Panel confident in Taylor's initiative, leadership at post

By Alex Bridges -- Daily Staff Writer

WINCHESTER — The Frederick County School Board ended Superintendent Patricia Taylor's four-year contract at its halfway point — then promptly gave her a new one.

A pause by Vice Chairman Stuart Wolk between the two actions incited laughter by the board Tuesday night. But Chairman John Lamanna said signing Taylor on now for another four years shows the board's confidence in her leadership.

"We decided, because of how pleased we are of her performance and how well she has done, to offer her another four-year contract at this time," Lamanna said after the meeting.

Taylor will earn a salary of $155,328, receiving the same 3.5 percent raise as other school employees did for the current fiscal year. She can negotiate that amount each year during the contract period, Lamanna said.

The board had appointed Taylor in 2006 under a contract set to run from July 1, 2006, to June 30, 2010. Members voted unanimously on a motion to terminate that contract and then to approve a new, four-year contract effective July 1, 2008, to June 30, 2012. By law, the board must end her current contract if it wishes to extend her tenure as superintendent, according to Steve Edwards, coordinator of policy and public information.

"It's been said that the most important job as a board is to hire a good superintendent, and we certainly did that," Lamanna told board members. "Also, a challenge of the board is to keep a good superintendent, and we have done that as well.

"However, with the extension of Miss Taylor's contract for four more years, the message I hope she will infer from us — appreciation of the accomplishments and your commitment to the schools and how pleased we are this last year," Lamanna continued.

Though the chairman said he could point out "a zillion snapshots" of the division's accomplishments under Taylor, Lamanna noted that the school system saw progress toward adequate yearly progress as required under federal law. The chairman also recalled Taylor's agreeing with the board on increasing teacher salaries by 3.5 percent during the work on the current fiscal budget.

Taylor thanked the board for their support and hours of working together with school administration on budget and other related items. She also thanked other administrative staff.

Also at the meeting, the board:

* Heard a report from Assistant Superintendent Al Orndorff showing student membership on Tuesday at 12,896, compared to 12,591 on Aug. 27, a number he expects to rise by Sept. 15.

* Approved budget amendments for $28,264.78 for restricted programs and $6.92 million in carry-forward balances in the construction fund; budget adjustments of $350,000 to the budget to accommodate greater than expect fuel prices and $75,199 in carry-forward funds to replace boilers at Dowell J. Howard Center; an appropriation of $72,420 to replace boilers at Senseny Road Elementary School and to replace buses and other vehicles. The additional funds of $1.1 million come as a credit from the group health insurance.

* Contact Alex Bridges at abridges@nvdaily.com