In Iberia Parish, however, it the school system is following its salary schedule, said Iberia Parish Superintendent Dale Henderson.

A review of principal salaries shows the average salary of an Iberia Parish principal for the upcoming school year is $66,213.43, according to data from the Iberia Parish School Board office.

Salaries are determined by the type of school, student enrollment, a principal’s years of experience in the school system and his or her level of education, Henderson said.

The type of schools include elementary school, middle school and high school. Elementary school principals generally earn less than middle school principals, who earn less than high school principals.

Student enrollment also affects principal pay. St. Charles Elementary Principal Allison O’Donnell earns $57,111, less than Caneview Principal Chantel Helms, who earns $68,036 because St. Charles has 360 students while Caneview has about 550.

O’Donnell also earns a lower salary because she has almost eight years in the school system, with six years as a teacher, while Helms has 22 years in the school system and almost five years as a principal.

Two principals — North Lewis Street Principal Tim Rosamond and Iberia Middle School Principal Glecia Morales — in the school system are nationally board certified. That gives them an extra $5,000 stipend every year for 10 years, Henderson said.

Up until two years ago, Henderson said the state paid the stipend.

“With budget cuts, the local school systems are picking it up. We also have teachers who are nationally board certified, so we probably have tens of thousands of dollars that we have to pay,” he said.

At a salary of $74,143, New Iberia Senior High Principal Curt Landry is the highest paid principal in the school system. Landry’s salary is increased by NISH’s 1,650 student enrollment, the largest in the school system.

It is also increased by his 27 years in the school system. He is beginning his eighth year as the principal at NISH. Before that, he served five years as assistant principal and 15 years as a teacher at St. Martinville Senior High and as a Jeanerette gifted and talented math teacher.

Landry has a master’s degree in administration and supervision, certification in secondary math and a bachelor’s degree in business management.

“I was only supposed to be a teacher for maybe a year or two, but 27 years later, I’m still here. I decided education was going to be my career. I just like the fast pace, the changes every year a principal is involved in. My goal is to be at the highest position possible before I retire,” Landry said.

He said he has about 13 more years until he retires, and he hopes to make it to Jane Street — the School Board office — before his retirement comes.

Jeanerette High School Principal Heath Hulin’s salary of $65,093 is based on a student population of 400, a fourth of NISH’s enrollment. Hulin has 12 years in the school system, and he is starting is fourth year as a principal. He has a master’s degree plus 30, which means he has completed 30 hours of post-master’s degree education. His master’s degree is in curriculum and instruction and a certification in administration.

Hulin said the biggest difference between teaching and being an administrator is being on call “24/7.”

“Any time something is wrong with a facility, with after-school activities, we’re required to be there. And LHSAA requires that an administrator attends every LHSAA event, which includes baseball, basket, football. If I can’t attend, my assistant has to be there or someone I appoint. The job does not end when the school day is over,” he said.

Despite of the extra requirements, Hulin said principals do their jobs because they love them.

“… (A)nd they love the kids in the school. Once you become a principal, the school becomes part of you. You work for the school like you would for your own family because your name is attached to it,” he said.

Helms, who is also the president of the Iberia Principals Association, said she is an instructional leader at Caneview, instead of just a manager.

“With the accountability system weighted on the performance of the school, that instruction has to be on the forefront of what you need to accomplish and continue on a successful path as a school,” she said.

Henderson said principals have a “great deal” of responsibilities places on them.

“The responsibilities they have have certainly increased, especially in recent years with all of the reform initiatives by the state,” he said.

The salaries listed do not include extra compensation the principals may earn during summer school or other activities above their base salaries as principals. A complete list of principals and their salaries can be found online at iberianet.com.  

IBERIA PARISH PRINCIPAL’S SALARIES AT A GLANCE

Allison O’Donnell

St. Charles Street

$57,111.00

Devon Jones

Jeanerette

$57,970.00

Tabitha Heumann

Jefferson Island Road

$60,460.00

Kyla Neuville

Center Street

$61,511.00

Paige Bullock

Magnolia

$61,993.00

Jodi Romero

Delcambre

$62,692.00

Consuela Roberson

Coteau

$63,789.00

Angela Louviere

Dodson Street

$64,915.00

Crystal Arceneaux

North Street

$64,915.00

Cheryl Broussard

Sugarland

$65,641.00

Gannon Dooler

Loreauville

$65,541.00

Mona Atchison

Johnston-Hopkins

$65,983.00

Alfreda Jackson

Pesson

$66,729.00

Darla David

Daspit Road

$66,929.00

Pamela Richardson

Park

$67,457.00

Chantel Helms

Caneview

$68,036.00

Tim Rosamond

North Lewis Street

$71,069.00*

Middle School Principals

NAME

SCHOOL

SALARY

James Russell

Anderson Street

$64,612.00

Curtis Coquat

Belle Place

$67,352.00

Glecia Morales

Iberia

$67,476.00*

High School Principals

NAME

SCHOOL

SALARY

Heath Hulin

Jeanerette

$65,093.00

Kimberly Messman

Delcambre

$65,278.00

Neely Moore

Westgate

$65,376.00

Karen Bashay

Loreauville

$69,517.00

Curt Landry

New Iberia Senior

$74,143.00

——–

Chris Broussard

Career Center

$68,976

Maxine Jones

Alternative Center

$68,595

*National Board Certification