On social media there has been discussion of Superintendent John Stratton receiving a new contract that expires in four years. The contract has been in place and was altered to remove a provision.
The school board approved a revised contract with Superintendent John Stratton on May 24, 2022. The only key difference between the previous contract signed Sept. 22, 2020 and the newly approved contract signed May 24, 2022 is that a section was removed which addressed terminal pay should Stratton be fired for cause.
Terminal pay refers to pay that has been accrued during the term of the contract without qualification or limitation, like vacation and sick time. In the original contract, an exception was made for terminal pay if the Superintendent is terminated for cause. If terminated for cause, the Board could withhold up to $25,000 of Stratton’s terminal pay as maximum available damages for documented costs and out of pocket expenses relating to conducting a Superintendent search. Under the revised contract, language was removed entirely pertaining to withholding terminal pay due to damages should Stratton be terminated for cause.
The Superintendent’s salary remains at $166,000 per year and the current term of employment remains until June 30, 2026. There was no contract extension. Any contract extension period must be determined at or prior to the December 2025 Board meeting.
