Why rush into contract for D15 interim supt.?

One has to wonder what the big rush was to give Scott Thompson, formerly interim superintendent of District 15, a multiyear contract. Thompson had six months left on his interim contract at $135,000 per year when the board voted to give him a multiyear contract through June 30, 2013 at $198,000 per year (not including benefits).

It is especially perplexing considering that the Illinois School Code requires such multiyear contracts to include “performance goals and indicators” for the superintendent, so that the board has something by which to measure his performance each year. According to the School Code, the failure to include performance goals and indicators renders the contract unenforceable.

Thompson's new contract contains no performance goals and indicators the contract states at Paragraph D.3 that performance goals and indicators have been established and that the goals are attached as Appendix I. However, Appendix I states only: “To be determined at a later date.”

So, again, what was the rush to award Thompson an unenforceable multiyear contract now, when he had six months left on his existing interim contract? Those six months could have been used to actually establish reasonable performance goals and indicators, and actually incorporate them into the contract as required by law.

And just when are those performance goals and indicators going to be determined? Once again, District 15 is taking legal shortcuts at taxpayer expense the contracts District 15 entered into with former Superintendent Daniel Lukich did not contain the legally-mandated performance goals and indicators, either.

Mary Vanek

Palatine