The two co-principals at Greenwood High School are the highest paid in the district, according to recently released records.
Percy Powell and Dr. Lorita Harris, co-principals at the high school, both earn approximately $98,000.
Powell, who was nonrenewed by the district, contended during a lengthy hearing that the city school board wanted to get rid of Harris and himself because their salaries were too high.
The salary figures were released by the district in response to a public records request from the Commonwealth.
Assistant Superintendents Chester Leigh and Mary Brown and Superintendent Montrell Greene are the only district employees that earn more than Harris and Powell.
During Powell’s nonrenewal hearing, he testified that former Superintendent Margie Pulley told him that the current school board was “obsessed” with how much district administrators made.
Powell also contended that his close ties with Pulley and former interim superintendent Jennifer Wilson also made him the target of a conspiracy by the city’s mayor, council and school board.
The district has claimed that chronic academic and disciplinary issues at the school — which was rated an “F” under the state’s accountability model — led them to not renew Powell’s contract.
Harris, who currently serves as ninth- and 10th-grade principal, has been renewed by the district.
A list of personnel recommendations released by the district indicates that Greene intends to make Harris the sole principal at GHS next year.
The school board switched to a co-principal system prior to the current school year, citing academic struggles at the school.
In adding Harris — who had previously worked in the district’s central office as director of federal programs — the district effectively doubled the amount of compensation spent on principals at the school to nearly $196,000.
Powell had previously served as the sole principal of the school since being promoted to the position in 2006.
Powell has argued that the school board targeted him for nonrenewal from the beginning of the school year, in part because of the amount of money both him and Harris earn.
Powell’s claims were echoed by testimony from Brown, the district’s assistant superintendent for curriculum and academics.
Brown testified on April 10 that Greene said on “four or five” occasions that school board member Kathy Whicker said she wanted Powell and Harris let go because they make “too much money.”
Much of Brown’s testimony took place behind closed doors, but according to a transcript read during later proceedings, Brown went on to say that Whicker’s alleged comment “leads me to question whether nonrenewal is solely based upon the academic standing of this school or has (Greene) been persuaded to nonrenew two people because of the amount of money they make.”
Salaries for district principals are in part determined by a set scale that takes into account education and years of service with the district.
The scale also provides for higher compensation for principals at the high school than those at elementary schools.
Still, salaries for four of the district’s seven principals — including both Harris and Powell — vary from those set by the scale by as much as $6,000 per year.
One principal, Charles Johnson at W.C. Williams Elementary, earns about $1,300 less than described in the district’s scale.
• Contact Bryn Stole at 581-7235 or bstole@gwcommonwealth.com.
