Pelham board rates superintendent 'highly effective,' approves contract amendment in consent agenda

The Pelham Union Free School District Board of Education on Aug. 7 said it had rated Dr. Champ "highly effective" following its annual closed evaluation and that the board consolidated feedback into a public-facing summary. The board also included an amendment to Dr. Champ's contract as part of a consent agenda approved at the meeting.

"This year, the board rated doctor Champ's performance as highly effective," the Board President said. The board described the evaluation process: members met in executive session without Dr. Champ to discuss her performance using a standardized rubric; the board president then consolidated feedback and met with Dr. Champ to review it.

The board said the proposed salary increase for Dr. Champ was consistent with increases for district administrators and that it would grant a one-time allotment of five additional vacation days to be used during this school year in recognition of work on the capital improvement bond. The board also described Dr. Champ's contract as "evergreen," meaning it automatically extends each year unless the board or Dr. Champ elects otherwise.

Dr. Champ, speaking at the public meeting, thanked the board for the evaluation and recognition. "I look back and think we really accomplished a tremendous amount," she said, and described planning work at the cabinet level and preparation for the upcoming school year.

The contract amendment was included in consent agenda items 6.1–6.9, which the board approved without recorded opposition. The meeting record does not provide detailed dollar amounts for the proposed salary adjustment.

The board said a public-facing summary of Dr. Champ's evaluation is available on the district's Super Eval portal.