Superintendent Foregoes $5K Bonus Tied To Student Performance

Taxpayers received a gift last week from the superintendent of the Caldwell-West Caldwell School District.

James Heinegg, who was appointed in February to lead the district, will forego a $5,162 bonus this year that was tied to student performance. The superintendent will however be cashing in on a 5-percent bonus worth about $7,750. 

While Heinegg said he wasn’t trying to start a trend among superintendents, and added a 5-percent bonus was “reasonable.”

“It’s my first year in the district,” said Heinegg, “and I felt that the $7,750 that was 5-percent of my salary was an appropriate and reasonable bonus for my first year.”

The merit pay the superintendent declined to take, which is 3.3 percent of his salary, was dependent on a 5-percent increase in student proficiency scores on the language arts portion of the NJ ASK, the standardized test students in grades 3-8 annually.

The superintendent makes $157,0000 a year and is eligible for a one-time bonus, or merit pay, of up to 14.99 percent of his salary based on performance goals set by the Board of Education.

Heinegg $7,750 of merit pay he will be accepting is based on his revision of the district’s policy manual, and overall mission and strategic goals.