Re: What would you say is the "average" salary a school superintendant makes on LI

Re: What would you say is the "average" salary a school superintendant makes on LI

I don't understand how this turned into a questioning of teacher's salaries when the original top was superintendents? I feel like people look for a reason to complain about teacher salaries.
I am a teacher, but I teach in an independent school. I will never make anywhere near what a public school teacher makes, but honestly, with all that they have to put up with, I can understand why.

And yes, teachers get summers and vacations off, but you would not want to see what would happen to a teacher who didn't get those days off. We'd be burnt out and miserable, which isn't really productive when teaching.
Don't you want the people educating the future of this country to be well paid and compensated so that they can do their job to the best of their ability?
And trust me, I wish that there were more professions that were as well paid, too, because there are so many other professions that are doing just as important of a job that don't get the monetary recognition that they deserve, but fortunately for teachers, they do.

And again, I don't make a huge salary and never will because I choose to work in an independent school for other reasons. But still, I think public school teachers earn their money and their time off.


As for what the original intention of the thread was, yes, I do think some superintendents are grossly overpaid, but I don't think a majority of them are. And I think the problem is more the shear number of superintendents, not their salaries.

Re: What would you say is the "average" salary a school superintendant makes on LI

Re: What would you say is the "average" salary a school superintendant makes on LI

Posted by lipglossjunky73

Posted by BaroqueMama

Posted by bookworm

* as far as teachers being defensive, i'm actually pretty impressed at the thoughtfulness of this thread in spite of the fact that people don't necessarily agree, but one need only open a newspaper or listen to 10 minutes of 1 of cuomo's speeches to get why. we've been targeted lately. we're taking the fall for all the factors that lead to kids who under-perform when so many of them are out out of our hands, and on top of everything else, people are screaming for our heads in the news over salaries.

i'm no marine. i'm not asking to be honored as a hero or anything. but i pour a lot of myself into my work and i care about kids, so i just don't want to be bullied by the nasty climate of the public debate on education.

* as far as THIS argument:

Posted by lipglossjunky73

Lets just call a spade a spade here. Is teaching an "EASY" job? No, not at all! BUT, it is a pretty sweet deal, between the hours and the insane amout of time off in relation to the pay. C'mon, what other job can you get and make that kind of money for that many work days per year.

this is some recycled old rhetoric that shows no understanding of the work outside of school hours. example: we had off on veterans day, and i spent it grading. that was a work day for me. in addition i'd say i spend about 10-12 hours of my personal time working, whether it's getting in 2 hours early every day to create materials, write lesson plans, grade, answer emails; or maybe it's staying after school to call parents, attend meetings, grade papers, etc. or maybe it's the 5 hours i spent grading essays yesterday (SATURDAY). did i mention grading papers? this is a HUGE time commitment. the time during the day is GO GO GO, so you can't get everything done.

i work basically 6 days a week (at least!), which add up to 40 extra works days--there's my summer vacation. what's left are school breaks like president's week and the holidays, not that much different from the 2-4 weeks that people get from their jobs, except YOU can take it when you WANT and not when the district tells you to. this is why teachers are totally burnt out in june. i always say that this job means working at 150% 10 months a year.

example: i am TTC right now, and i am totally freaked out about how i'm going to deal with time management once a baby comes because i don't want my work to suffer. let's "call a spade a spade:" my time is not my own, so i have to juggle baby and all the extra work outside of the school day. that's scary. that's teaching. please don't use this argument again.

Just to be clear, Liza did not post the quote you responded to.
I just wanted to point that out.

I just saw that and was like NOW WAIT A MINUTE!!! Like I'm not hated enough on here already!!!!

Re: What would you say is the "average" salary a school superintendant makes on LI

Posted by MommaBear

Posted by nrthshgrl

Since I lurk on the Teachers board too...this was one of my favorite threads:
What do Teachers Make?

Disclaimer: I'm not a teacher, I'm in HR at a software company.

That was my post

I think the superint. salaries on LI are crazy. But as far as teachers, yeah we make good money IMO. I knew this which is why I went to college, got a dble masters degree and worked my *** off to get my job.

All are welcome to do the same.

Message edited 11/14/2010 10:03:16 AM.

Re: What would you say is the "average" salary a school superintendant makes on LI

Re: What would you say is the "average" salary a school superintendant makes on LI

Posted by Salason

Posted by CrankyPants

I don't think they shoud publish salary information by name.

The public can know they are paying XX to teach XXx but to be able to look up little jonny's Math teacher specifically seems to wrong.

As for those who begrudge teacher salaries-every single one of us had a chance to become a teacher and knew the perks and still chose otherwise sooooo-too bad for us.

I'm not a teacher-I'm in finance.

ITA (and I'm also in finance ). I think they could say Teacher X with X credentials/E yrs of experience makes X. I think the info should be public but not by teacher name. It's an invasion of their privacy IMO.

Re: What would you say is the "average" salary a school superintendant makes on LI

Re: What would you say is the "average" salary a school superintendant makes on LI

Re: What would you say is the "average" salary a school superintendant makes on LI

Posted by ChrisDee

I guess my four Teacher friends are the only ones around that think they made a great choice to be a teacher and feel they are compensated well and have good hours. I have not heard ONE person in this entire thread say ANYTHING bad about teachers. And the initial thread even started about Super's. I am sorry you chose to work so far from your home, I totally understand. DH commutes 4 1/2 hours everyday too. We all made our choices

Re: What would you say is the "average" salary a school superintendant makes on LI

Posted by Palebride

Posted by ChrisDee

I guess my four Teacher friends are the only ones around that think they made a great choice to be a teacher and feel they are compensated well and have good hours. I have not heard ONE person in this entire thread say ANYTHING bad about teachers. And the initial thread even started about Super's. I am sorry you chose to work so far from your home, I totally understand. DH commutes 4 1/2 hours everyday too. We all made our choices

Not at all. I've stayed quiet on this thread because I'm a teacher on LI, I'm very well paid for what I do and I truly enjoy it. Do I love every aspect of it? Heck No!!! Are there days when I question the choice to become a teacher? Yes! But I think that's true of any profession. And it usually has nothing to do with the actual teaching....it's usually because of some BS that comes along with the job.

I know I'm paid well, I know I get great vacations, and I know I'm lucky. But I also know I work really hard for all of that. And it can be frustrating when people constantly remind you of all of the perks without ever making reference to the hard work involved.

Re: What would you say is the "average" salary a school superintendant makes on LI

Posted by Palebride

Posted by ChrisDee

I guess my four Teacher friends are the only ones around that think they made a great choice to be a teacher and feel they are compensated well and have good hours. I have not heard ONE person in this entire thread say ANYTHING bad about teachers. And the initial thread even started about Super's. I am sorry you chose to work so far from your home, I totally understand. DH commutes 4 1/2 hours everyday too. We all made our choices

Not at all. I've stayed quiet on this thread because I'm a teacher on LI, I'm very well paid for what I do and I truly enjoy it. Do I love every aspect of it? Heck No!!! Are there days when I question the choice to become a teacher? Yes! But I think that's true of any profession. And it usually has nothing to do with the actual teaching....it's usually because of some BS that comes along with the job.

I know I'm paid well, I know I get great vacations, and I know I'm lucky. But I also know I work really hard for all of that. And it can be frustrating when people constantly remind you of all of the perks without ever making reference to the hard work involved.

Re: What would you say is the "average" salary a school superintendant makes on LI

Posted by Palebride

And it can be frustrating when people constantly remind you of all of the perks without ever making reference to the hard work involved.

Re: What would you say is the "average" salary a school superintendant makes on LI

Re: What would you say is the "average" salary a school superintendant makes on LI

Re: What would you say is the "average" salary a school superintendant makes on LI

Posted by ChrisDee

Posted by nicrae

Posted by ChrisDee

Lets just call a spade a spade here. Is teaching an "EASY" job? No, not at all! BUT, it is a pretty sweet deal, between the hours and the insane amout of time off in relation to the pay. C'mon, what other job can you get and make that kind of money for that many work days per year. Lots and lots of jobs require a masters and require you to continue your education(and pay for it yourself).
Everyone made their choice in life and good for you if you chose to be a teacher. It was a smart choice. BUT, please be honest and call a spade a spade, it is a GREAT job with a GREAT salary and amazing hours/time off. Nobody can bash you for being smart and choosing that road. They can only regret not choosing it for themselves.

I commute 4 hours a day to and from my "sweet deal".

On Wednesday I had to call security and pray they got there in time before two kids beat the living sh!t out of each other. (They didn't make it in time)

On Monday an AP came in to my room and told me that besides all my other work I had to do an item analysis on a recent test I had just given and he wanted it by Friday. Sweet....so I got to work on Veteran's day. I had to send my kids to daycare instead of spending the day with them....but that is another post.

My sweet deal allows me to pee only when the bell rings and have lunch at 10am.

My sweet deal has me e-mailing a student all her work because she just had a baby but is capable of going to a really awesome college if she can find the time to do it.

My sweet deal has me praying my kids go to bed early so that I can grade 100+ papers on A Streetcar Named Desire. Most are hand written because my kids can't afford computers at home.

My fellow colleagues and I have to deal with people who have no idea what they are talking about bash what we do and think it is a sweet deal. We have to listen to people in politics who have never stepped foot in a classroom dictate to us what we should and shouldn't be doing. Clearly they know best. SWEET!!!

Yeah.....totally a sweet deal!

ETA: I totally get that other professions all have their own stuff they have to deal with. But I would never ever say they have it easy or a sweet deal because I have never been in their shoes.

I guess my four Teacher friends are the only ones around that think they made a great choice to be a teacher and feel they are compensated well and have good hours. I have not heard ONE person in this entire thread say ANYTHING bad about teachers. And the initial thread even started about Super's. I am sorry you chose to work so far from your home, I totally understand. DH commutes 4 1/2 hours everyday too. We all made our choices

Message edited 11/14/2010 3:09:52 PM.

Re: What would you say is the "average" salary a school superintendant makes on LI

Re: What would you say is the "average" salary a school superintendant makes on LI

Message edited 5/24/2023 4:22:47 PM.

Re: What would you say is the "average" salary a school superintendant makes on LI

For the billionth time, we don't "get summers off". Many of us get paid 10 month salaries spread over 12 months. Our low salaries (and I am not complaining here because I CHOSE my career and KNEW what I was getting into) reflect the clocked hours we work. Most of us take it a step further and plan, grade, etc on our own time. THAT is when we get PO'd and the deal is not so "sweet."

Re: What would you say is the "average" salary a school superintendant makes on LI

Re: What would you say is the "average" salary a school superintendant makes on LI

Posted by nicrae

Posted by ChrisDee

Posted by nicrae

Posted by ChrisDee

Lets just call a spade a spade here. Is teaching an "EASY" job? No, not at all! BUT, it is a pretty sweet deal, between the hours and the insane amout of time off in relation to the pay. C'mon, what other job can you get and make that kind of money for that many work days per year. Lots and lots of jobs require a masters and require you to continue your education(and pay for it yourself).
Everyone made their choice in life and good for you if you chose to be a teacher. It was a smart choice. BUT, please be honest and call a spade a spade, it is a GREAT job with a GREAT salary and amazing hours/time off. Nobody can bash you for being smart and choosing that road. They can only regret not choosing it for themselves.

I commute 4 hours a day to and from my "sweet deal".

On Wednesday I had to call security and pray they got there in time before two kids beat the living sh!t out of each other. (They didn't make it in time)

On Monday an AP came in to my room and told me that besides all my other work I had to do an item analysis on a recent test I had just given and he wanted it by Friday. Sweet....so I got to work on Veteran's day. I had to send my kids to daycare instead of spending the day with them....but that is another post.

My sweet deal allows me to pee only when the bell rings and have lunch at 10am.

My sweet deal has me e-mailing a student all her work because she just had a baby but is capable of going to a really awesome college if she can find the time to do it.

My sweet deal has me praying my kids go to bed early so that I can grade 100+ papers on A Streetcar Named Desire. Most are hand written because my kids can't afford computers at home.

My fellow colleagues and I have to deal with people who have no idea what they are talking about bash what we do and think it is a sweet deal. We have to listen to people in politics who have never stepped foot in a classroom dictate to us what we should and shouldn't be doing. Clearly they know best. SWEET!!!

Yeah.....totally a sweet deal!

ETA: I totally get that other professions all have their own stuff they have to deal with. But I would never ever say they have it easy or a sweet deal because I have never been in their shoes.

I guess my four Teacher friends are the only ones around that think they made a great choice to be a teacher and feel they are compensated well and have good hours. I have not heard ONE person in this entire thread say ANYTHING bad about teachers. And the initial thread even started about Super's. I am sorry you chose to work so far from your home, I totally understand. DH commutes 4 1/2 hours everyday too. We all made our choices

My problem is you calling my job a "sweet deal". It isn't. That doesn't mean I don't love it or think that I am well compensated for it but it is by far not a sweet deal. It is hard work and I don't think anyone would appreciate the hard work they are doing being called a sweet deal.

Re: What would you say is the "average" salary a school superintendant makes on LI

Re: What would you say is the "average" salary a school superintendant makes on LI

I feel like this same debate about teachers salaries comes up every few months.

Do teachers deserve a good salary? Yes. Of course they do. But its obvious from the state budget crisis that we simply cannot afford their salaries, pensions and benefits anymore...and not just for teachers but also for the Suffolk and Nassau police. Some cops are making $200k a year...and let me tell you THEY have a sweet deal, especially when I see their cars parked at the local fire department all day.

Why is it that NYC teaches dont make as much money as LI teachers? Dont they do the same job and require the same education??? Why is it that NYC cops dont make the same as Nassau and Suffolk cops??? Don't they do the same job. And lets be honest, most Nassau & Suffolk cops don't see in their careers some of the things NYC cops see in half the time on the job.

I hear LI teachers say they deserve the salary so they can live on LI...yet NYC teachers and NYC cops manage to live quite comfortably on LI as well.

My husband is NYC cop (well now a detective). But let me tell you, a few years ago before this new contract and quite sadly even for the current new hires, their salaries dont touch that of a LI teacher until they have a few years on the job. Yet they go to work every day and put their LIVES on the line. I know a LI teacher who has been teaching for 6 years and they are currently making $87,000...a NYC cop doesnt make that unless they kill it in OT.

I'm not against teachrs or cops. But something has to be done because LI homeowners simply can't afford for their taxes to keep going up. It has to level off somewhere and if that means merging school districts, than so be it. If that means making certain cuts, than so be it. Yes LI's education system is good...a lot better than other parts of the country but not every kid that leave our school district is going to an ivy league school.


ETA: And the biggest part of the problem is that now all of our school tax dollars even goes back to our schools. If that were the case we wouldnt have any problems with school budgets, etc. But I think LI schools only see 40% of what we pay in tax dollars.

Message edited 11/14/2010 4:14:44 PM.

Re: What would you say is the "average" salary a school superintendant makes on LI

I haven't gotten involved in this thread but I have read the replies. The OP had to do with salaries of the school superintendents. Are many of them over paid? Absolutely. But their salary is directly related to the area in which they work (the school district). A superintedent in an upper/middle class district makes more than a middle class district. That is the way it is. The superintendent of schools wears many hats and works many many hours attempting to improve the educational environment in the district. Many of the schools on LI are in poor shape due to their age and improvements need to be made, the superintendent has to figure out how that will be done and that is just one responsibility of his/her job.

This thread isn't speaking about teachers so I won't even address some of those issues presented but I think that everyone gets a little defensive about his/her job. It is human nature.

Re: What would you say is the "average" salary a school superintendant makes on LI

Posted by nov04libride

I agree--my DH is in accounting, and needs to take courses to remain up to date on all of the laws/expectations; when I worked on Wall Street I needed my certifications renewed at my own expense, and in my current position I shelled out over $50,000 of my own money for a doctorate that was required. And I need to publish papers and do research outside of my job to continue being able to teach college courses.