School committee approves one-year extension for superintendent and 2.5% COLA after debate on evaluation and community input

The Manchester-Essex Regional School Committee voted to extend the superintendent's contract for one year and to approve a budgeted 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment, the committee chair said during the meeting. The motion was presented as a bridge to allow the district to align a full evaluation and transition planning without commencing an immediate external search.

Committee members pressed for clarity about whether the COLA applied only to the superintendent or district staff; the chair and finance staff confirmed the 2.5% figure was budgeted district-wide and that the superintendent's extension is separate from the biennial evaluation cycle. A public commenter, Harrison, had urged a "full assessment of the leadership from the top down" that would include surveys and open forums to solicit input from parents, students and employees.

Superintendent Pam told the committee that the district's contract language and usual practices limit the use of anonymous submissions as part of a 360-style review. Pam said the committee can "absolutely look into what the contract permits" and, if desired, include additional feedback mechanisms in a future contract or evaluation rubric. Committee members noted the district typically schedules evaluations in the spring and that a one-year extension would move the contract end date to June 30 of the next fiscal year, allowing the evaluation to inform any subsequent personnel decisions.

Members framed the one-year extension as a practical step to avoid a protracted search process this year and to give the committee time to plan for succession if needed. Several members asked that any broader community input be collected as part of the April evaluation process so it can inform goals and negotiations the following year. The committee agreed to consider proposals for how to gather public input (for example, structured listening sessions or surveys) and tasked subcommittees to report back on feasible approaches.

The meeting record did not specify a detailed vote tally for the extension; the chair called for the vote after discussion and reported the motion carried.

The committee indicated it will proceed with an evaluation next spring and said it will consider whether contract language should be amended to specify inclusion of certain feedback mechanisms in future reviews.