Thirty-three school and district administrators received “salary adjustments” retroactive to July 1 – some as much as $9,623 – thanks to the action of the School Committee Monday.

The adjustments affecting eight elementary school principals and four assistant high school principals, among others, will cost the district an additional $61,534 in salaries, pension benefits and FICA and Medicare payments. Overall, the allocation for the 33 employees will climb from the budgeted $974,271 to $1,026,282.

But where the added money will come from was not raised at the meeting. According to preliminary audit reports, the department is slated to end the fiscal year ending June 30 with a $1.3 million surplus.

The adjustments advocated on grounds that they are needed in order for Cranston schools to be competitive in the job market were harshly criticized by the union that said their members made sacrifices to ensure the financial viability of the system.

"This is not personal. I don't begrudge anyone a raise. However, the timing could not be worse. It is downright insulting to the secretaries. The arbitrators gave you $228,000 in savings through pay and longevity freezes, days off without pay. We feel this is unfair and politically tone deaf at this time. We were told the district is in dire financial times, and the money we are giving back appears to be going into administrators' pockets. This is tantamount to bad faith and we feel we were lied to," said Kenneth DeLorenzo, executive director of Rhode Island AFSCME, and Council 94.

Lori Ryan, president of the Secretaries Union for Cranston, also addressed the committee regarding the salary adjustments.

"I am representing the 60 members of the union who are opposed to resolution 13-10-12. You are giving salary adjustments to 33 employees. We are insulted and appalled that even one employee would get an increase when the janitors are in their third year of a 15-percent pay cut. How can Cranston Public Schools and the administration condone this? It is demoralizing to think my secretaries are being treated this way. Our work is no less important than administrators, teachers, janitors, TA's or bus drivers. We deserve more respect. I urge you to vote against this," she said.

As the committee quickly went through the consent agenda, there were only two items on the agenda that were voted on. Resolution 13-10-03, which was the appointment of new Principal Polly Gillie to E.S. Rhodes Elementary School, passed 4-1, with Ward 1 committee member Jeff Gale Ward recusing himself and committee chairperson Andrea Iannazzi voting no.

The resolution regarding the termination of Coach "A" was tabled for further discussion.

Before the committee voted on salary adjustments, Superintendent Judith Lundsten called the action “appropriate and long overdue.”

“It is about the positions, not the people. We have been losing our best and brightest, and when we conduct our exit interviews, money is a major factor for them leaving. We have non-certified administrators who have not had raises in eight years,” she said.

Lundsten went on to praise the multi-tasking that building administrators do.

"They work 24-7, wearing multiple hats each day. We have added several duties to these folks, and they need to be recognized,” she said.

She also commented on where the numbers came from.

"We looked at other districts around us. Not the highest, and not the lowest, but we need to bring parity into these positions," she said.

Iannazzi stated at the Feb. 14 committee meeting that no groups or individuals should be receiving raises.

At that time she said, "To begin, I just want to make a general comment. Obviously it is about priorities and you will not find anyone in Cranston who has more respect or admiration for the employees that comprise Cranston Public Schools than I do. However, we are a team and that needs to be recognized. When one group struggles, we all struggle. Right now our custodians are struggling. They accepted a 15-percent pay cut and they took that sacrifice to assist our students and our taxpayers through a very difficult economic climate here in Cranston. When one group sacrifices as much as this group has, in my opinion, it’s unfair for any other individual or group of individuals to receive a pay raise."

There was no discussion amongst the School Committee this time.

The committee unanimously voted 6-0 to pass this resolution.

In her comments, Superintendent Lundsten commented on a wonderful home show performed by the Cranston East music department.

"The kids did a wonderful job. I am so impressed with the dedication of the teachers, parents and alumni to support music in our schools," she said.