The following article was posted in the Malden Observer on September 2, 2010. The same article was published within The Malden Evening News but, according to our sources, as a paid advertisment and not a news piece.
While we can appreciate that this information was published, the question remains as to why the entire payroll was not released to the Globe as required under the Freedom of Information Act. It should also be noted that to the best of our knowledge, the following data has NOT been verified. We also take issue with the statement that Martin Gately provided regarding that an 'inaccurate article' and that the information had not been requested by any entity. We are unsure as to how Mr. Gately can legally make such a statement as they did admit in their response from Mr. Rick Veilleux that a request had been made for their complete payroll (not just the top 20). We would also be interested in seeing the schools entire payroll as was requested and required by law.
It should also be noted that these numbers are questionable as Mr. Gately himself was not listed which would indicate that he is making less than $54,000.00. The question must also be asked as to whether this is inclusive of incentives and fringe benefits (other than insurance premiums). One poster on Boston.com noted that in the financial reports, rental income was not listed for the housing the school owns. Is that provided to the staff without being reported to the IRS?
Malden Observer Version - Unpaid Article
Mystic Valley Charter School releases top earners list
GateHouse News Service
Posted Sep 02, 2010 @ 11:46 AM
Malden — In a press release from Martin Gately, public relations director for the Mystic Valley Regional Charter School, the school responed to an “inaccurate article” recently printed in a local daily newspaper.
The following was supplied by Gately:
“In light of the need to set the record straight, the Mystic Valley Regional Charter School is releasing the list of its top 20 earners for the calendar year ending December 31, 2009. This information has never been requested by any entity.
Oversight authority at Mystic Valley, which is an agency of the commonwealth of Massachusetts and has all its funding provided by the commonwealth, is provided by a five-member volunteer Board of Trustees. The members of the Board of Trustees are: Fran Brown, treasurer; Leslie Williams; attorney Thomas Brennan, secretary; Janice Bissex and Neil Kinnon, chairman. Mrs. Bissex, Mr. Brennan and Mr. Kinnon are founding Trustees. Mrs. Williams and Mr. Brown are founding parents of the school who were appointed to the Board within a short time after the school began.
It is important to note that at Mystic Valley salaries are driven by the market and are considered fair based upon the experience of the personnel. On the whole, they are not as lucrative as those found in many of the local public schools. This difference is mainly due to three factors: 1. Mystic Valley is entering its 13th year and does not have nearly as many teachers with long tenures. 2. Facility purchases must be funded from operating funds as charter schools are not eligible for School Building Assistance Funds (for example, reimbursement on Malden’s new schools is at a 90 percent rate) which fund the building of the general public schools, leaving less money available for salaries. 3. Although Mystic Valley was a pioneer in Massachusetts, providing a 200-day school year and a longer school day, it is not eligible for the massive additional funding provided by the state to the general public schools. For example, the two local schools that won extended learning time grants were able to add more than $15,000 per year to the average teacher’s wages. The absence of such infusions of capital and grants is clearly a funding disadvantage for charter schools, but also provides proof that charter schools are a bargain for the taxpayer.
The earnings represent the total earnings indicated on the year-end W-2 tax forms for those listed. Along with this we provide their titles, highest degrees earned and years of service.”
MVRCS 2009 top 20 paid employees
· Joseph McCleary, school director, earned $170,355* in 2009 and has a Ph D from The Catholic University of America/Georgetown. This reflects a salary of $143,688 plus relocation loan forgiveness of $26,667.
· Chris Finn, assistant director of the Lower School, earned $113,001 in 2009, and has a MA from Cambridge College/Cornell
· Richard Veilleux, business manager, earned $106,650 in 2009, and has a BS from Western New England College
· George Benzie, assistant director, High School, earned $98,318 in 2009, and has a MA from Boston College
· Gordon Bradford, humanities chair/IB director, earned $87,438 in 2009, and has a MA from Virginia Tech
· Kathy Kinnon, special education director, earned $84,658 in 2009, and has a MA from Russell Sage College
· Gina McKinnon, professional development coordinator, earned $83,033 in 2009, and has a BS from Kutztown University
· Anthony Chiccuarelli, HR director, earned $82,960 in 2009, and has a BA from Boston College
· Jeffrey Zajac, math chair, earned $82,383 in 2009, and has a BS from University of Michigan
· Arleen Burke, English teacher, earned $74,600 in 2009, and has a MA from Salem State
· Maureen Bradford, head librarian, earned $69,115 in 2009, and has a MA from Framingham State
· Rick D’Angelo, IT director, earned $68,877 in 2009, and has U.S. Navy Computer Training
· Catherine Swible-Keane, science chair, earned $68,633 in 2009, and has a MS from Boston College
· Alex Dan, English chair, earned $66,215, in 2009, and has a MA from American International College
· Carlos Brown, world language chair, earned $60,900 in 2009, and has MA from Monmouth University
· Jennifer Mullen, professional development coordinator, earned $60,214 in 2009, has a MA from University of Bridgeport
· Judith Courtney, teacher, earned $58,738 in 2009, and has a MA from Salem State
· Diane Guerriero, teacher, earned $56,263 in 2009, and has a Ma from Cambridge College
· Nicole Gregory, teacher, earned $55,814 in 2009, and has a MA from Salem State
· Roy Dado, assistant director HS 1/2 year, earned $54,732 in 2009, and has a MA from Boston College
Note: Finn, Kinnon, McKinnon, Burke, Mullen, Courtney, and Guerriero are 12-year employees that have been with the school since it opened and are considered founding members of the school.
Copyright 2010 Malden Observer. Some rights reserved
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