UPDATE: USD 305 Superintendent's Contract Not Renewed

In a move that surprised many people, at the conclusion of a lengthy executive session the Salina USD 305 Board of Education Tuesday night voted to non-renew Superintendent Bill Hall’s contract.

Among those surprised by the move were district officials and Superintendent Hall. District Officials tell KSAL News that the action was not anticipated.

The district says that by policy the board of education conducts an annual review of the superintendent. Bill Hall remains in charge of the district; his contract is a business agreement that is intact for two more school years. He is focused on learning and teaching. Mr. Hall continues to work toward a strong, productive educational environment for students and staff.

KSAL News has reached out to the school board for comment.

Hall is currently under contract through the 2018 – 2019 school year. He plans on staying through the duration of the contract.

Hall took the post in 2011 after leading the Ulysses School District for 11-years.

 

School Board President Johnna Vosseller offered the following statement in regard to her vote:

This personal statement is in regards to the March 14, 2017 board meeting. These views are mine alone and do not represent the opinion of the board as a whole.

My personal vote last night was based on Mr. Hall’s past performance. It was his evaluation after all. I took into consideration things like passing the bond issue, Salina West, building construction, career and tech ed classes that are being implemented, district newsletters just to name a few of the projects Mr. Hall spearheaded. I took into consideration how patrons felt about the district by reviewing the patron insight survey and the amazing results it showed and then I based it on actual interactions I’ve had personally with other staff and Mr. Hall directly.

Our district has 7,000 kids and 1,500 staff and you can see how he makes everyone feel special. Odds are he knows a child’s name and knows what classes or building the staff member teaches or works in. That’s amazing compared to prior superintendents who never left the district office.

During our board work session a few weeks ago, I got the sense that some board members were angry with Mr. Hall for trying to do what he believed was the right thing by upholding the negotiated contract equally at the January board meeting. Unfortunately for him, he tried to enforce it on a friend of a board member. Instead of excusing themselves for a conflict of interest, that board member grandstanded during the January board meeting claiming that board policies are flexible so their friend didn’t have to follow the rules.

Now it appears the board has decided to “nonrenew” our superintendent, which is odd because he still has two years left on his contract. So what does that even mean? If he is doing a bad job why
didn’t we terminate immediately? However, that’s not what Carol’s motion was on Tuesday evening.

The board could have done nothing and the contract would have simply expired. But no. I believe public shaming and a pound of flesh was what some board members wanted.

Sadly the only ones who lose here is the community.

I would add that the board members forming the cabal against Mr. Hall are also going to make it difficult to find a replacement. He succeeds at pulling off a successful bond election with a 53% turnout and a 60/40 split, then we repay by firing him. Who would want that kind of life situation?

ORIGINAL: In a 4-3 vote that took place during a nearly three hour executive session, the Salina USD 305 School Board decided not to renew Superintendent Bill Hall’s contract after it expires following the 2018–2019 school year.

Hall took the post in 2011 after leading the Ulysses School District for 11-years.

According to the Salina Journal, voting not to renew Hall’s contract were board Vice President Nedra Elbl and board members Carol Brandert, Brett Cooper and Mary Ann Trickle.

The three members who voted to retain Hall were board President Johnna Vosseller and board members Romona Newsom and Ann Zimmerman.