Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.metro From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Spillane contract extended Date: Wed, 28 Oct 92 15:01:10 EST Message-ID: \SE B;METROPOLITAN \HD Spillane contract extended \SH Two more years for schools chief \BY Maria Koklanaris \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES The Fairfax County School Board voted last night in favor of a two-year contract extension for Superintendent Robert L. Spillane that will run through June 1995. The board voted 7-4 to give Mr. Spillane two more years at his current salary of $116,500 per year and extend the contract that was due to expire in June 1993. Voting to extend the contract were Chairman Joanne T. Field, Vice Chairman Kristen J. Amundson, at-large member Jane K. Strauss, Kohann H. Whitney of Centereville, Gary Jones of Springfield, Anthony Lane of Lee and Carla Yock of Mason. Voting against the contract were at-large member Robert Frye, Gary Reese of Sully, Letty Fleetwood of Providence and Laura McDowall of Braddock. Mrs. Fleetwood of arrived late. The board attempted to vote on the contract earlier in the evening, but stalled following a dispute over whether it should proceed in the absence of one member, the sources said. State law requires that the School Board act by the December before a contract expires whether it will retain a superintendent or begin a search for a new one. Board members said that their motivation for a speedy vote was the seventh resignation, announced last week, of a top aide to Mr. Spillane. They said it was clear the superintendent could not act to fill positions until he knew his own fate. More high-level resignations could be forthcoming, sources also said. Mr. Spillane came to the school system from the top post in Boston in 1985. School board members raised questions about Mr. Spillane's contract earlier this year after he clashed with them over merit pay for teachers, a program he created. The board suspended the program by a 7-4 vote in February. Some board members were angry the superintendent and his staff authorized a meeting of merit pay teachers after that vote, which they saw that as an attempt by Mr. Spillane to push his own agenda rather than follow the board's direction. When rumors about a vote on his contract began circulating again prior to a June board retreat, Mr. Spillane publicly challenged board members to vote whether to keep him or fire him when his contract expires. The board did not vote, however, and Mr. Spillane did not push the issue. Stormy relations with the school board are nothing new for Mr. Spillane. Last year, he infuriated some board members when he pushed for a longer Monday school day for elementary children after a majority of board members said they wouldn't consider such a move. Instead of dropping the matter, he surprised the board by including funds for the longer Monday school day in his proposed budget. He later withdrew the plan under a torrent of criticism. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM