Altoona Area School District Superintendent Dennis Murray's new contract looks much like the one the school board approved in September 2006.
The school board extended Murray's contract Monday night by three years.
The longtime administrator of the school district with an enrollment of about 8,000 students will make $170,501 in his first year of the new contract, which goes into effect July 1, 2010, and runs through June 30, 2013.
Board members praised Murray's service as the district's administrative leader. Murray has been an educator for 46 years, 25 of those as Altoona's superintendent.
Most superintendents' contracts are written to include a salary for the first year with clauses calling for increases rather than specified dollar amounts in subsequent years. That can make comparisons difficult.
For example, Murray's current contract, which runs from July 2007 to June 2010, listed his salary as $150,135 in the 2006-07 school year with annual cost-of-living adjustments plus 1 percent. The same terms are included in the new contract.
Another veteran Blair County school superintendent's contract runs out in June 2010.
Tyrone Area School District Superintendent William N. Miller has held his position for more than 35 years, and his salary is listed as $118,587 for the 2007-08 school year for overseeing the district with about 1,950 students.
Miller was planning to retire in 2007, but the board agreed to extend his contract after he decided he wasn't ready to leave, and the years ahead looked bumpy with employee contracts and new legislation on the agenda.
As a size-comparable school district to Altoona, Butler Area School District in Butler County, with about 7,800 students, paid its superintendent more than $141,000 in the 2007-08 school year, the first year of his five-year contract. Edward Fink's contact calls for a 2.7 to 3 percent annual increase over the life of the contract.
Other Blair County superintendents also make more than $100,000.
Hollidaysburg Area School District Superintendent Paul J. Gallagher's contract lists his salary from July 1, 2007, to June 30, 2012, at $112,212 to $129,670; Gallagher's listed salary for the 2009-10 school year is $121,018.
Spring Cove School District Superintendent Rodney L. Green's contract runs through 2012; his salary was $99,000 for the 2007-08 school year. The salary would have been $108,000, but Green started Aug. 1, 2007. His contract calls for at least a 4 percent yearly raise.
Bellwood-Antis School District Superintendent G. Brian Toth's contract runs from August 2008 to August 2013 and lists his salary at $110,000 for the 2008-09 school year with up to a 5 percent annual raise, minimum equal to administrators and a possible $5,000 annual bonus.
Williamsburg Community School District Superintendent Lee Swinsburg retired at the end of 2007-08 school year. A permanent replacement has yet to be named.
Murray's new contract is set to follow the same terms as the current contract including vacation, sick leave, life insurance, medical benefits and professional association memberships, according to Monday's meeting agenda.
Murray, 70, will receive a cost of living increase for each year throughout the new contract, he said Tuesday.
Details of Murray's salary weren't listed on Monday night's school board agenda, but salaries and hourly wages were listed for other employees approved Monday by the board.
