Wow I didnt think this guy was going to think things through or be open minded and after watching him at a few meetings (without my turban, and sitting far in the back so no one would recognize me) and I am impressed with John Boscardin so far. What a nice surprise.

"Committee member John Boscardin said that he believes in merit pay rather than automatic pay increases. Based on the superintendent's evaluation, conducted in executive session at the June 12 meeting, Boscardin joined a majority of the committee in approving the payment."

Howie Hague is a great choice for the position of Athletic Director. He has a vested interest in the students and a great deal of enthusiasm. Congrats, Mr. Hague!

WHAT A JOKE. The school budget is in a financial crisis and we give out bonuses??? How do you justify that?

The school superintendent should take a pay CUT as well as others to keep this town afloat.

Stating that he met most of his objectives with flying colors, the North Kingstown School Committee gave Dr. Phil Auger a $1,380 bonus to cap his first year as school superintendent.

Dear S/C members -- would you please tell us what the Supt's "objectives" were so we can assess for ourselves? That shouldn't be a difficult question to answer -- as the town's highest paid official, the public should know what you wanted him to achieve.

I can only imagine facing people that I have told - I need more funding.
I can only imagine facing people that I have told - I need to cut wages / staff.
Guess he's a me, me, me, me type of person.

hey Dr Auger how about you take a pay cut and reduce your benefits.

email him directly and see if he responds

This comment has two parts (too many words for one blog)
We have been in a recession since 2007. Then why is the NK School Committee giving contacts to recently promoted or hired administers that include automatic yearly raises?
Dr. Phil Auger 2011-12 $138,000, 2012-13- $140,000 with a $1380 merit increase, 2013-2014 $142,000 with a possible merit increase.
Michele Humbyrd 2012-2013 $116,000. Dr. Humbyrd has a three year contact with a 1.4% yearly increase.
There are many administers in the NK school departments. Most of these people make six figure salaries. Their contacts probably contain similar language in regard to their pay raises.
How can the Superintendent report that the school department has a serious deficit problem, cut student programs and ask for concessions from the lowest paid employees and is not willing to take a cut in his pay or ask his very well paid administers to do the same?
Why did most of our school committee members vote to include automatic pay raises (they call them merit raises- money is money) for the administrators during these hard economic times?

The School Committee Members were not fiscally responsible and very unwise to guarantee any type of salary increase during this recession (especially to employees making over $100,000). How very deceitful to the school department employees and the town’s taxpayers to lead them to believe that painful cuts affecting our students and major concession from school employees (including firing all the custodial staff and hiring an out-of-state janitorial company that has been found to have been negligent in hiring illegal immigrants and workers with felony records) must be made to balance the budget.

NKSD administration salaries. I’ve just research a few of them. Dr. Auger makes more than our top RI Officials.
Here’s how much Rhode Island’s quintet of top officials will make next year:
• Governor: $129,210
• Attorney General: $115,610
• Lt. Governor: $108,808
• Secretary of State: $108,808
• General Treasurer: $108,808
• Dr. Phil Auger 2011-12 $138,000, 2012-13- $140,000 with a $1380 merit increase, 2013-2014 $142,000 with a possible merit increase.
• Michele Humbyrd 2012-2013 $116,000. Dr. Humbyrd has a three year contact with a 1.4% yearly increase.
• Patricia Pezzullo Director of Pupil Personel $110,000 effective 7/30/12.
• Mary King Director of Administrative Service $110,000 Hired this spring.

Guys, I AGREE that our government, local state and federal have overpaid employees relative to the private sector. But when you pick on one town's superintendent salary for example, NK could NEVER just arbitrarily lower that, because basically ALL the other towns in RI/MASS/CT pay a certain wage level for that position, we would never find a qualified candidate! Same for the other positions, these are specialized jobs and knowlege of school operations, laws, regulations, isnt something someone can learn on the job very fast, so if the SC hired a person who was NOT experienced, for a lower salary, then we'd be reading a hue and cry (from you same people) about how they hired an "incompetent". Market rate for each of these jobs is too high, but it is what it is and all the school systems generally pay around the same. Many of these positions are required by law as well.

@nkgop Watch Did you just write "we would never find a qualified candidate?" Hello- there's a recession going on. There are many candidates with similar or better qualifications who would take a lower starting salary and maybe would agree to prove their ability to lead a school district before they received an automatic yearly salary increase built in their contract.

Excellent idea. Rhode Island has approx. 143,000 students schools and 38 superintendents. Fairfax county Virginia has 159,000 students and ONE superintendent. This state is run by unions. We all are doomed.