Previous superintendent contract explained
By PAT FRIDGEN Echo Pilot

The Greencastle-Antrim Board of School Directors is in discussion with acting superintendent C. Gregory Hoover about hiring Hoover as the permanent superintendent. Board president Dan Fisher indicated the board may present the final proposal at the Feb. 7 board meeting.

For a point of comparison, the Echo Pilot obtained a copy of the last contract of Dr. P. Duff Rearick, who retired June 30, 2007. His final year salary was $124,540.

Salary is only a part of the total benefits package of any employee. The Echo Pilot, as a public service, is sharing the contract details of the last top executive of the school district. The information is part of the public record and is available to citizens under the U. S. Freedom of Information Act.

Benefits

In his last three years of employment Rearick contributed one percent of his gross salary toward health, vision and dental benefits. At his retirement, the district is paying 100 percent of the premiums for him and his wife until age 65 or the intervention of Medicare benefits.

During his employment GASD provided life insurance with a death benefit of $50,000. The contract included long-and shortterm disability insurance. Should Rearick have become disabled by illness or incapacity, he would have been compensated in full after all paid leave was used until disability benefits began. If he had been off work 60 days after the last accumulated paid leave, the district could have terminated him provided it complied with the Family and Medical Leave Act, as Amended.

Rearick was required to undergo a physical examination on an annual basis at district expense.

His term of employment was 260 days per year, with 30 days of vacation. He could accrue 10 vacation days per year to a total of 50. He would not be reimbursed for any accrued vacation at the time of retirement.

The final contract allowed 12 days sick leave and three personal days annually. He would be paid for two of the personal days if not used. At his option, two could be carried over, with a maximum of four days carried over in any one year.

Rearick was contracted to write and publish three articles related to public school education in professional journals and/or magazines during the last three years of his employment.

He was expected to devote his full time, attention and energy to the business of the district. He could, however, 'serve as a consultant to other districts or educational agencies or lecture or give speeches or seminars on topics within his expertise so long as such activities (did) not interfere with his duties and responsibilities as Superintendent.'

The contract was signed Dec. 16, 2003, by Rearick, board president Ronald Troskoski and board secretary William Needy. It had been approved by a majority vote of the school board on Nov. 20 during a regularly scheduled public meeting.