The job and the pay: A look at Blount County, Maryville and Alcoa school directors

The director of a public school district is much like the CEO of a company, providing leadership, setting the vision and reinforcing the organization’s culture. However, you also may find them up early enough to make the call on whether to close schools because of a snowstorm or find them at a ball game at night talking with students and their families.

School district performance is tracked through multiple types of data. Attendance and absentee reports show whether students are showing up. State assessments report on student growth and achievement starting in elementary school. Other state reports show not only whether students are graduating with a diploma but whether they completed additional preparation for college and careers, earning credit hours or industry credentials.

Recently, however, a local administrator described a very human measure of success: whether parents are comfortable turning over their young children to strangers on that first day of school.

What’s the job?

Alcoa City Schools Director Becky Stone told The Daily Times that it’s hard to be specific about the role day to day, but she outlineD half a dozen areas of responsibility: leadership and administration, strategic planning, financial management, curriculum and instruction, community relations, and staff development and support.

With all of that, they have to stay informed not only about state and federal mandates but educational trends, research and best practices to inform their decisions.

Pay levels

A national survey by AASA, formerly the American Association of School Administrators, showed the median salary for school superintendents in 2022-23 was $156,468.

All three local public districts can point to areas where their schools score among the top in the state.

Broken down by enrollment, for districts with 1,000 to 2,999 students — the size of Alcoa City Schools — the national median for a superintendent’s pay was $150,000. The low was $116,000 and the maximum $400,000. Stone’s pay in Alcoa is $140,000 for 2023-24.

For enrollment of 5,000 to 9,000 — the size of Maryville City Schools — the median salary was $200,000. The low was $120,819 and maximum $368,131. MCS Director Mike Winstead’s salary is $194,204.93 this school year.

For enrollment of 10,000 to 24,999 — the size of Blount County Schools — the median superintendent’s salary was $225,000. The low was $116,000 and the maximum $400,000. BCS Director David Murrell’s salary is $152,000 this school year.

All day

In an interview with The Daily Times, Winstead said a recent report showed school superintendents working an average of 67 hours a week. It’s a schedule he said suits him better since his children are grown.

Winstead’s usually one of the first in the Maryville Central Office at 6:15 a.m., and he said he tries to leave about 5 p.m. However, it’s not unusual for him to spend an hour at night answering emails from his recliner with an iPad.

“The director of schools position really is a 24 hours a day, 7 days a week job,” said Amanda Vance, who answered The Daily Times’ question to Blount County Schools about the director’s role. She’s the K-5 instructional supervisor and handles district communications.

Murrell has made it a priority for himself and the BCS Central Office staff to be in schools every day, from visiting classrooms to eating in the cafeterias. “He wants the kids to know who he is and he has walked those hallways,” Vance said.

He also has been working his way across the district meeting with different stakeholder groups, for parents, staff and students at each of the 21 schools. While it’s a large district, Vance said, “Our families love Blount County Schools because it has a family feel.”

Voice for public education

Winstead also said that part of his role is being the voice of public education and Maryville City Schools, and an advocate for students with the state Department of Education and legislators, who have passed numerous laws affecting schools in recent years.

While he had always stayed abreast of news and politics, Winstead said, he had not until recently thought of moving into the role of political involvement.

This year he’s on the board of directors for the Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents, and while students were on spring break, he was testifying in the state General Assembly, arguing against the governor’s proposal to expand public funding for private schools through a school choice program.

“If we’re not fighting the fight, then who is?” Winstead said.

“This is the issue for public education,” he said. “If you’re not going to fight this fight, then what would cause you to fight?”