Little Compton School Committee Renews Superintendent's Contract

Superintendent Kathryn Crowley’s contract was renewed for one year on Wednesday night with a 5-0 approval vote of the School Committee. Her term now expires on July 22, 2012.

“I’m thrilled,” she said after the meeting. “I enjoy working with the people of Little Compton. I enjoy doing contract work and the cooperation we’ve been able to establish with the town.”

Per state law and mandated by the Rhode Island Retirement Board, municipalities employing retired teachers and administrators are required to make a good faith effort to fill their position on an annual basis.

Committee Chairman Donald Gomez said they formed a Superintendent’s Search Committee roughly three months ago and received approximately nine resumes. After several closed executive session meetings with the search committee, they eliminated all but one candidate from New York based on the others having no prior experience as superintendents.

Gomez said they interviewed a man from New York who was in a similar position as Crowley, only being within the retired teachers' system in New York. On Wednesday, Gomez said the candidate called and declined meeting with Little Compton because of other pending job offers. With that, the search committee recommended Crowley’s renewal during an executive session meeting Wednesday night prior to the school committee's regular meeting.

Gomez praised Crowley for “consistently performing beyond her contract agreements,” such as attending extra meetings and tending to numerous extracurricular activities in the district. Gomez credited Crowley for being the single point of contact with the Rhode Island Department of Education and the Wilbur-McMahon School renovation proposal, as well as helping earlier this year.

He added that she helped bring forward a level-funded school budget.

“She’s built a level of credibility,” said Gomez.

Crowley came into the district last July, replacing former Superintendent Ron Devine.