struggling, please contact your child's teacher. If additional support is needed, contact your school principal," Rouse's letter advised. In addition to paying Rouse about $234,000 in salary, District 86 employs four assistant superintendents. All of them make between $186,000 and $215,000. District 86 also employs a full-time lawyer who makes about $228,000 in pay. Image via John Ferak/Patch To make sure that Joliet's District 86 parents and city residents are aware of how District 86 is utilizing their tax dollars, Joliet Patch recently obtained the public pay data for all employees with District 86 who are making in excess of $100,000 this school year. None include teachers, the data showed. Meanwhile, parents who are fed up with Rouse and the school board recently launched a petition at Change.org called "Open Joliet District 86 schools for in-person learning." Here's a look at the top-paid school officials with Joliet District 86 during the current school year of all-remote learning activities: No. 1: Superintendent Theresa Rouse, current pay $233,956 Former California administrator Theresa Rouse is in her fifth year running District 86 in Joliet. Image via District 86 No. 2: Chief Officer for Legal Services Nicholas Sakellariou, $227,922 No. 3: Assistant Superintendent Ankhe Bradley, $214,841 No. 4: Assistant Superintendent Tamara Mitchell, $201,010 No. 5: Assistant Superintendent Natacia Campbell Tominov, $189,625 No. 6: Assistant Superintendent Sunni McNeal, $185,907 No. 7: Washington Junior High School Principal Rolland Jasper, $165,809 Rolland Jasper is the highest paid principal in District 86. Image via District 86 No. 8: Director of technology John Armstrong, $158,864 No. 9: Director of curriculum Tricia Nagel, $149,746 No. 10: Gompers Junior High School Principal Rita Sparks, $145,779 Rita Sparks has also had an empty building of students to supervise the entire 2020-21 school year. Image via District 86 No. 11: Dirksen Junior High School Principal Markisha Mitchell, $145,737 No. 12: A.O. Marshall Elementary School Principal Lisa Marie Moreno, $142,871 No. 13: Hufford Junior High School Principal Kyle Sartain, $140,009 Hufford Junior High School Principal has also had no students in his building this entire school year. Image via District 86 No. 14: District 86 director of communications and development Sandy Zalewski, $139,797 No. 15: Sator Sanchez Elementary Principal Maria Arroyo, $138,435 No. 16: Woodland Elementary Principal Kimberly Gordon, $138,435 No. 17: Farragut Elementary Principal: Terrance Joy Hopkins, $138,435 No. 18: Director of special education Jennifer Smith, $135,726 No. 19: Forest Park Elementary Principal Jacob Darley, $135,721 No. 20: Director of personnel Vernecia Gee-Davis, $133,180 No. 21: Program coordinator: Yolanda Coleman, $131,765 No. 22: Manager of building and grounds Paul Dufresne: $131,385 No. 23: Coordinator of bilingual services Antonio Villagomez: $130,451 No. 24: Marycrest Early Childhood Center Principal Melissa Mendoza-Thompson: $128,022 No. 25: Director of special services: Dwayne Williams, $128,009 No. 26: T. E. Culbertson Elementary School Principal Larry Tucker, $127,892 No. 27: Manager of food service Tracie Suter: $127,503 No. 28: M.J. Cunningham, Elementary Principal Luis E. Gonzalez: $120,574 No. 29: Edna Keith Elementary Principal Casonya Henderson: $120,574 No. 30: Assistant Principal of Pershing Elementary School Erika Diaz: $119,888 No. 31: Carl Sandburg Elementary Principal Saundra Russell-Smith: $118,240 No. 32: Isaac Singleton Elementary Principal Laura Hodge: $115,954 No. 33: Lynne Thigpen Elementary Principal Renita Streeter: $115,954 No. 34: Coordinator of student services Michelle Danielson: $115,324 No. 35: Eisenhower Academy Elementary Principal Nicole Bottigliero: $112,032 No. 36: Pershing Elementary Principal: Carrie Busse: $111,514 No. 37: Taft Elementary Principal: Doriane Henderson: $111,514 No. 38: Thomas Jefferson Elementary Principal Consuelo Ramirez: $111,514 No. 39: Assistant Principal Hufford Junior High Karen Glowicki: $104,665 No. 40: Technology coordinator Kimberly Knigge: $104,133 No. 41: Special education coordinator Katharine Lee-Foshinbaur: $104,133 No. 42: Special services coordinator Erika Rock: $104,134 No. 43: Academic advisor Clarence Williams: $101,894 No. 44: Manager of accounting Angela Brown: $100,091 image via District 86