The Danville District 118 school board has approved a two-year contract with its superintendent, Dr. Alicia Geddis.
Board President Bill Dobbles says the contract is retroactive to July 1, 2020 and will run through June 30, 2022. The board had been negotiating the contract for about six months. He says it is a “good” contract, adding that he expects everyone will work together to make District 118 a better district.
Geddis will be paid the same base salary this school year as she did during the last year, at $209,842. Dobbles says she could receive a pay increase of up to six percent of that amount for the next school year. That decision will be made after the school board elections are held in April.
Also as part of the contract, Geddis will be able to cash in on unused vacation days, which Dobbles says is due to the COVID-19 pandemic making it difficult for her to use personal vacation days.
Geddis thanked the board and community members for not making the matter a divisive one, since it has been in negotiation for some time. She says she looks forward to many of the plans and projects that the district has moving forward.
“It’s a testament to what we can do when we pull together and row this boat in the same direction, and so I really look forward to what lies ahead of us,” she explained.
Also during last night’s meeting, the board accepted a $150,000 gift from the Danville Public Schools Foundation for sound system upgrades at the Danville High School auditorium. Foundation director Bob Richard says much of the money comes from the estate of Julius Hegeler, and would be used to replace amplifiers, a wireless microphone system and even an assisted listening system.
Board member Lon Henderson asked that lighting also be upgraded at the same time. Building and Grounds Director Skip Truex said he would look into the cost and how it could play out with the district’s other projects.
(You can listen to District 118’s Administrative team on Linda Bolton’s Newsmakers show on Thursday morning at 7:30, where they will discuss second-semester learning plans.)
