The Salem School Board’s meeting Tuesday night was dominated by personnel moves:
The board accepted the resignation of K-5 principal Shawn Waller, pending his hiring by the Mukwanago School District later this month. District administrator David Milz recommended replacing Waller by promoting current dean of students Ben Walshire to the K-5 principal position. The board unanimously approved the move, setting Walshire’s new salary at $73,000. He made about $59,000 as the dean last year. The board is also giving middle school principal Eileen Bruton a $4,300 raise, which Milz termed a token to acknowledge her recent completion of a doctorate degree and for anticipated additional duties. Her salary will now be $86,000. The dean of students job will not be filled at this time, Milz said. In the future, the administration may come back with a recommendation to replace the position on a reduced time basis, probably less than 50 percent, said business manager Peter Geissal. About the reduction in administration, Milz said: “I want the community to be aware that this board and this administration is listening.” The raises for Bruton and Walshire will be funded by not replacing the dean position.- The board also approved offering call back full-time contracts to five teachers for next year: Jill Braun, Melissa Briggs, Emily Fleming, Patti Reinhard and Karla Wonoski-Straukas. The board also will offer a call back 50 percent contract to John Stewart for a physical education teaching position. The positions are mostly funded by the board taxing $252,000 over the expenditure budget this year, with taxpayer approval at the annual meeting. That $252,000 was still under the district’s revenue limit, Milz said. The additional teachers should allow smaller class sizes in some grades, more teacher prep time and additional physical education time for students.
