Board approves superintendent contract, employer TRS pickup for administrators and 2% pickup for teachers

The Sand Springs Public Schools Board of Education voted June 2 to approve a multi-year contract for Superintendent Sherry Durkee and to adopt employer "pickup" contributions to the Oklahoma Teacher Retirement System (OTRS) for administrators and teachers.

Board members approved a contract extension covering 2025–28 for Superintendent Sherry Durkee; the vote was unanimous. Durkee was present at the meeting when the contract was discussed and board members praised her leadership during the discussion.

The board also adopted two related motions concerning retirement contributions. First, the board approved a resolution committing to pay each administrator’s mandatory OTRS contribution on the district’s behalf effective July 1, 2025. The resolution text read, in part, that participating administrators “shall not have any right to make a cash or deferred election with respect to the contributions being paid by the school district.” The board voted to adopt the administrator pickup resolution.

Second, the board approved a motion that the district will pay a 2% employer pickup of the mandatory OTRS contribution for teachers, effective July 1, 2025. The motion included the identical limiting language that participating teachers shall not be permitted to opt out or receive the contributed funds directly. The board voted aye on the teacher pickup motion.

During the discussion board members and staff clarified accounting placement for the pickup contributions. Staff noted the costs will appear in instructional function coding in the district’s expenditure reporting and that the original budget includes the anticipated effect.

Both the superintendent contract and the retirement pickup actions require administrative follow-up to implement payroll and reporting changes; the business office will incorporate the actions into payroll and the district’s financial reports.