Committee approves 3-year contract for Auburn superintendent

AUBURN — The Auburn School Committee on Wednesday approved a three-year contract for Superintendent Katy Grondin.

Her new contract runs through June 1, 2020.

The vote was unanimous, Committee Chairman Tom Kendall said.

One change in her contract is her salary. Grondin was given a 3 percent raise for each of the three years, which will bring her existing salary of $121,000 to $132,000 in 2020.

For health care, Grondin will pay 2 percent of her costs instead of zero percent. Contributing 2 percent is in line with what teachers pay, Kendall said.

As part of her benefits package, instead of mileage, she’ll receive a $150 monthly allowance for travel and 25 days of vacation, Kendall said.

Compared to superintendent salaries of similar-sized districts in Maine, Grondin’s salary was low, Kendall said. Auburn taxpayers “have gotten a good deal” with Grondin, he said.

Her current salary is lower than other superintendents, Kendall said, listing examples: Westbrook, $122,000; Biddeford, $126,000; Oxford, $124,000; Hampden, $124,000; and Lewiston, $131,000.

Grondin does a remarkable job with Vision 2020 and the move to customized learning, Kendall said.

“Moving the entire district down that path has been a challenge certainly, and Katy has led the charge admirably and capably,” he said.

She has the trust of many in the district, and the trust of school board members, Kendall said.

“She does yeoman’s work, and the results are starting to show,” he said. “Everyone’s very pleased.”

The district’s central office is lean, Kendall said, adding Grondin has a heavy workload. That workload will get heavier with Business Manager Jude Cyr planning to retire in a year.

Grondin said Thursday she’s excited to be able to continue to lead Auburn schools.

“I’ve been in the district 28 years,” she said. “I live in the community. It’s very near and dear to my heart. I’m excited to be a part of building a new high school, work on (Vision) 2020 and continue to make partnerships with the community and businesses.”

Vision 2020 is a move away from traditional learning to bring education into the 21st century, Grondin said. It involves more individualized learning, more learning outside of classrooms and in the community, and meeting students’ needs, giving them skills they’ll need.

One big challenge of her job is communication, trying to ensure that everyone in the district and community “understands why and what we’re doing, students, parents and the community,” Grondin said.

Another challenge is proposing a budget that meets the needs of students but is something taxpayers can afford. Explaining budget costs to the community requires ongoing communication, she said.

Grondin, 52, was hired as superintendent in 2011 after Superintendent Tom Morrill retired.

Before that, she worked as assistant superintendent and served as principal of Sherwood Heights Elementary School. She started working in the Auburn School Department as a second-grade teacher.

Grondin graduated from Edward Little High School in 1982, from the University of Southern Maine, where she received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and received her certificate of advanced study in educational leadership from the University of Maine.