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Manor Board approves five-year contract for Superintendent Craig Heath in 3-2 vote
Summary
After a lengthy debate over process, evaluations and timing, the Manor Board of Education approved a five-year employment contract for Superintendent Craig Heath on May 31 by a 3-2 roll-call vote. Dissenting members said the district lacked needed quantitative reviews and asked to delay or shorten the term.
The Manor Board of Education voted 3-2 on May 31 to approve a five-year employment contract for Superintendent Craig Heath after extended debate over the timing and process of the renewal.
Board discussion centered on whether the district had completed the quantitative evaluations, goal-setting and strategic-plan milestones board members said should precede a long-term contract. "A decision to renew a superintendent for five more years is one that should be given great due diligence," said Miss Payne, a board member who opposed the contract, arguing the board had not reviewed prior evaluations, had not set new goals and that key community survey data and upcoming state test results should be considered first.
Supporters emphasized Heath’s record since taking the post nearly two years ago. "He consistently shows up for our students, our families, and our community," said a board member who voted in favor, citing improvements to safety staffing, curricular work and gains on multiple objective measures. Another proponent pointed to the district’s placement in the top 20 percent among state districts and listed partnerships and operational fixes, including changes to bus routing software and strengthened career-technical programs.
Miss Payne also raised concerns about library materials and policy compliance, saying pending book challenges and the district’s handling of explicit materials would be discussed at a July 3 meeting. She and another dissenting member had proposed a three-year renewal as an alternative and said they had pushed for more time to complete evaluations and strategic planning.
The board first approved the minutes from its May 4 meeting unanimously, 5-0, earlier in the session. The superintendent contract motion was introduced during the Board of Education report; the record shows the motion carried with Yes votes from Miss Jesslyn, Miss Marchaza and Miss Cook and No votes from Miss Aappel and Miss Payne.
After the vote the board moved to adjourn; the meeting ended at 7:12 p.m. The July 3 meeting was cited during discussion as the next date when several unresolved items, including strategic-plan details and policy-driven complaints, will be revisited.
