Oxford School Board Recap: New Interim Super Hired, Teachers Contract Info. Revealed

A man with 28 years experience as a superintendent was hired as interim head of Oxford's public schools Tuesday night.

John Reed, 69, who retired in 2002 after 20 years as superintendent of Newtown public schools, will begin in Oxford on Jan. 2. He will serve while Oxford looks for a permanent superintendent. The board voted unanimously, 7-0, to hire him.

Reed, , served eight years as a superintendent of a district in New Jersey before coming to Newtown; since he retired from Newtown, he has served as interim superintendent twice in Weston and interim asssistant superintendent in Darien and Middletown.

Details of what he will be paid were not released Tuesday as his contract has not been finalized. Outgoing interim school chief , who will serve until the end of the month, is being paid about $650 a day. Reed said Tuesday he expects his contract will offer the same.

Other notes from the meeting:

• School business manager Rosemary Hanson revealed to the press details about a new three-year teachers union contract signed by the Oxford teachers union and the Board of Education. The pact gives the town's 156 certified teachers a 2 percent general wage increase in the first year with no step increase (or increases given based on years of experience and degrees obtained in steps from 1-to-13); a 1.5-percent increase in year two for the most senior teachers at the maximum step (step 13), teachers at steps 1-12 don't get a general wage increase but halfway through the year they go to a different step, which will give them a pay increase of about $2,000 on average; the third year offers a 1.5-percent general wage increase but no step increase. The contract calls for givebacks from teachers on insurance, such as increases in deductibles and copays for doctors visits and prescription drugs. Details such as how much the new contract will cost the town were not immediately available on Tuesday night. We will bring you more on this story.
• The school board discussed the on the wall at but did not take any action. Some have called for it to be removed, but the board said it will not do that at this point.
• The board discussed its new technology committee and its goals;
• The board honored the Oxford High School girls cross country team for winning the state championship and honored four students;
• The board unanimously approved a new anti-bullying policy that is in line with what the state wants school districts to implement;
• Members announced the at Oxford Center School that was damaged by a tree in the last snow storm has been repaired - the board and town officials have applied to the federal government to get reimbursed for storm repairs;
• First Selectman George Temple attended the meeting and told board members he looks forward to working with them and that he's on board with a  at Oxford High School; he also discussed ways the board could possibly save money, such as by using a new electric company that the town is also considering; 
• Great Oak Middle School Principal Brian Murphy gave a presentation about academic progress being made at the school;
• Oxford Center School Principal Heath Hendershot gave an update on how the school district stacks up among other schools in the state per a state education advocacy group's report.

Correction: Reed was the former interim assistant superintendent in Darien and Middletown; a previous version misstated his role in those districts. We have since updated it; we regret the error.