By Derrick ForsytheRecord Staff WriterTeachers and other employees of the Warren County R-III School District will see an increase in their pay next year.The board announced significant changes to the salary schedule during its monthly meeting June 11.Among those adjustments are a $2,000 increase to the base salary for starting teachers with a bachelor’s degree, who will now be paid $35,600. The starting pay for teachers with a master’s degree will be $38,100.Board president Teresa Scott says R-III wants its salaries to be enticing enough to retain quality teachers as well as draw new talent into the district.“We try to be competitive with neighboring districts, so we can attract and keep quality teachers,” said Scott.The board passed a proposal to increase substitute compensation by $10 to become more comparable with surrounding districts. The district will now pay $85 per day for substitutes and $95 per day for those taking on long-term stints.Retired teachers will make $95 per day for short-term and $105 per day for long-term service.“We’ve had to use teachers on their plan (period) to fill in for absences in order to cover the vacancies,” said Scott, explaining the need to lure quality substitutes. “Those teachers need their plan time.”The board also established a starting salary for the two new assistant superintendent positions. Both the assistant superintendent of curriculum and the assistant superintendent of personnel will receive a starting pay of $105,700. By comparison, Assistant Auperintendent Gregg Klinginsmith made $119,700 during the 2014-15 school year.In addition, administrative salaries for each of the buildings were established. The high school principal starting pay was set at $94,928. High school Principal Nick Heggemann received $101,992 in that role during the 2014-15 school year.The middle school principal starting salary was set at $81,463, while the elementary starting pay is now $78,770.On the high school level, the activities director salary was set at $75,404, while the high school assistant principal pay is now $72,374.“You can only do what the budget with allow you to do,” said Scott. “It’s a fight every district is fighting, as far as keeping up with one another.”R-III