$1 million for a school leader? Here are top salaries at South Florida private schools
Ransom Everglades’ head of school suddenly stepped down after nearly a decade at the helm of the elite Coconut Grove school, leaving behind a salary of $493,453 and additional compensation of $82,036, the Herald reported Saturday.
With that news, we wondered how much top administrators at South Florida’s pricey private schools make.
READ MORE: She abruptly resigned as head of elite Miami private school. The school’s not saying why
Our list below includes the salaries and additional compensation of the heads of school and other top administrators of some of the most popular private schools in Miami-Dade and Broward, as well as key financial indicators of each school. The Herald compiled the data by reviewing the most recent publicly available tax forms for the schools, known as IRS Form 990, which were for 2019.
Most of these schools have only a few thousand students or less, but their administrators make more than the Miami-Dade and Broward school superintendents.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Jose Dotres, who oversees the fourth-largest school district in the United States with about 345,000 students, makes $363,461 annually.
Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright, in charge of the nation’s sixth-largest school district with about 250,000 students, makes $350,000 per year.
The list does not include Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, Christopher Columbus High School, Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart, Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, Immaculata-La Salle High School and other religious schools. Because they are affiliated with religious institutions, they are not required to file Form 990 with the IRS.
If you want us to add a school to the list or want to provide any feedback, please reach out to jtavel@miamiherald.com.
Miami-Dade
Ransom Everglades
Ransom Everglades, founded in 1903, goes from the sixth to 12th grades. Its approximately 1,100 students attend schools on two campuses in Coconut Grove, the middle school at 2045 S. Bayshore Dr. and the upper school at 3575 Main Hwy. (The upper school is on the waterfront, with its football and soccer field overlooking Biscayne Bay.)
Penny Townsend, who recently resigned as head of school after eight years, earned $493,453, plus $82,036 in additional compensation in 2019.
It’s unclear whether she will be paid for her future role as adviser to the school’s board of trustees chair.
Rachel Rodriguez, recently announced as Townsend’s interim replacement, earned $175,605, plus $29,706 in additional compensation as head of the middle school. She left that post at the end of the 2021 school year.
John King Jr., associate head of school who will work with Rodriguez, earned $184,625, plus $27,021 in additional compensation.
Corey Goff, middle school head, earned $153,206, plus $22,786 in additional compensation.
2019
Total school revenue: $53,688,786
Revenue less expenses: $7,227,664
Net assets: $141,860,299
2021-22 annual tuition: $43,420
Gulliver Preparatory
Established in Coconut Grove in 1926, Gulliver Preparatory has about 2,200 students from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. The private school spreads across three campuses: pre-K to eighth grade at 12595 Red Road in Coral Gables, and two upper schools, 6575 N. Kendall Dr. in Pinecrest and 8000 SW 56th St. in Miami, which houses its EDGE program to help students with organization, time management and study strategies.
Clifton Kling, Gulliver’s president and CEO, earned $568,832, plus $5,700 in additional compensation in 2019.
Charles Rue, COO, or chief of operations, earned $316,464, plus $5,700 in additional compensation.
Francis Steel, head of school, earned $392,285, plus $5,700 in additional compensation.
Jonathan Schoenwald, assistant head of school, earned $202,284, plus $1,211 in additional compensation.
2019
Total school revenue: $87,977,362
Revenue less expenses: $13,275,199
Net assets: $92,724,889
2021-22 annual tuition: $23,610 to $41,420
Miami Country Day School
Miami Country Day’s lower, middle and upper schools enroll nearly 1,300 students from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. Founded in 1938, the school’s campus is at 601 NE 107th St. on the border of Miami Shores.
Gary Butts, president and COO, earned $397,459 in 2019.
James Connor, head of school, earned $218,724.
Mariandl Hufford, head of school, earned $211,166.
Bruce Tabatchnick, director of leadership, earned $181,477.
Lindsay George, chief information officer, earned $176,864.
Steven Mathes, director of the middle school, earned 149,568.
2019
Total school revenue: $51,301,714
Revenue less expenses: $2,977,335
Net assets: $67,040,610
2022-23 annual tuition: $31,300 to $43,200
Palmer Trinity School
Palmer Trinity School, with nearly 800 students, includes a middle and upper school in Palmetto Bay. The school was formed in 1991 when Palmer School and Trinity Episcopal School merged.
Patrick Roberts, head of school, earned $360,044, plus $30,171 in additional compensation in 2019.
Juan Gomez, director of development, earned $185,455, plus $14,917 in additional compensation.
Paul Zamek, associate head of school, earned $185,251, plus $16,291 in additional compensation.
Manjula Salomon, associate head of school, earned $177,083, plus $14,458 in additional compensation.
Danny Reynolds, associate head of school, earned $165,909, plus $13,662 in additional compensation.
Suzanne Gottlieb Calleja, associate head of school, earned $112,241, plus $9,667 in additional compensation.
2019
Total school revenue: $30,349,034
Revenue less expenses: $4,107,218
Net assets: $35,268,830
2022-23 annual tuition: $40,100 to $41,000
BROWARD
American Heritage
Founded in 1965, American Heritage offers pre-kindergarten to 12th grade on its two campuses, one at 6200 Linton Blvd. in Delray Beach in Palm Beach County and its main campus at 12200 W. Broward Blvd. in Plantation. It has about 2,700 students.
American Heritage, which is listed as a Florida Profit Corporation with the Florida Division of Corporations, does not have to file a Form 990, which is only required for nonprofit corporations, not for-profit corporations.
Its CEO is William R. Laurie, its president is Douglas R. Laurie and its vice president is Leslie Wood, per its 2022 annual report filed with the Florida Division of Corporations. The annual report does not list their compensation.
2022-23 annual tuition: $26,800 to $34,900
Pine Crest School
Pine Crest School has students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade on two campuses: 1501 NE 62nd St. in Fort Lauderdale and 2700 St. Andrews Blvd. in Boca Raton. Established in 1934, the school has nearly 2,700 students.
Dana Markham, president, earned $1,020,358, plus $29,027 in additional compensation in 2019.
Nancy Greene, vice president of finance/operations and CFO, earned $322,573, plus $30,201 in additional compensation.
Whitney Walters-Sachs, vice president, school and legal affairs, earned $247,317, plus $55,565 in additional compensation.
Susan Peirce, vice president of admissions, earned $216,386, plus $24,109 in additional compensation.
Melanie Connors, vice president of admissions, earned $213,249, plus $57,355 in additional compensation.
David Clark, Boca Raton head of school, earned $207,932, plus $22,697 in additional compensation.
Marcia Hunt, college-academic advising director, earned $210,426, plus $24,535 in additional compensation.
2019
Total school revenue: $99,682,237
Revenue less expenses: $7,939,232
Net assets: $121,047,214
2022-23 annual tuition: $26,785 to $39,290
NSU University School
NSU University School, also known as University School and USchool, has about 1,900 students enrolled from preschool to 12th grade. The school is on the campus of Nova Southeastern University campus and its address is 3375 SW 75 Ave., Fort Lauderdale.
Because it is affiliated with Nova Southeastern University (NSU), NSU University School does not file a separate Form 990. NSU files a 990, but it does not detail the revenues, profits or salaries of NSU University School. It only covers the financial data for NSU.
2022-23 annual tuition: $22,500 to $36,850
Miami Herald research director Monika Leal contributed to this report.
