The number of school board employees who make more than $100,000 in the Lambton-Kent region jumped last year.
In the Lambton-Kent District School Board (LKDSB), the number of employees who topped that number with their 2018 salary went up from 193 in 2017 to 252 in 2018.
The LKDSB's Director of Education Jim Costello topped the list, earning a little over $223,000 in his final full year with the board. He was followed by seven Superintendents of Education, all of whom were paid more than $150,000.
Costello said the increase in the number of names on the 2018 list is partly due to mandated pay increases.
"The provincial government did have some incremental salary increases, which pushed a couple of people who were at the top of their category over the threshold," said Costello, adding some of the other names on the list belong to teachers who picked up some extra hours in the summer. "In some cases, the government will provide us with money for summer school or summer work experience and teachers will apply for that work... in some cases that pushes them over the ceiling."
More than 30 of the names on the 2018 list for the LKDSB included a note about a "Summer Semester" or a "Summer Literacy" program.
When asked about the $100,000 reporting threshold, Costello also recognized that while that amount of money won't go as far today as it would have when the disclosures were introduced in 1996, it is still a significant salary.
"I don't think we should make light of it, it is a great wage and I think the public has a right to know where their tax dollars are going and who is making that salary," said Costello.
You can find the full 2018 salary disclosures list for the LKDSB by clicking here.
At the St. Clair Catholic District School Board (SCCDSB), the list of employees earning more than $100,000 increased from 86 in 2017 to 98 in 2018. The local Catholic board's Director of Education Deborah Crawford took in the most, earning about $219,000 in salary last year.
Crawford was followed by the board's Associate Director and Treasurer Amy Janssens at $191,000 and three Superintendents of Education who were each paid a little over $170,000.
You can find the full list of 2018 salary disclosures for the SCCDSB by clicking here.
