School Committee approves revised contract for East Providence superintendent

Crowley's deal coincides with construction timetable of new EPHS project

By Mike Rego
Posted 12/13/18

EAST PROVIDENCE — A contract revision for Superintendent Kathryn Crowley was among the docketed items on the School Committee meeting held Tuesday night, Dec. 11, the measure passing by a narrow …

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School Committee approves revised contract for East Providence superintendent

Crowley's deal coincides with construction timetable of new EPHS project

Posted

EAST PROVIDENCE — A contract revision for Superintendent Kathryn Crowley was among the docketed items on the School Committee meeting held Tuesday night, Dec. 11, the measure passing by a narrow 3-2 tally.

Superintendent Crowley, initially hired to take over the post from Kim Mercer in November of 2015, will remain on the job through at least December 10, 2021 if she fulfills the length of the agreement.

The duration of the pact, which essentially scraps her existing one, coincides with the new East Providence High School construction schedule. The time table going into the project, set to begin as early as June of 2019, is for the building to be completed for the start of the 2021-22 term.

Last week’s decision marked the third time in as many years the superintendent’s contract has been reworked for length, though not salary. On the previous two occasions the committee voted unanimously to add another year to Superintendent Crowley’s accord. Her current deal was set to expire in the fall of the 2020.

According to the parameters of the agreement provided to The Post, Superintendent Crowley will receive a $5,000 raise from her current salary of $150,000 in the first year of the deal. The second year calls for a 2.5 percent hike ($3,875) on the $155,000 base. The third year sees an increase of 2 percent ($3,178) on a base of $158,875.

“The goals of the old contract have been met,” Superintendent Crowley said, referring, in part, to getting the new EPHS project proposed and passed with an eye towards seeing it through fruition. “There are new goals in there now based on other things as well. I think (the new contract) was important for continuity for the district overall.”

Committee members Jessica Beauchaine, Nate Cahoon and Joel Monteiro voted in the affirmative on the revised contract in the roll call exercise while counterparts Tony Ferreira and Charlie Tsonos voiced opposition.

“First off, I want to say I think Kathy is doing a good job, but we serve two-year terms and I don’t think we should extend a superintendent beyond the length of our term,” Mr. Tsonos, the committee chairman, said after the meeting. “I’m very concerned about the length of time of contracts.”

Mr. Tsonos acknowledged the committee has previously supported contracts of similar longer stretches, three years, for some of the district’s most revered building principals.

“We have given some of our principals one-year, two-year and three-year contracts,” Mr. Tsonos said. “We agreed to the longer contracts because we don’t want to lose them. But remember, those are recommendations from Kathy and her administration, and we’ve supported them.”

The chairman said while he preferred a two-year deal for the superintendent, his vote last week should not be taken as showing a lack of confidence in Mrs. Crowley’s performance.

“I think the school department is in a very good place. It’s not perfect, nothing ever is, but it’s functioning well. We’re in a lot better place then when the (state-appointed) budget commission was here (from December 2011-September 2013),” Mr. Tsonos said. “I think we’ve shown a lot of support for Kathy. She’s got a great staff, in general. She has a very good team and we’ve supported her and her team. I just didn’t feel it was appropriate to go to three years.”

Asked for a response to Mr. Tsonos’ rationale, Superintendent Crowley declined comment. On her new contract as whole, she said, “I think it’s very fair. I’m pleased.”

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