Sterling Board ratifies teachers’ contract and approves superintendent to also serve as Director of Student Services for $15,000

The Sterling Board of Education ratified a collective bargaining agreement with the Sterling Education Association and approved a memorandum of agreement (MOA) that assigns Superintendent Theodore Friend to also serve as the district’s Director of Student Services for additional compensation of $15,000.

Board Member John Brady moved to ratify the collective bargaining agreement; Catherine Malo seconded the motion. The vote after executive session was unanimous: six in favor, none opposed. The Board then approved an MOA allowing Superintendent Theodore Friend to fill the Director of Student Services role and receive $15,000 in total compensation, to be paid in three $5,000 stipends at the end of each trimester. Victoria Robinson-Lewis moved the MOA; Jennifer Mossner seconded. The motion passed unanimously, 6–0.

The actions followed an executive session called to discuss SEA contract negotiations, the Director of Student Services vacancy and related memoranda of agreement. The Director of Student Services position had been opened earlier in the meeting when the Board accepted the resignation of Kristen Cavaliere. By approving the MOA, the Board authorized a temporary consolidation of duties and specified the stipend payment schedule rather than hiring an immediate external replacement.

The superintendent’s dual role and the stipend were presented to the Board as a memorandum of agreement; no additional details about a longer-term staffing plan for the Director position were provided during the meeting. The Board recorded the formal approvals in open session after exiting executive session.

The meeting adjourned at 7:41 p.m.