Geary's Superintendent Contract By the Numbers

The Manchester Board of Education voted on Monday, Sept. 23, 2013 to enter into a contract agreement with Manchester High School Principal Matthew Geary to become the next Superintendent of Manchester Public Schools. 

Geary promptly signed the contract after the vote. 

A closer look at the contract that Geary signed breaks down as follows: 

• Geary will begin his new position on July 1, 2014. Prior to that, he will remain in his current position as Manchester High School's principal. Interim Superintendent Richard Kisiel will also remain in place in his current position until that date. Board of Education Chairman Chris Pattacini said Geary and Kisiel would work together to select Geary's replacement at the high school. 
• The contract is for three years, and Geary's annual salary begins at $185,000, which will be paid out bi-weekly. Prior to the anniversary of the signing date, Geary and the school board can enter into negotiations to increase his salary for the following school year; if Geary and the school board cannot reach an agreement on a new base salary each successive year, his previous year's salary will remain in effect. The contract is for 12 months, or 260 working days each year. 
• Geary will receive a $5,000 annually paid toward an annuity or retirement fund of his choosing, in bi-weekly installments. 
• Geary will receive a one-time $5,000 relocation allowance, and a $5,000 annual car allowance, paid monthly, in lieu of any allowance or reimbursement when he uses his personal vehicle for school board purposes. 
• Geary will receive 15 paid sick days a year, which can be rolled over to the following year, but are capped when they accumulate at 80. 
• Geary will receive 5 paid days for "personal leave" during the year, which he must give the school board at least 24 hours notice before he takes. 
• Geary will receive the same number of paid holidays as every other school system employee. 
• Geary will receive 20 days of paid vacation, but cannot carry over any vacation time from one year to the next without school board approval. If Geary wants to take longer than one week of vacation at a time, he must notify the school board; three consecutive weeks of vacation must be approved by the school board.