District 303’s Schlomann Gets 6% for Four Straight Years to Retire in 2017

Dr. Donald Schlomann will retire at the end of the 2016-17 school year, according to an amended contract for the superintendent of St. Charles Community Unit School District 303.

The Board of Education approved the contract changes during a special meeting Monday night, and Dr. Schlomann signed it Tuesday morning, school officials said.

Board of Education President Steven Spurling said Tuesday evening the board’s approval of the contract amendments reflect its satisfaction with Schlomann’s performance as superintendent. “We’re very happy with Dr. Schlomann’s leadership,” he said.

Under the terms of the contract, Schlomann's base pay remains where it was when the district hired him as superintendent in 2009 — at $225,000. As part of the changes, beginning in 2013-14, the district will pay a 6 percent retirement incentive annuity for each of his final four years with the district. The retirement annuity is separate from the Illinois Teacher Retirement System.

The 6 percent retirement incentive annuity is a change in the pattern Schlomann set beginning in 2009, when he began to decline annual pay raises due him under his contract, a move he said reflected his respect for the sacrifices the community and the school district and its employees were making during belt-tightening years as revenues dropped.

His refusal to accept the contractual pay increases was respected by many in the district.

He called the retirement incentive annuity payments as very generous.

Spurling said the 6 percent retirement incentive annuity is the district’s “law of the land” in terms of retirement announcements. By contract, he said, all teachers and administrators receive the same treatment in the four years leading up to their retirement.

Also under the amended, beginning in July 2014, the district will give Schlomann one additional vacation day each year through 2016. He has 22 vacation days per year now.

Schlomann’s other contract terms — including health care coverage, a $7,200 annual car allowance, travel expenses, professional/civic organization fees and professional development, and cellphone — remain unchanged.

“It feels odd to be talking about retiring,” Schlomann said Monday afternoon. By 2017, he will have been with the district for 10 years. Still, 2017 is a long way off yet.

“This gives the district a good planning horizon to begin the searching to find my successor,” he said.

You can download a pdf of the superintendent’s new contract at 
http://www1.d303.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=wZtfkSdcWaw%3d&tabid=2854.