Greenwich School Board Extends Superintendent's Contract By 1 Year

GREENWICH, CT — The Greenwich Board of Education on Monday voted to extend Superintendent of Schools Dr. Toni Jones' contract by one year rather than two years.

Jones' contract will now run through June 30, 2025.

The board first voted on a motion for a two-year extension, which would've stretched the contract to June 30, 2026, but that motion failed along party lines, with Republican members Cody Kittle, Michael-Joseph Mercanti-Anthony, Karen Kowalski and board chair Joe Kelly voting no.

Democrats Christina Downey, Kathleen Stowe, Karen Hirsh and Laura Kostin voted yes.

After a brief discussion, the two parties caucused in private for about 30 minutes.

They returned and ultimately voted to extend Jones' contract by one year. The four Republicans voted yes, two democrats voted no, and Hirsh and Kostin abstained.

Democrats argued Monday that a longer-term extension for Jones was the right thing to do for the school community, and they cited Jones' leadership and the stability she has provided the district following a period of rotating superintendents in town.

Jones was first appointed in January 2019.

Republicans preferred a one-year extension as the district further implements its strategic plan.

Downey noted that the board recently gave Jones an overwhelmingly positive review and voted to give Jones a 2 percent salary increase.

"These are the actions of a board believing their superintendent is performing as expected. We've told her we want her to have a vision for and lead Greenwich Public Schools, but we need to give her the time to do so, which simply isn't a one-year process," Downey said. "We want the superintendent to drive this long-term plan, so why in the world would we ask her to drive a long-term plan but only give her a short-term extension?"

Downey cited Jones' track record of leadership through the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing special education and focusing on curriculum reviews.

Mercanti-Anthony urged the community to not interpret a one-year extension rather than a two-year extension as a vote of a lack of confidence in Jones' ability to lead the district.

"This district under Dr. Jones has made excellent strides and I fully expect those to continue. We talk about the strategic plan and metrics under the strategic plan, and I fully expect for us to be here next year and see some really great results and talk about further extensions of the contract," Mercanti-Anthony said.

"At the same time, we've gone through this period, because of the pandemic, of a drop in scores. We've also gone through this period where we did not have a strategic direction. It's not Dr. Jones' fault," he added. "Given the nature of where the district has been, where it's going and everything else, as we continue to develop our own sense of governance, I really think providing a one-year extension, which is two years of contractual service, is the most prudent right now."

Kostin said that Mercanti-Anthony, a newer board member and town resident, hasn't experienced the alarming superintendent turnover in Greenwich over the years.

"I really believe to not extend a longer-term contract would be a managerial failure that I do not want on my track record as a board member," Kostin said. "I believe that [Jones] has provided vision and stability for the district, and I really believe that that is what we are as a board tasked [with] — vision and stability is what our families deserve."

Hirsh said that Lilian Perrone, head of the teacher's union, said that teachers want "stability and long-term" commitment in their superintendent. Stowe mentioned that Greenwich High School Principal Ralph Mayo, who served as interim superintendent before Jones, called her and expressed a desire to see the board extend Jones long-term.

Kelly said he wanted the board, which began contract extension talks on June 14, to come to a unanimous decision, but he felt it was difficult trying to "wrestle" members into changing their minds. Kelly said he wasn't concerned with outside opinions, and that it was up to the eight-member school board to come to an agreement.

"I think we're wasting our time," Kittle said. "This is all theater and posturing."

Following the 4-2-2 vote to extend the contract by one year, members took turns explaining their vote or offering up closing remarks.

"I think that this is not a good direction for us. You've given us your all," Stowe said to Jones, who was a spectator during the hour-and-a-half meeting. "What I'd like to say most importantly, Dr. Jones, is that this has been humiliating to do this in this manner. I apologize on behalf of all of us, because you've given a lot to our children, and you always preach kindness. The way this has played out has been far from kind. I deeply apologize and I think this has been a very unfortunate evening."

Downey said she was "desperately concerned" with the vote and the signal it sent to students, staff and the community.

Kittle once again commented on the situation.

"I do find it entertaining that we will be entering next year with the contract in exactly the same place that we entered this year," he said. "I don't remember any of these grand speeches entering this year or last year. I do think it's disappointing we missed an opportunity to have a unanimous vote, which I think would've been easy and sent a great signal."

Mercanti-Anthony said the vote was about when to have contract extension talks again, and he highlighted that every member wanted to keep Jones on board.

"It bothers me that there are some hard feelings and harsh words being expressed amongst the board that has agreed most of the time on most issues," Kelly concluded. "People are entitled to their own opinions... My number one goal as chairman in this topic was to extend the superintendent's contract. The bottom line is it is important we work together... I think we should all understand that a motion has been passed."