School board approves renewing contract, raise for Supt. Wendy Sinnette
The La Cañada Unified school board on Tuesday unanimiously approved Supt. Wendy Sinnette’s employment contract through the 2017-18 school year.
La Cañada Unified Supt. Wendy Sinnette’s employment contract has been approved through the 2017-18 school year after a unanimous vote Tuesday by the district’s governing board, whose members praised her leadership, commitment and vision thus far.
The superintendent — who left her position as LCUSD’s assistant superintendent of human resources in 2011 to lead the district for a base salary of $160,000, with the option of earning an additional $35,000 as a performance bonus — will see her minimum base salary increase over the next three years, while the potential performance bonuses successively decrease, according to the contract.
For the current school year, Sinnette will earn a base salary of $225,800 for a 12-month term. That amount increases to $240,800 in the 2016-17 school year and $250,800 the following year. Meanwhile, her maximum bonus-earning potential will go from $20,000 this school year, to $10,000 and then $5,000 in 2017-18.
Sinnette joined the district in 2002, becoming the principal of Palm Crest Elementary School. Three years later she accepted the principal’s position at La Cañada High School 7/8 and served there until 2008, when she became assistant superintendent.
Board President Andrew Blumenfeld, whose term on the board will end in December, said he appreciated having the opportunity to work with, and learn from, the superintendent.
“Something that is abundantly clear is that she has been … one of the greatest, if not the greatest asset this district has and this community has when it comes to ensuring each of our children has an excellent education every single day,” Blumenfeld said. “It is with great pride that one of my final votes up here will be to approve your contract for three more years.”
Fellow board member Dan Jeffries applauded Sinnette’s dedication to the district.
“She’s responsive to our community’s needs, she’s hardworking, she’s knowledgeable about everything that goes on in the district and she truly cares about our kids. I don’t think we could ask for a better superintendent,” he said.
In addition to her base salary, Sinnette will also receive 24 vacation days each year, along with health benefits and travel and business expenditure allowances.
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Sara Cardine, sara.cardine@latimes.com
Twitter: @SaraCardine
