A superintendent is typically the highest-ranking official in a school district, responsible for overseeing the educational and administrative operations of all the schools within the district. Contract extensions for superintendents are often approved by school boards or other governing bodies to provide stability and continuity in leadership.
The board evaluated the superintendent in an executive session last night, and the results were favorable. Per the 2022-23 contract, Section 3.2, the superintendent ‘shall receive not less than a 3% increase with such increases being effective as of July 1 each year,’” noted a statement from Shari Cooper, director of communications.
The new salary figure will be identified and incorporated into Morawski’s new 2023-24 contract, which is still being drafted and once finalized, will be presented as an action item at a future board meeting, Cooper said.
Morwaski’s original contract was approved on Nov. 30, 2020. That contract was for Dec. 31, 2020, to June 2023. A contract approved in 2020 continued that time period through June 30, 2025. The vote Monday extended the contract to 2026.
Dr. Terry Morawski
Morawski’s salary approved in the spring of 2022 drew criticism because it was 14.47% higher than his salary that was approved on Dec. 30, 2020. During that time certified staff (teacher) pay had an average increase of just 1.11%. Morawski received two raises between his hire date and 2022, 5.6% with the start of his 2021-22 contract and 8.4% with his 2022-23 contract. Morawski replaced former superintendent Dr. Doug Brubaker who resigned in 2020 to take the position of superintendent for the Texarkana, Texas, Independent School District.
the contract extension for the superintendent of Fort Smith has been approved. This means that the superintendent will continue to serve in their role for a longer period of time, as specified in their renewed contract.
The school board approved a salary schedule in May 2022 for certified employees that gave teachers on average a 5.89% pay increase last year.
FSPS Chief Financial Officer Charles Warren on April 24 presented to the school board a proposal to increase teacher pay resulting from the LEARNS Act. The act approved by the Arkansas Legislature earlier this year mandates that all public school districts raise the minimum certified teacher pay to $50,000 a year and certified teachers who make more than $50,000 a year receive a $
2,000 raise.
