School Board Chair: New Superintendent a Good Deal All Around

The chair of the Oxford school board believes the hiring of new school puts the school district in a good position both educationally and financially.

Rose McKinnon said not only does Malvey come to the district with an array of educational knowledge - especially in areas that Oxford needs help with such as accreditation reviews - but he also comes at a cheaper price than former schools chief Judith Palmer, who left the district in the summer to take a job in her hometown of Winsted after questions arose about her contract.

Malvey was willing to take a contract with no pay increase over the next two-and-a-half years, a less lucrative tax sheltered annuity than Palmer earned and is willing to work nine more days than his predecessor.

"That showed me that this gentleman is not about the money," McKinnon said. "He is about getting the job done."

Malvey, who has a wealth of educational experience including work as a teacher, principal, assistant superintendent and superintendent, will begin in Oxford on Jan. 31. He is certified as a superintendent in four states: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire, and has worked as a superintendent and interim superintendent in both Connecticut and Massachusetts. (See more on his background on the previous link.)

In Oxford, he will earn an annual $140,000 base salary, plus a $5,000 annual tax-sheltered annuity. He will waive health and dental insurance benefits, and will get a $2,500 payment for doing so, plus a $3,600 travel allowance. All told, that is $151,100 a year, whereas Palmer's contract cost the district $170,222 in her last year with all expenses, including the cost of dental and health insurance benefits, factored in.

Malvey will get 25 vacation days, five fewer than Palmer; 15 paid sick days, also five fewer than Palmer; and four paid personal days, one more than Palmer. That totals 44 paid days off for Malvey (not including holidays), compared to 53 paid days off for Palmer. That will save the district an additional $5,892 a year, the school board says.

The board believes Malvey, who is in his early 60s, will be able to handle the extra work. The one characteristic he had that impressed most candidates was that he's extremely energetic.

"One thing that I liked was his energy," said school board member Michael P. Macchio. "I was really impressed by that."

The board voted unanimously, 6-0, to choose Malvey from a group of 16 applicants from all over the country.

McKinnon said she is pleased with a majority of board members for their dedication throughout the search process.

"They made a great time commitment and worked very diligently to make sure we got the right person," she said. "They rose to the occasion and sacrificed a lot throughout this process."

She also thanked interim for stepping into the position without much transition time and making sure the district moved forward accordingly with the beginning of school. Connelly is expected to hold an exit conference with the school board within the next couple weeks.

The school board will hold a meet and greet with Malvey and residents, school and municipal officials when he arrives at the end of the month. We will bring you more information about that once the date and time is announced.

(Editor's note: For a breakdown of the expense comparisons between Malvey and Palmer, see the chart below and/or click on the PDF link attached to this story.)

The following is a prepared statement about Malvey from Board Chairwoman Rose McKinnon:

"Our goal as a board was to find a match for Oxford, a most qualified candidate with excellent experience, demonstrated success and an ability to maintain a positive culture in a small community. (See what Oxford residents said they wanted to see in a schools chief .)

"Dr. Malvey comes to us with great experience, accomplishments and unique successes in diverse communities. He possesses an excellent educational background from the Boston area with a doctorate from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Dr. Malvey has demonstrated time and again that he goes above and beyond what is expected of him as a professional; he believes it is the only way to honor his obligation and duties as a superintendent.

"Dr. Malvey has extensive experience with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), including a highlight of his career when he was intimately involved in moving Region 11 from a non-accredited school/district to full accreditation. He had great success in Cohasset, an affluent, high-achieving district. He believes in accomplishing his goals. This belief has earned him great praise and respect from his constituents and colleagues.

"Dr. Malvey brings the ability to analyze and synthesize operations and develop action plans to develop effective and efficient systems. Dr. Malvey is instructionally sound. He brings intellect, a task-oriented mentality and a great deal of energy. He speaks fondly of Oxford and looks forward to pursuing educational excellence in Oxford well into the 21st Century.

"We humbly welcome Dr. Malvey aboard, and we're excited to have him join us on Jan. 31."

The following is a breakdown that compares what Malvey will earn compared to what Palmer earned, according to the school board.

$2,495