The Burnaby school district’s top administrator may run B.C.’s fourth-largest school district but she was the third-highest paid among B.C. superintendents last year, according to financial statements published last month.
Gina Niccoli-Moen earned $253,900 in total remuneration between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019, according to the district’s statement of financial information (SOFI).
By comparison, the CEO of the province’s biggest school district, Surrey superintendent Jordan Tinney, took in $286,754; Vancouver’s Suzanne Hoffman, the superintendent of the second-largest district, made $276,397; and Coquitlam’s Patricia Gartland earned $249,949.87 running B.C.’s third-largest district.
Compared to their counterparts, Niccoli-Moen and Hoffman incurred relatively modest expenses for the year at $16,153.50 and $16,576 respectively.
Tinney and Gartland racked up $70,243 and $73,172.27.
B.C. school districts and over government bodies are required to submit a statement of financial information every year to report the earnings and expenses of all employees who make more than $75,000.
The list was originally intended to capture high public sector salaries, but secretary-treasurer Russell Horswill said the $75,000 threshold has remained the same for “many, many, many years.”
“As salaries have gone up, so have the number of staff that would be earning above the $75,000 amount,” he said.
The district’s average teacher salary cost last year, for example, was above the threshold at $76,339, according to Russell.
Not included in the SOFI figures are benefits and pension contributions paid to employees by the district.
The five top-paid executives besides the superintendent:
Russell Horswill, secretary-treasurer: $192,440.51 ($6,500.82 expenses)
Wanda Mitchell, assistant superintendent: $186,615.78 ($10,134.18 expenses)
Roberto Bombelli, assistant superintendent: $184,149.06 ($4,579.68 expenses)
Heather Hart, assistant superintendent: $184,148.97 ($10,853.59 expenses)
Richard Per, assistant superintendent: $177,474.63 ($8,306.14 expenses)
The five top-paid school principals:
Gordon Li, B.C. School for the Deaf (former): $134,317.73 ($21,435.39 expenses)
David Rawnsley, Burnaby North Secondary: $133,825.03 ($472.50 expenses)
Kelly Chow, École Inman Elementary: $133,820.19 ($998.43 expenses)
Lee-Anne Kristmanson, Burnaby Mountain Secondary: $133,671.43 ($0 expenses)
Victoria Lee, Burnaby South Secondary: $133,671.43 ($0 expenses)
About 730 teachers made the list, not including those listed as department heads and head teachers.
Eight teachers took in more than $100,000.
The five top-paid teachers:
James Smith, Burnaby Mountain: $111,461.19 ($0 expenses)
Bruce Munro, Burnaby Central: $106,723.24 ($0 expenses)
Joann Barbone, Burnaby Online: $105,655.14 ($446.25 expenses)
Cheryl Spracklin: $103,682.32 ($518.08 expenses)
John Janetka, Burnaby North: $101,476.74 ($131.48 expenses)
Total remuneration for teachers who retired last year after working in the district full time for more than 10 years may include a long-service gratuity based on years of service.
