Ithaca board approves one-year extension to superintendent’s contract after hours of public comment

The Ithaca City School District Board of Education on Sept. 9 approved an amendment to the superintendent’s employment agreement that extends the contract through June 2029, after a lengthy public-comment period during which parents, teachers and students urged the board either to delay the vote or to reject the extension.

Supporters and critics packed the meeting and the virtual queue, and dozens spoke during an extended public-comment period. Many callers and in-person speakers said academic performance has declined in recent years, cited state data showing multiple district schools flagged for improvement, and urged the board to prioritize settling the teachers’ contract before extending central leadership.

Why it matters: The vote came after weeks of public discussion and amid ongoing negotiations between the district and the Ithaca Teachers Association (ITA). Speakers argued the extension would affect district priorities and bargaining dynamics, while board members said leadership stability is needed to complete planned fiscal and operational work.

“Early this morning when people woke up and saw that the agenda for this meeting, which was published late yesterday, had this important issue on it, my phone started ringing,” said Catherine Cernera, president of the Ithaca Teachers Association. “I cannot speak with integrity to the collective opinion of the nearly 600 members of the ITA on this topic until I have had the opportunity to talk with them.”

Several parents and community…