By ANTHONY BOTTAN
The $7,000 raise will boost Bernstein's salary for this year to $287,225. A 5 percent increase, or $12,725, was already built into Bernstein's 2008-09 salary when his contract was amended in 2006. With the additional 2.5 percent merit increase, Bernstein is getting a raise of nearly $20,000 this year.
The agreement calls for Bernstein to receive a salary of $295,000 in 2009-10. The average yearly salary for a superintendent in Nassau County is around $225,000, according to the New York State's education Web site, nysed.gov.
The school board's final vote on Bernstein's raise and contract extension was 7-2. Trustees Bill Stris and Tony Iadevaio voted against it. Iadevaio said he felt that in the current economic climate, with the unemployment rate at 6.7 percent and with more than a half-million people having lost their jobs in November, he could not vote for Bernstein's raise. "Dr. Bernstein has done a good job in his almost six years, but in this economic recession, I feel a salary approaching $300,000 and a benefit package of approximately $30,000 is excessive," he said.
Stris echoed Iadevaio's sentiments. "This additional 2.5 percent pensionable increase is not warranted, especially during the current recession," Stris said. "An increase of $19,725 in one year is excessive. This board should advertise the position and hire a new superintendent with the required three-year contract mandated by the state."
Bernstein's original contract was for five years, and ended on Jan. 31, 2009. It was amended in 2006 and extended to June 30. Last week's extension added another year, but the merit provision was removed.
School board President Jeanne Greco-Jacobs said the board was morally obligated to review the merit provision in Bernstein's contract, especially since the district has made positive strides in raising student test scores and graduation rates. Plus, she said, the country is facing hard economic times and the district needs someone with the know-how to lead it through them. "He is the CEO of our school district, and in these challenging times we need someone with experience," Greco-Jacobs said. "A novice administrator would find the challenges ahead very difficult, and with [Bernstein's] experience, he can guide the district through them."
Before joining the Valley Stream district in 2004, Bernstein was the assistant superintendent of business for the Roslyn School District from 1977 to 1986 and the superintendent of the Bellmore/Merrick Central High School District from 1986 to 2000. He spent the next three years as president of the Kaplan K-12 Learning Services.
Trustee Dr. Frank Chiachiere said he voted for Bernstein's extension and merit raise because he felt he had a moral imperative to do so. "Given that under his leadership, students' achievements and academic performances have been positive, and he carried out the goals and objectives that he and the board agreed to," Chiachiere said.
He added that he agreed with Greco-Jacobs that in hard economic times and with possible state aid cuts looming, the district needs someone with Bernstein's experience to guide it, which is why he voted for the extension. "This is the kind of person you need to have in place," Chiachiere said. "He understands the ins and outs of budgets, and I think that the board will be well-served with his level of expertise when it comes time to make recommendations to the board, which I feel may be painful modifications."
Trustee Ken Cummings said he voted for Bernstein's extension because he believes Bernstein has satisfied the goals established by the board. Cummings said he agrees that the district needs to be more financially prudent, but based on Bernstein's performance, he deserves the 2.5 percent raise. "I think it is important that we continue with the superintendent and salary increase based on his performance," Cummings said.
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