$209K Salary, 30 Vacation Days: Stratford Superintendent Contract

STRATFORD, CT — Stratford Superintendent Janet Robinson's contract was recently extended through June 2021 in a tight school board vote.

Robinson will be paid about $209,000 for the 2019-2020 school year and will earn no less than that amount in the 2020-21 school year, according to a copy of the contract obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request to the Stratford town clerk's office.

The contract also includes 18 sick days annually cumulative to 200 days, 30 vacation days that must be taken during the year they are earned, four personal days and five bereavement days. Robinson will also receive just under $23,000 during the 2019-2020 school year for a 403(b) retirement account, the contract states.

If the school board decides to extend Robinson's contract in the next year or two, the contract cannot exceed three years, according to the contract, which also states Robinson must receive an annual evaluation and written assessment from the board. The contract may be terminated through mutual agreement between Robinson and the board at any time.

Robinson's contract was approved at a special meeting of the board June 26. The superintendent's contract and evaluation were the only items on the agenda for the meeting. A video of the meeting on YouTube shows no public discussion of either item before the contract vote. Board Chair Eric Lazaro, Vice Chair Susan Lance, Secretary Maria Buturla and member Karen Rodia voted in favor of the contract. Board members Allison DelBene, Bob DeLorenzo and Vincent Faggella voted against it.

Faggella said he voted against extending the contract for an additional year because he felt the extension was akin to giving Robinson a bonus for going above and beyond.

"I felt that she did a good job, but I don't feel that it was above and beyond," he said in a phone interview.

Faggella also said he felt the board should have waited until after the November school board elections to make a decision about the contract.

Attempts to contact Robinson, Lazaro and other board members for comment were unsuccessful. The copy of the contract available through the town clerk's office was missing a page, and a copy of Robinson's previous contract with the district was not available through the clerk's office.

Robinson has been superintendent of Stratford schools since 2013. Before that she was the superintendent in Newtown for five years.