The Washington County Board of Education on Thursday voted to give Director of Schools Ron Dykes a new three-year contract.
Dykes had one more year left on his current contract, but board member Mary Lo Silvers motioned to offer a new contract for three years.
“I move that we extend his contract because of the excellent job that he’s doing,” Silvers said.
After much discussion, the board approved the contract in a 6-3 vote.
Board members Keith Ervin, Jack Leonard and Phillip McLain voted no, while William Brinkley, Todd Ganger, David Hammond, Chad Williams, Silvers and Chairman Clarence Mabe voted in favor of the contract.
The contract, which voids the fourth year of Dykes’ current contract, goes into effect July 1 and will end June 30, 2016.
In Tennessee, a contract for the school director can be set for a maximum of four years. If the board wishes the director to serve beyond that period of time, they have to create a completely new contract.
Ervin suggested the board offer Dykes a two-year contract instead of three, so they would only have to extend his contract at the end of the two-year period instead of having to draw up a new contract.
In another option offered, Leonard suggested the board not do anything with Dykes’ contract since he has one year left on his current contract.
“I don’t understand why we’re even talking about an extension of the contract when we still have one year left on the present contract. Teachers and principals only have a one year contract. They have to sign year to year,” Leonard said.
Ultimately, the board chose to go with Silvers’ motion in offering Dykes a new contract for three years.
“I have to go with what I see, and what I see is a school system that is heading in the right direction. I don’t see a school system that’s perfect, I see one that’s headed in the right direction, and I’m proud of our director and I’m proud of the job he’s doing,” Williams said.
The board also approved Dykes’ evaluation.
Dykes scored an average of 4.11 out of a possible 5 based on scores from each of the nine board members.
The evaluation was based on six criteria: building relationships, management of facilities, educational leadership, school safety, fiscal responsibility and human resources.
Dykes scored an average of 4.3 in building relationships, 3.82 in management of facilities, 4.06 in educational leadership, 3.99 in school safety, 4.19 in fiscal responsibility and 4.3 in human resources.