Trustees to approve $215K for incoming superintendent

Ramona Unified school trustees are scheduled to approve a three-year contract with Anne Staffieri, Ed.D., the district’s new superintendent, at their meeting on May 26.

Staffieri, assistant superintendent of human resources for the Ramona district from 2011-13, has been assistant superintendent of human resources for Escondido Union High School District for the past three years. She will replace Robert Graeff, Ed.D., whose retirement takes effect June 30. Graeff, superintendent for the past eight years, came to the district 15 years ago as assistant superintendent of education services.

Staffieri’s first day as superintendent will be July 1, the start of the 2016-17 budget year. Her salary will be $215,000, with an increase to $220,000 the second year and $225,000 the third year. She has the option of participating in the district’s health program.

Graeff’s 2015-16 salary is $214,783. In addition, each month the district contributes 5 percent of his salary to a tax savings account, according to his contract.

In other action at the meeting, trustees are expected to approve a contract for Ramona High School’s new principal, Rowena Mak, Ed.D., director of student learning programs at Adlai Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Ill. Her starting salary will be $141,788 for a 246-day work year. The district will reimburse her up to $15,000 in moving expenses if she relocates within San Diego County boundaries.

Also at the meeting, trustees will receive an update on the Local Control Accountability Plan the state requires. The plan provides a framework for the district budget and incorporates comments from district employees, parents, students, other community members and trustees.

In her plan update last month, Assistant Superintendent of Education Services Theresa Grace shared stakeholder recommendations. Among them were hiring a teacher on assignment headquartered at the district office to focus on English learners, hiring more employees to support English learners, returning art and music to the elementary schools, providing counselors at the elementary schools and increasing the use of teacher web pages.

Since then, trustee recommendations were added to the plan, a second stakeholder meeting was held, employee union representatives reviewed the plan, and a community forum was held, states the agenda for the May 26 meeting.

Among other items on the agenda, Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services David Ostermann will report how the governor’s May revision to the 2016-17 budget may affect the district, and trustees will consider adding a Construction II class at Montecito High School.

A complete agenda is online at www.ramonausd.net. The meeting will start at 7:15 p.m. in the Board Room at 720 Ninth St. At 6:30 p.m., the district will recognize employees of the year and retirees.