The Greater Johnstown School District Board of Education voted unanimously Thursday night to extend the contract of Superintendent Katherine Sullivan for two years.
Board President Robert Curtis said the extension simply lengthens Sullivan’s three-year contract by two years, leaving her salary at approximately $125,000 with no raises. He said economics played a role in the board’s choice to extend the contract.
“Basically we know that next year is going to be a very, very difficult year and the last thing we want to be doing is negotiating for a superintendent. We want to be solid going into next year because all of us on the board and the administration are concerned about our financial state, as far as state aid and whatnot,” Curtis said.
Also Thursday, the board adopted a $27.6 million budget for the 2010-11 school year. The district will conduct a public budget hearing, where more of the details of the budget will be discussed, at 6:30 p.m. May 4 at Johnstown High School.
Curtis said it has not yet been determined whether the budget will include any teacher layoffs. He said the district will make all personnel decisions based on student enrollment.
Johnstown’s enrollment has declined by approximately 50 students since the start of the current school year, continuing a trend of declining enrollment over the last several decades.
Curtis said projected kindergarten enrollment numbers should be available in May, and the school board will make decisions about layoffs based on those numbers. Voters will decide on approval of the district’s budget May 18.
Categories: Schenectady County
