Trenton Times - Hopewell Valley school district superintendent stays on for next five years, despite state-mandated salary cut

By Christina Izzo/The Times of Trenton The Times, Trenton

on July 28, 2013 at 7:25 AM, updated July 28, 2013 at 7:26 AM

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP — Superintendent Thomas Smith has signed on for another five years at the helm of the Hopewell Valley school district, bucking a trend of top administrators leaving for higher pay in other states. He will take a state-mandated salary cut, but could earn bonuses that would bring his total pay back up to his previous salary level.

Smith, who has been earning $181,927 for the last four years, will see his base pay drop about $14,500 to $167,500 because of statewide salary caps for superintendents that went into effect in 2011. But he decided to stay and work out a new contract because he wanted to follow through with the work he has started in the district, he said.

“First and foremost, it’s a very supportive community and a great board with a strong president,” Smith said recently. “Professionally, it’s been very rewarding here for me. We’ve done a lot of work and made a lot of changes over the last four years. There has been lots of positive momentum and the district is really moving in the right direction.”

In addition, under the law a school board may give its superintendent bonuses worth up to about 15 percent of base pay, which in Smith’s case could actually result in a total pay package larger than his current annual salary, he said. To earn a bonus, a superintendent must meet a series of goals, such as improved test scores, that have been approved by the board and the county superintendent.

“Under the merit bonus system, if district performance continues to improve, the board is hopeful that Dr. Smith will not need to realize a cut to his annual take-home pay,” school board President Lisa Wolff said in an e-mail.

It's great to be able to really have a positive impact on students and programs, and for me, it's all about improving the outcomes of the students.

Nearly a third of the districts changed superintendents in the first year the salary caps went into effect, the highest turnover rate in at least 12 years, according to the New Jersey School Boards Association.

Locally, Princeton Superintendent Judith Wilson announced in March that she will retire in December rather than take a $57,000 pay cut when her contract expires next year.

She earns $225,000. West Windsor-Plainsboro Superintendent Victoria Kniewel, who is paid $192,676, said in April that she would take a job in New York to avoid seeing her salary drop by $17,000.

Wolff noted that Hopewell Valley has not had a superintendent stay for more than five years since 1992, and said the board was glad it could keep Smith despite the salary cap. He was hired in 2009.

Gov. Chris Christie made a rule setting the salary caps in 2010, saying it would reduce salaries for 360 school executives by $9.8 million, saving district’s money. A district’s cap is based on its enrollment.

Smith said he is looking forward to continuing the progress the district has made in the last four years. During his tenure, the district has changed the high school and elementary schedules, created a program that allows students to bring iPads and other devices to class, and made homework standards consistent through the district.

“We’ve worked hard on just focusing on the whole student,” he said. “Academics are important and test scores are important, but we’re working towards making sure that students are well rounded, and we’re meeting every kid’s needs.”

“We’ve done a lot of work, but there’s still a lot of work to go,” he said. “It’s great to be able to really have a positive impact on students and programs, and for me, it’s all about improving the outcomes of the students. That’s my goal.”

Contact Christina Izzo at cizzo@njtimes.com or (609) 989-5688