Stout's initial contract was for three years, which would have expired July 1, 2013. Now the contract will expire in 2014.
The superintendent saw the contract extension as a vote of confidence by the board, which was given after the board completed his first annual written evaluation.
"It was pretty good," he said. "I had some things I did really well and some things that I need to work on."
Stout said he is still going through his written evaluation, but felt the board was mainly positive about his work.
He said he wants to "continue moving Scotland County forward with us as a team."
Chairman Jimmy Bennett praised Stout's work.
"I think he's been doing a pretty good job," Bennett said. "It's like all people who learn a new job, you have to meet people and learn the system."
He also had kind words to day about Finance Officer Tony Messer and Associate Superintendent Stuart Blount, both hires made by Stout with board approval.
"Since we got our new financial officer, I think our finances have been going well," Bennet said, while he though Blount is "making some good things happen in the school system."
He said the unanimous decision to extend the contract for another year was made because of good reviews from board members.
"We went through our evaluations that all members participated in," Bennett said. "He had some good positive reviews."
While the contract may have another year added to it, Stout said his pay remained the same.
"No one's getting a pay raise in this state," Stout said.
He said he would have declined a raise if offered by the school board.
The 5-0 decision to extend the contract was made without three of the eight board members present.
Vice Chair Mary Evans and Terence Williams were both attending the President Public Leadership Conference in Jacksonville, N.C. and could not attend.
Evans said she was "shocked" at the timing as two board members had obligations to attend this conference several months out. She also said that while she was aware that the board was meeting to handle a personnel issue, she was told about a different issue and not the review of the superintendent.
Evans felt the meeting should have been scheduled to include all of the school board members.
She declined to comment on how she felt about Stout's performance saying that she was not privy to the written evaluation.
The conference covers school board policy and procedures and methods for evaluating the performance of superintendents.
Bennett said each member of the board was informed on June 15 about the meeting.
"Everyone was informed of the meeting and what was going to be discussed at the meeting," Bennett said.
Calvin Newton was also not present at the meeting.
Post a Comment
