SUPERINTENDENT%20Contract%203.26.25.pdf

Parent document: School Board Meeting_ Study Session-03-27-2025.pdf

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Went Brher

SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT'S EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT
2025 — 2028

It is hereby agreed by and between the Board Of Directors of the Mount Baker School District No. 507
of Deming, Washington (hereinafter "District") and Jessica Schenck (hereinafter "Superintendent")
that the Board of Directors (hereinafter "Board") of the District in accordance with its action as found
in the minutes of the meeting held on March 27, 2025, does hereby employ Jessica Schenck as
Superintendent for a three-year period commencing July 1, 2025 and ending June 30, 2028 Both
parties agree that the Superintendent shall perform the duties of Superintendent of the Mount Baker
School District as prescribed by the laws of the State of Washington and by the rules and regulations
made thereunder by the State's Board of Education, the Superintendent of Public Instruction and
the Board of Directors of the District.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
EMPLOYMENT, AUTHORITIES, AND DUTIES.

The Superintendent's annual salary will be determined by the Board, and at a minimum shall reflect
the percentage salary increase allowed and funded by the state for the District's certificated staff In
consideration of an annual salary of $215,000, inclusive of any salary increase allowed and funded by
the state for the District's certificated staff, for the period of July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. The
Superintendent agrees to faithfully perform the duties of the Superintendent of the District as
prescribed by the laws of the State of Washington and by the policies, rules, and regulations made
thereunder by the Board, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the State Board of
Education, and such other duties as assigned by the Board. The annual salary shall be paid in twelve
(12) monthly installments in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Board and the District's
customary payroll practices.

For the second (2026-2027) and third (2027 -2028) years of the contract, the Superintendent's annual
salary will be determined by the Board, and at a minimum shall reflect the percentage salary increase
allowed and funded by the state for the District's certificated staff.

The amount of the salary in the second and third years will not be less than the salary, stipends, and
benefits provided in the first year of the contract.

The annual salary shall be paid in equal installments in accordance with the rules of the Board
governing payment of other certificated administrators in the District.

A. The Superintendent agrees to faithfully perform the duties of the Chief Executive Officer of
the District and Secretary of the Board and hereby agrees to devote his/her full-time skill,
labor, and attention to the duties of Superintendent of the Mount Baker School District
#507

B. The Superintendent, subject to Board approval, shall have the responsibility to organize,

reorganize, and arrange the administrative and supervisory staff, including instruction and
business services. The responsibility for selection of personnel shall be vested in the

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Superintendent, with approval of the Board; and the Board, individually and collectively, will
refer promptly all criticism, complaints, and suggestions called to its attention to the
Superintendent for study and recommendation.

. The Superintendent shall attend all meetings of the Board and the Board shall include the

Superintendent in all executive or closed session meetings, except when the Superintendent’s
reemployment or compensation is being considered or when the Superintendent’s absence is
authorized and/or excused by the Board.

. Certification. The Superintendent must hold a valid Washington administrative credential

throughout the term of this contract and meet any and all other requirements of Washington
law relating directly and indirectly to serve as Superintendent for the District.

. Doctorate. The Superintendent shall receive a doctoral stipend in the amount of $5,000

annually, if the Superintendent holds a doctoral degree in an education-related field of study.

Days of Service: This contract is for two hundred sixty (260) days of service annually with
the following holidays:

e New Year's Day e Martin Luther King Jr. e President’s Day

e Memorial Day Day e Day before or after Independence Day
e Labor Day e Independence Day e Thanksgiving Day

e Day after Thanksgiving ° Veteran's Day e Day before or after Christmas Day

e June 19 (Juneteenth) e Christmas Day

VACATION DAYS: The Superintendent shall receive thirty 30 days of paid vacation per year;
one additional day of vacation will be added each year of service to a total of thirty {30) days.
Vacation days shall be taken at reasonable times and the Board Chair shall be notified of
the particular time being taken, in writing, in advance of the vacation days to be used.

Unused vacation days may be carried forward from year to year, to a maximum of twenty
(20) days. The Superintendent may, at the end of each year (June 30) elect to receive
compensation for up to ten (10) days of unused vacation at the per diem rate of 1/217" of the
annual salary then in effect. Upon termination of employment, unused vacation time may be
compensated up to a maximum of thirty (30) days payable at a per diem rate of 1/217" of
the annual salary then in effect.

SICK LEAVE: The Superintendent shall be entitled to twelve (12) days of leave annually for
illness, injury and emergencies plus any other leaves provided for District administrators.
Earned sick leave shall be cumulative to the extent allowed by state law and District policy
for administrators.

RETIREMENT COMPENSATION: The District shall provide retirement contributions through

the Washington State Department of Retirement Services, afforded to all other full-time

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Vil.

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employees.

MEDICAL COVERAGE: The District will provide the Superintendent with health insurance

benefits offered through the School Employees Benefits Board and shall pay the full employer
contribution as required by the state.

DEFERRED COMPENSATION: An amount per calendar year equal to $5,000.00 will be
contributed to the Superintendent's account under the Deferred Compensation Program
maintained by the Department of Retirement Systems pursuant to Code Section 457(b) (the
“DCP') OR a tax deferred retirement plan maintained by the District pursuant to Section 403(b)
of the Code (the “403(b) Plan"). The Superintendent shall have the right to elect whether or
not to defer this amount to the DCP or the 403(b) Plan or to receive it as cash compensation.

RESIDENCY: The Superintendent shall reside within the District or no more than thirty (30)
road/driving miles from the District’s administrative offices, so long as they are employed as
Superintendent. The Superintendent shall have six (6) months to relocate, if needed. The
District shall reimburse the Superintendent for the reasonable and necessary moving
expenses attendant to their relocation to the District, contingent upon the presentation of
documented receipts for such expenses, to a maximum of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000).

REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES: In lieu of other expense reimbursement for vehicle travel
within NWESD 189, the Superintendent shall receive five hundred dollars ($500.00) per month
for a maximum of six thousand dollars ($6,000.00) per year, to defray the costs incurred in using
his or her automobile for official travel. Pursuant to RCW 42.24.090, it is the determination of
the Board that this means of reimbursement is less costly than providing an automobile to the
Superintendent.

The Superintendent will also be entitled reimbursement for other incidental expenses incurred
while on official business of the District, as allowed by law. The Superintendent shall be
reimbursed by the District when using his or her own personal automobile for District business
outside of ESD 189 at the IRS Standard Mileage Rate then in effect to defray the costs he or
she incurs in using his or her automobile for official school district travel. The Superintendent
will also be entitled to reimbursement for other expenses incurred while on official business
of the District consistent with other certificated administrators and as allowed by law.

In recognition of the Superintendent's use of his or her personal cell phone for District-related
calls, email and text messages, and to ensure availability for District related emergencies at
all times, the District will compensate the Superintendent $100.00 per month ($1,200.00 per
year.) This reimbursement will not require itemized receipts and will therefore be reported as
non-wage income.

SUPPLEMENTAL DAYS: The district shall compensate the Superintendent for up to five (5)
supplemental days of work in recognition of work performed on weekends, evenings or other
times outside of the work year at the per diem rate for each year of this Contract. The
supplemental pay shall be divided into 12 equal payments throughout the year.

MEDICAL EXAM: As a condition of employment, the Superintendent shall be required to
have an annual physical, if requested by the Board to do so. Any costs for the annual physical
not covered by insurance shall be paid by the District. A copy of the health care provider's
conclusion regarding the Superintendent's fitness for duty shall be provided to the Board

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Xl.

xll.

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XIV.

XVIII.

President.

DEVOTION OF TIME: The Superintendent hereby agrees to devote his or her full time, skill,
labor and attention to said employment during the term of this Contract.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES: The Superintendent shall present to the Board his or her goals
and objectives for the next school year for discussion, agreement, and documentation by

August ist.

PERFORMANCE REVIEW: The Board shall evaluate and discuss with the Superintendent
his or her performance twice each year by devoting all or a portion of at least one meeting no
later than December 31st, and all or a portion of at least one meeting no later than June ‘1st
of each contract year to a discussion of the working relationship between the Superintendent
and the Board, and the Board's evaluation of the Superintendent's performance. The Board's
evaluation of the Superintendent's performance shall reference annual goals and objectives
for the Superintendent and be reasonably related to the Superintendent's job description, but
shall in all respects comply with state law requirements. The Board will provide a written
summary of the performance review to the Superintendent.

BOARD - SUPERINTENDENT COMMUNICATION: The Superintendent shall regularly
report to the Board on the affairs of the District by such methods as determined by the Board.
Additionally, the Board, individually and collectively, will promptly refer all criticisms,
complaints and suggestions called to its attention to the Superintendent for study and
recommendation.

RENEWAL OF CONTRACT: No later than January 31st of each contract year, the Board will
review the Superintendent's employment status and decide whether or not to offer the
Superintendent an extended contract. The Board will also by January 31st, determine whether
or not an increase shall be made in the annual salary for the Superintendent. Any increase in
the annual salary made during the life of this contract shall be in the form of an amendment
and shall become a part of this contract.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: The Superintendent shall continue his or her
professional development and may participate in relevant learning experiences, including
attending professional meetings at the local, state, and (with prior Board approval) national
levels. Travel expenses associated with such meetings will be reimbursed in accordance with
this contract. The Superintendent, at his or her discretion, shall also be permitted to attend
one national conference every three years with his or her expenses to be paid by the District
for attending such conference.

PROFESSIONAL DUES: As a condition of this Contract, the Superintendent is expected to
maintain active membership in the Washington Association of School Administrators and the
American Association of School Administrators with his or her annual membership dues to be
paid by the District.

OPERATION OF THE DISTRICT: The Superintendent will work under the direction of the
Board by implementing its policies and directives, and shall have the responsibility and
authority for the general administration and supervision of the District including its instruction
and business affairs. It shall be the responsibility of the Superintendent to recommend the

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XIX.

XXIll.

XXIV.

organization, reorganization and arrangement of the administrative and supervisory staff in
such a manner that in his or her judgment best serves the District. The responsibility for
selection, placement and transfer of personnel shall be vested in the Superintendent subject
to the approval by the Board. Nothing contained in this paragraph shall authorize the
Superintendent to perform any act which under the statutes of the State of Washington cannot
be delegated by the Board to the Superintendent.

DISABILITY: Should the Superintendent be unable to perform any or all of his or her duties

by reasons of illness, accident or other cause beyond his or her control and said disability
exists for a period longer than his or her accrued sick leave and vacation, the Board may in
its discretion, make proportionate deduction from the salary stipulated. If such disability exists
for more than a total of six (6) continuous months or if said disability is permanent, irreparable
or of such nature as, in the discretion of the Board, will make the performance of his or her
duties impossible, the Board may, at its option, terminate this Contract, whereupon the
respective duties, rights and obligations of the parties hereto shall terminate, provided
however that the Board will first reassign the Superintendent to inactive administrator status
for the period of his or her sick leave and vacation entitlements but not for any period later
than the applicable termination date of this Contract.

DISCHARGE: During the term of this Contract, the Superintendent shall be subject to
discharge for sufficient cause as otherwise provided by law.

INDEMNIFICATION: The Board agrees, as a further condition of the Superintendent's
employment contract, that it will defend, hold harmless and indemnify the Superintendent,
and to the extent allowed by law, his or her community property, from any and all third party
demands, claims, suits, actions, damages, costs, charges, and expenses, including court
costs and attorney's fees; provided that the incident out of which such demands, claims, suits,
actions, damages, costs, charges and expenses arise has occurred while the Superintendent
is acting within the scope of his or her employment and during the good faith performance of
his or her contract.

COMPLIANCE WITH LAW AND POLICIES: This Contract shall be subject to all statutes
governing the public schools of the State of Washington; to all policies, rules and regulations
of the State of Washington; to all policies, rules and regulations of the District's Board of
Directors existing at the effective date of this Contract; and, except where inconsistent with
the express terms hereof, any future policies, rules and regulations of the Board.

AMENDMENT, SAVINGS, AND ENTIRE AGREEMENT: This Contract may be amended in
writing at any time by mutual agreement of the Board and Superintendent. If during the term
of this Contract, any specific provision of this Contract is found to be contrary to law, the
remainder of the Contract shall not be affected and shall remain in full force and effect. This
Contract represents the total agreement between the parties regarding the employment of the
Superintendent by the Board and there are not verbal agreements that modify its terms.

EXCEPTIONS: The Superintendent shall fulfill all aspects of this Contract, with any
exceptions thereto being only authorized by mutual consent in writing by the entire Board and
Superintendent.

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Accepted this day of March, 2025
Russ Pfeiffer-Hoyt, President, Board of Directors

Accepted this day of March, 2025
Jessica Schenck, Superintendent

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