Director of Schools Gets Two Year Contract Extension

March 14, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

Based on overall high marks given by the Board of Education in a recent performance evaluation, Director of Schools Patrick Cripps has been awarded a two year contract extension, effective July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2022.

During Thursday night’s regular monthly meeting, the Board voted unanimously to grant the extension.

Cripps will earn the same salary $90,000 per year paid in twelve equal monthly installments in accordance with the policy. All other terms of Cripps’ contract also remain unchanged.

Cripps’ contract was to run through June 30, 2020, but with the two year extension, he will now serve as Director at least through June 30, 2022. Cripps has been Director since July, 2015.

Cripps was recently evaluated again by the Board and given overall good marks.

Results of the Board of Education’s annual performance evaluation of Director Cripps show he is meeting “most” expectations of the board.

Cripps’ overall average score is 4.22 out of a possible 6 score.

In accordance with state law, the school board is required to develop and implement an evaluation plan to be used annually for the director of schools. Board members used a four page evaluation form to rate Director Cripps (1-6) in each of 60 areas from eight categories including on his relationship with the Board, the Community, Staff and Personnel, Educational Leadership, Business and Finance, Personal Qualities, Strategic Planning Skills, and Tennessee Specific questions.

A rating of “1” meant his performance was “Consistently Below Expectations”. A “5” rating signified that Cripps “Met All Expectations”. A rating with an asterisk (*) symbol or 6 meant he “Exceeded Expectations”.

Other ratings were:
“2”-Meets Few Expectations
“3”-Meets Some Expectations
“4”-Meets Most Expectations

Each board member scored Cripps in all areas from the categories on the form. The scores were then averaged to arrive at the grand total score. The completed forms were sent to officials of the Tennessee School Boards Association where the scores were tabulated and averaged.

In the overall evaluation report, Cripps scored highest (4.50) in “personal qualities”. He scored lowest (3.90) in “strategic planning skills”.

A breakdown of Cripps’ scores in the eight goals evaluation were:

Performance Goal Average
Board Relationship
4.32

Community Relationships
4.10

Staff and Personnel Relationships
4.20

Educational Leadership
4.29

Business and Finance
4.38

Personal Qualities
4.50

Strategic Planning Skills
3.90

Tennessee Specific Questions
4.04

Grand Total
4.22

In other business, Director Cripps gave his monthly report on personnel.

Those granted a leave of absence are Brooke Anderson, teacher at Smithville Elementary School; Lacey Foutch, teacher at DCHS, and Martha Melching, teacher at DeKalb Middle School.

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