District 200 Board Approves 5-Year Contract for Superintendent

The District 200 Board of Education has approved a five-year contract for Superintendent Brian Harris. As part of the contract, Harris will receive a base salary of $215,000 for the upcoming school year.

The board approved the contract during its meeting May 28. The contract will go into effect on July 1, according to District 200. Harris has been the superintendent since July 1, 2010. The new contract will continue through June 30, 2018.

As part of the contract Harris will receive the base salary of $215,000 for the 2013-14 school year. He will receive a .5 percent increase annually — plus the current Consumer Price Index rate or 5 percent of the prior contract year’s annual base salary —  whichever is less, according to the district.

Harris has not received a salary increase since being hired in 2010.

In addition, Harris will also receive an annual performance assessment and review from the board of education. He will receive a performance payment equivalent to 3 percent of the prior contract year’s base salary and dependent upon his review and whether he has met all of his performance-based goals, according to the district.

“The fair and equitable terms of his performance-based contract reflect both his outstanding performance to date and the expectation that he will continue to provide exemplary service to District 200,” Barbara Intihar, president of the board of education, said in a news release.

Intihar said she believes the new contract solidifies Harris’ commitment to the district and will help create continuity of leadership.

Other terms of Harris’ contract remain the same.

Changes include:

• He will receive 23 vacation days, which is comparable to the vacation benefit 12-month administrators in District 200 receive.
• He will also receive 10 professional leave of absence days to be used for professional development, educational consulting and university teaching activities, including attending professional development seminars and conferences.