Once again, the Oxford Board of Education was unanimous in its approval of Superintendent Tim Throne’s leadership of the district. Because of that, the board moved to extend Throne’s contract through 2022 and to review him on a biannual basis rather than an annual basis at the March 13 meeting.

The superintendent contract subcommittee of Secretary Heather Shafer, Trustee Chad Griffith and Trustee Erick Foster presented a number of key changes to Throne’s contract. Along with the extension, the board previously made Throne’s term run on a calendar year rather than the school year, making this contract expire in December 2022.

“I think we went into it together kind of realizing that we have an overachiever here, what are we going to do to keep him?” Foster said on behalf of the subcommittee during the meeting.

The move to a calendar year gives the district ample time to find a new superintendent before the fall semester in the event that Throne retires or is relieved from his position.

“In that fall time frame, all the way up through December (2022), the board could be interviewing and selecting a new superintendent to take over on Jan. 1,” Throne said. “The board could also elect that starting Jan. 1, they go into that period of time and do that selection process and can either have the new superintendent to take over immediately or wait until July 1.”

To keep Throne’s contract more in line with the teacher’s contract, he is set to receive a 4 percent pay raise annually and could receive a sick day pay out upon leaving the position.

In 2019, Throne will earn $194,958, not including benefits.

Board President Tom Donnelly was pleased with the new contract and thought the board and Throne had reached a good agreement to guide the next few years.

“I’ve got to tell you, you guys, I think you did a great job and appreciate your rationale,” Donnelly said. “It’s almost as if I was in the meeting with you guys and (said), ‘OK, I get the logic, I see it.’ Thank you for that, I hope that gets repeated in the future.”

On top of the contract changes, the board also unanimously moved to start evaluating Throne every other year. “Because he has had three consecutive evaluations as highly effective, we have the ability to, instead of doing it every year, to do it every other,” Donnelly said.

This will save both parties a lot of paperwork. But, the board stressed that Throne will still go through quarterly reviews throughout the year to make sure the district is staying on track.

“I still would like to make sure that we’re touching base with Tim (on a quarterly basis) and making sure that his goals and objectives are being met throughout the year,” said Board Vice President Dan D’Alessandro.

The board of education is scheduled to meet again on Tuesday, March 26 at Daniel Axford Elementary. Meetings start at 6:30 p.m.