A Message from Chris Fritsch, Superintendent

Week of September 2, 2025

This week we once again open our doors to greet your children as we embark on yet another school year.  The beginning of the year exudes excitement that fosters energy and motivation for the opportunities that lie ahead.  Our staff is once again committed to doing thier very best to motivate and inspire all students do give their best each and every day.

For our students we ask them to come to school each day, ready to learn and grow, putting forth their best in everything they do.  To our parents, I’d like to thank you for your trust and faith in us to keep your children safe and to continue fostering their growth both academically and socially.  It takes all three to be successful. Together, we’re creating learning experiences that will develop their skills necessary to excel in life and thrive in their community.

Remember to follow our schools and District news at our website, crschools.org or follow us on facebook.

Respectfully,cf

Superintendent FAQs

No, pay for staff, including school administrator pay, comes from a completely separate budget than capital levy funds. Capital levies must be voter-approved and must fund the facilities’ projects, maintenance, and improvements voters intended to fund. Capital levies do not pay for any staff salaries.

Other Educational Programs & Operations levies that Castle Rock relies on must also be used for the purposes voters intended, such as extracurricular activities, technology and curriculum, student transportation, and specific staff positions in Special Education and Health and Safety.

The school superintendent’s salary is completely separate from and is not funded by the capital levy.

In the sports world, Castle Rock is a school district with a 1-A high school, meaning it has between 225-449 high school students and competes in athletic events against other school districts of like size. According to the Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA), the current Castle Rock School District superintendent receives less in compensation than the current average superintendent in a public school district of similar size in Washington State. The average salary for a Washington State public school superintendent of a district of a similar size to Castle Rock is $189,229-$267,434.

A public school superintendent’s salary is determined by the district’s school board and is outlined in a contract. As with any position, one of the goals of the process is to make sure that the salary a school district offers is comparable to the salaries of superintendents in neighboring districts of similarly-sized school districts. According to the Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA), the current Castle Rock School District superintendent receives less in compensation than the current average superintendent in a public school district of similar size in Washington State.

Like other public school districts in the state of Washington, the Castle Rock School Board is responsible for facilitating the selection of a superintendent based on standard desired qualifications required by the state and set by the board and a competitive application process, coupled with community engagement opportunities. Progress and the superintendent’s contract are reviewed annually.

There are several degrees and qualifications necessary to be a superintendent of a public school district in Washington State. To be eligible, the candidate must:

  • Have a master’s degree from an accredited college or university,
  • Complete a state-approved superintendent preparation program,
  • Previously or currently hold a teaching, Education Staff Associate (ESA), principal or administrator certificate,
  • Pass a thorough background check, and
  • Submit an application, letter of interest, and reference(s).

Each superintendent’s pay breakdown is unique to each individual public school district, is intended to attract applicants to the position, and is based on available budget, as determined by the school board. While some superintendent positions (both locally and across the state) offer additional compensation opportunities in the form of stipends for professional expenses, school superintendent contracts and compensation packages DO NOT include money for things like clothing and housing. Differing approaches to compensation make it difficult to compare the salaries of school leaders as an apples-to-apples comparison, however, it is always Castle Rock’s goal to use any of its funding appropriately and wisely.