New Washington County school superintendent took pay cut with job
New Washington County Public Schools Superintendent David T. Sovine took a $10,318 cut in his base pay when taking the job with the Maryland school system that is larger than the one he oversaw in nearby Virginia, according to his contracts.
Factoring in retirement contributions and relocation contributions, his new contract — on its face — is worth more than the one he left.
The Washington County Board of Education, two weeks ago, voted 4-2 with one member abstaining in appointing Sovine superintendent, effective July 1, and approving his four-year contract.
Among the reasons board members Darrell Evans and Mike Guessford cited for their no votes was Sovine's contract, with Evans saying it was a "little bit rich." Among the comments made by board member April Zentmeyer, who abstained, was that it wasn't about the "measure of the man, but spending money you don't have."
Sovine's new base salary is $236,000, which is $10,646 more than the last base salary of Boyd Michael, who retired and whose last day was June 30. Michael's base salary was $225,354, according to his contract.
But Sovine's Washington County base salary is $10,318 less than his $246,318 base salary this past school year for Frederick County (Va.) Public Schools, according to the two contracts.
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Sovine, 54, has 11 years of experience as a superintendent for Frederick County, Va., schools. Michael had been a superintendent for over five years for Washington County schools, the first few months as interim superintendent.
Washington County Public Schools has an estimated 22,000 students and 3,500 employees, while the Frederick County system had 13,919 students and the equivalent of 2,376 full-time employees, according to the school systems.
For comparison, Cheryl Dyson started July 1 as superintendent of Frederick County (Md.) Public Schools with a base salary of $265,000, according to her contract. Her previous job was associate superintendent for Montgomery County (Md.) Public Schools. The neighboring Frederick County school system had 45,700 students and the equivalent of 6,243 full-time employees last school year, according to its website.
Other income in WCPS Superintendent David Sovine's contract
While Sovine took a cut in base pay, he can get $14,479 more in retirement contributions or supplemental income from the Washington County school board than he could in Virginia.
Like with Michael's contract, the Washington County board will contribute up to $20,000 each to a 403(b) and a 457(b) retirement plan, or up to $40,000 total per year. The superintendent can, instead, choose to have those amounts added to his salary.
Based on Sovine's preference, the Frederick County school board had the option of contributing a total of $25,521 a year to retirement plans or adding that amount to his salary, according to the contract. That amount was to increase annually in proportion to salary increases.
Sovine also is getting a $25,000 stipend to help with relocation costs that can be applied "to all aspects of the relocation, e.g., the move, lodging, storage, etc.," according to the WCPS contract.
According to his new contract, Sovine has until Feb. 1 to relocate his residence to Washington County. Failure to do so after Feb. 1 is one of the conditions that could lead to the contract being terminated.
Like with Michael, the Washington County school board is providing a $14,000 annual auto allowance for gas and routine maintenance, according to the contracts. The Frederick County contract provides for necessary travel and office expenses without listing a maximum.
Sovine, like his predecessors, is encouraged to join state and national education associations like the Public School Superintendents' Association of Maryland and the national School Superintendents Association. Both the Maryland and Virginia contracts provided for the school systems to pay reasonable costs for memberships and attendance at meetings.
The Washington County contract also provides for various leaves and opportunities to convert limited unused leave into pay or retirement fund contributions. For example, if Sovine has perfect attendance from Nov. 1 to Oct. 31, he can convert up to nine sick-leave days at a per diem rate.
The Virginia contract allowed Sovine to convert up to 60 days a year of unused annual, sick or personal leave to per diem pay or a deferred compensation plan.
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Sovine provides general comment on contract
Sovine, in a written response to emailed questions, didn't directly answer questions about the difference in pay and retirement contributions in his Washington County contract versus his last one with the Virginia school system.
"I am very fortunate that I was able to retire from a school division where I served as superintendent for 11 years and gained incredible experiences that have been pivotal in shaping my approaches to educating children. I also consider myself fortunate to now be leading another excellent school system with opportunities to explore and challenges to address as I take a further step in my career.
"I am thankful that I received a competitive contract at a time when nearly half the superintendent positions across the state needed to be filled," Sovine wrote in an email.
Sovine confirmed he's no longer working for James Madison University, where he was an adjunct professor and regional coordinator for educational leadership. The university, in Harrisonburg, Va., is a little over an hour south of Winchester, Va., where Frederick County Public Schools is based.
"My full focus now as I begin serving WCPS will center around immersing myself in the school system and growing relationships with students, staff, families, business leaders, and other key stakeholders. I am looking forward to being an active and engaged member of the Washington County community and discerning how I may best contribute to making a positive impact on students and the community at large," Sovine wrote in the email.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Contract details for David Sovine, new WCPS superintendent
