April 17, 2022
By: Dwayne Page
Whether Director of Schools Patrick Cripps will get a contract extension may be decided by the Board of Education next month.
The board will discuss the issue during the regular monthly meeting set for Monday, May 23 at 7 p.m. at the Ernest Ray Education Center.
Cripps’ contract was to expire June 30, 2022 but a year ago he was granted a one year contract extension by the Board to run at least through June 30, 2023. He was also given a $3,000 bonus, the same amount as certified staff had received over the previous two years (2019-20 and 2020-21).
According to the contract, Cripps’ annual salary, as of July 1, 2021, is $93,000 and he (Cripps) will be entitled to the same salary raises that the Board shall grant to all licensed employees going forward.
The director’s contract is typically reviewed after his annual performance evaluation which shows if he is meeting “most” expectations of the board. Results of Cripps’ latest evaluation have not yet been released. Last year the board gave Cripps and overall average score of 4.19 out of a possible 6 score in its performance evaluation of him.
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 use 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” means his performance is “Consistently Below Expectations”. A “5” rating signifies that Cripps “Meets All Expectations”. A rating with an asterisk (*) symbol or 6 means he “Exceeds Expectations”.
Other ratings are:
“2”-Meets Few Expectations
“3”-Meets Some Expectations
“4”-Meets Most Expectations
Each board member scores the director in all areas from the categories on the form. The scores are then averaged to arrive at the grand total score. The completed forms are sent to officials of the Tennessee School Boards Association where the scores are tabulated and averaged.
In other business at the May 5 meeting, the school board is to receive a personnel report from Director Cripps and to act on the consent agenda which includes action on a CSH budget amendment and action on summer learning camps budget amendments.