Overton Board Takes First Look At Contract Renewal

Overton County School Board reviewing a proposed contract renewal for Director of Schools Donnie Holman.

School Board Chair William Abston said the proposal similar to the current contract with only one noticeable change, raising compensation to $108,000.

“The $108,000 come from the amount that he is currently making and it would be every raise that teachers have been pushed over the past couple of years,” Abston said. “They equal out to, we moved the teachers from a base salary of $38,000 to a base salary of $50,000 per state mandate.”

Abston said smaller school systems in the surrounding area are around that salary number. Bigger school systems sit around $120,000. Abston said he and Holman have come to a verbal agreement that the terms in the proposed contract are suitable.

“I have talked with Dr. Holman about the contract,” Abston said. “And I told him what I was planning on doing with this and presenting to the board today, and he is agreeable with the contract on there as it is stated.”

School Board Member Ben Danner asked if the board would get information on school levels and director evaluations before next month’s meeting. Abston said the board would be provided the information.

Danner said he would like to have the information as the contract has a clause about school performance. Abston said the contract states the director shall take necessary and appropriate steps to ensure all schools maintain a score of at least a three and above. He said should any score fall below three for two consecutive years, a one-year probationary period shall begin, and failure to raise the scores within a probationary period may result in an action to unilaterally terminate the contract for employment of cause.

Abston said the contract clause prevents the school board from being locked into a contract should schools perform poorly.

“The main reason that is in there is if we have somebody that completely tanks all of the scores for all of the schools and everything,” Abston said. “It gives us an out in the contract to end the contract.”

The board will review the contract and will further discuss the renewal of Holman’s contract in the April school board meeting.