School Board Gives Superintendent Top Marks

On Tuesday the Sarasota County School Board gave superintendent Lori White top marks across the board in her annual evaluation of her performance during the past school year. 

"I think that [your success] has a lot to do with your ego with the fact that you don’t have any," said board chair Frank Kovach. "You want to do the job, you’re not worried about the glamour and publicity ... I’ve never known you to be about yourself. I think this board is very well served [by you] and is in very good hands."

White and the rest of the school board recently celebrated the passing of the with instructional and classified staff. The school board said the smoothness of that negotiation process is just one reason to commend White for her work. 

"The superintendent has seen us through some very challenging times," said board member Shirley Brown. "We have been able to take and absorb the budget cuts. The union contract was agreed upon already, which passed by 93 percent."

Brown added that White has done her best to make sure cuts, which total more than $100 million since 2007, have not hurt the classroom. "We have not changed what we expect from our students or our teachers," Brown said. 

Board member Caroline Zucker said under previous administrations there would have been mutiny during all the trying times the district has faced recently and continue to faces. "I believe you are what has kept this system moving forward with good morale throughout," Zucker said. "That could not have an easy to do."

After thanking the board for their support and kind words, White announced that she would, again, reject the automatic three percent raise her contract awards. Like all district classified and instructional employees, White said she is putting two furlough days in her contract for 2011-12.

The superintendent's employment contract provides for an evaluation each year on or before June 30.