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Here are the top earners at the Vancouver school district

For the first time in at least three years, no employees with Vancouver school district earned north of the elusive $200,000 mark. But it was close.
The school district’s statement of financial information lists the salaries of all employees who mad
The school district’s statement of financial information lists the salaries of all employees who made more than $75,000. Photo iStock

For the first time in at least three years, no employees with Vancouver school district earned north of the elusive $200,000 mark.

But it was close.

According to the district’s statement of financial information (SOFI), deputy superintendent David Nelson topped all earners in the 2018 school year at $198,188.

The SOFI report covers the period running July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018, which explains why current superintendent Suzanne Hoffman’s earnings sat at $121,302. Hoffman began her tenure in Vancouver in early January 2018.

Former superintendent Scott Robinson made well over $200,000, according to the previous two SOFI reports. For the fiscal year running July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017, Robinson earned $261,630. The 2015-2016 fiscal year saw Robinson’s reported earnings listed at $243,763. Robinson resigned in the summer of 2017.

Issued towards the end of each year, the SOFI report lists all employees who earned in excess of $75,000 along with their expenses.

The eight trustees each earned $17,894, while board chair Janet Fraser made $19,384.

Principals at schools across the city made, on average, in the range of $100,000 to $130,000. Some trades workers — electricians, painters, steamfitters, plumbers, for example — earned between $80,000 and $90,000. Those figures are on par with teachers’ salaries in some cases.

After Nelson, the top nine earners include:

  • $186,243 — John Lewis, former acting superintendent 
  • $180,418 — Janson Ho, project office director
  • $174,221— Govan Keng, home instruction, secondary
  • $173,805 — Thomas Emanouilidis, special education, secondary
  • $172,916 — Robert Schindel, associate superintendent
  • $172,415 — Nancy Brennan, associate superintendent
  • $165,904 — John David Green, secretary treasurer
  • $152,555 — Magdalena Kassis, director of instruction
  • $150,023 — Lisa Landry, assistant secretary treasurer

Iris Leung, the district’s program coordinator for international education, claimed far and away the highest expense totals at $14,177.

“She is required travel extensively to recruit international students to the district and the majority of her expenses relate to that endeavour,” explained district spokesperson Jiana Chow.

@JohnKurucz
jkurucz@vancourier.com