GENTRY — After a two-hour executive session to evaluate the district superintendent's performance, the Gentry School Board returned to open session and narrowly voted to renew the contract of Randy Barrett for another year.

A motion to extend Barrett's contract by one year passed, 4-3, with Jim Barnes, Gary Dunlap, Dani Cypert and Randall Bollinger voting to renew, and Coye Cripps, David Williamson and Clarence Kreger voting not to renew the superintendent's employment contract. His current contract was approved 7-0 last January, though some previous years have also been by a close vote.

According to an email message from David Williamson, he voted against renewing Barrett’s contract because Barrett had not met all the board’s goals. No response was received from Cripps or Kreger.

School board members, in closed session on Jan. 21, reviewed Barrett's performance during the previous year, using a number of goals and guidelines the board had prepared a year ago for Barrett's evaluation. Among listed goals were improved student test scores, maintaining a sufficient carry-over balance from one school year to the next so as not to be considered by the state board of education to be in fiscal distress, to collaborate with the school board and carry out the intent of the board, to increase school involvement with the community and community leaders and to improve the school district's extracurricular programs and to be more competitive with other schools of the same size as Gentry's schools.

According to the board evaluation, Barrett did wellat meeting all the board's goals except for improved community involvement in the schools. The board evaluation stated that "we were looking for more of a standing committee that meets three or four times a year to engage business leaders and others in our community to be more directly involved in the schools. Possible ideas are to have recognition nights where business leaders/ owners get in free to ball games and get free advertisement." The evaluation form encouraged Barrett to "think outside the box.”

The goals set for Barrett over the next year are basically the same:

1. Improve ACT scores in comparison to other 4-A schools in Benton and Washington Counties (trying to achieve number one status in all areas), with the criteria for evaluation being increased scores and participation.
2. Strive to maintain a 13 percent carry-over balance and nothing less than 11percent, with the criteria for evaluation being the school district's financial data.
3. Continue to collaborate with the school board and try to execute the intent of the board. Keep the board informed of school-related issues and follow proper procedure. The criteria for evaluation is subjective due to the nature of the goal.
4. Establish a committee of business leaders, parents and community members to meet regularly to increase school involvement in the community and vice versa, with the criteria for evaluation being increased involvement.
5. Continue to show improvement in extracurricular activities with emphasis on high-profile sports and developing junior varsity players. Provide a minimum of 10 games for JV basketball players, with the criteria for evaluation being continued competitiveness.

Principals and other administrative staff contracts will be the next to be brought before the board.

News, Pages 1 on 01/30/2013