Administrators and professional staff in the Fox C-6 School District are set to receive an average 7% salary increase for the 2025-2026 academic year, according to Kelly Bracht, assistant superintendent for human resources.
Salaries will now range from $48,256, the lowest for Rickman Auditorium manager Trey Jimenez, to $233,758.50, the current salary of Superintendent Paul Fregeau, whose 2025-2026 pay has already been approved at $257,134.35.
Financial Impact on the District
The approved salary increases will result in an additional $525,838 being spent on salaries and benefits, raising the district’s total expenditure to $9,256,312 for the 2025-2026 school year—up from $8,730,474 in 2024-2025.
The district will also see a small increase in administrative staff, growing from 77 to 78 employees, with the addition of a Director of Assessment and College and Career Readiness, a role recently filled by Alisha Conley.
Board Decisions and New Hires
On May 19, the Board of Education voted 5-0 to approve salary increases for 65 of the 78 administrative and professional positions. Vice President Todd Scott and Treasurer Curtiss Frazier abstained from the vote.
Earlier in February, the board had already approved Fregeau’s salary increase and contract extension through the 2027-2028 school year. Salaries for nine newly appointed administrators were also approved following several retirements and internal promotions.
Among the recent hires:
- Wendy Williams was appointed as Director of Data and Student Information, replacing Maria Bielik. Her salary is set at $104,723.
- Alisha Conley’s new role comes with a $107,326 salary.
Seckman Elementary Undergoing Leadership Changes
Seckman Elementary School is undergoing a major leadership transition. Long-time assistant principal Ryan Shreve, who joined Fox C-6 as a teacher and later served as assistant principal since 2012, is retiring on June 30. His salary for 2024-2025 is $102,759.
Principal Dan Baker is also retiring, and Paul Husch has been hired as the new principal. The district is expected to name a new assistant principal for Seckman by June 17.
Assistant Superintendent Dustin Bain praised Shreve’s dedication, noting his strong ties to the community and active involvement in the school’s upkeep and improvement.
Staffing Strategy and DESE Compliance
Despite some public criticism over administrative staffing levels, Board President April Moeckel defended the district’s structure, stating, “We are not top-heavy. Compared to similar districts, we have fewer administrators.”
For 2025-2026, Fox C-6 will employ:
- 17 Principals
- 25 Assistant Principals
These numbers align with Missouri DESE guidelines, which recommend one principal and one assistant principal for schools with 451–600 students.
However, Bracht highlighted a shortfall in assistant superintendents. Based on DESE’s recommendation of one assistant superintendent per 100 certified staff, the district should have eight but currently employs only four to oversee 870 certified staff members.
Salary Schedule and Retention Strategy
The 7% increase in pay aligns with raises given to teachers, nurses, and hourly staff. Teachers will see an average raise of:
- 7% in 2025-2026
- 6% in 2026-2027
This results in a total average increase of 13% over two years under the newly approved two-year collective bargaining agreement.
Professional staff under this agreement include:
- Counselors
- Librarians
- Diagnosticians
- Behavior Specialists
- SLPs
- Social Workers
- Therapists
- Curriculum Coordinators
- Instructional Coaches
For the second year, administrative and professional salaries follow a salary schedule approved in March 2024, directly linked to teacher pay. Moeckel emphasized, “It’s budgeted in and makes sense.”
The Fox C-6 School District’s investment in salary increases for both teaching and administrative staff reflects a broader commitment to employee retention and competitiveness. By aligning pay with state guidelines and reinforcing staff structure across schools, the district aims to enhance the educational leadership and operational stability heading into the 2025-2026 academic year.