The Putnam County School Board approved a one-year contract extension for Director of Schools Corby King Thursday night.
King’s contract will now carry through July, 2028 with a salary of $160,000. School Board Chairman Lynn McHenry said the salary increase is for a multitude of reasons.
“Obviously, the great achievements that we’ve had and the schools continue to have, but also to try to keep our system in line with state averages,” McHenry said.
School Board Member Kim Cravens said for school systems at a similar size, the new salary is still behind the average, but it is a step towards catching up.
King said he is extremely humbled and honored to continue in his role, and credited administrators and teachers for the school system’s recent success.
“We’ve had a good year in Putnam County,” King said. “Our students have performed very well, and we continue to work. It’s exciting and able to be in the schools every day and sit in prep sessions and collaboration sessions with teachers and administrators, and I see the work they are pouring in, the care they have for our kids. It’s an honor to be here and be in this position and to be in our community, and I just want to say thank you, and that the success we are having is a reflection of the people and the work they are doing, and I am very appreciative of that.”
The board approved the contract extension after revealing the results of director evaluations. School Board Attorney Dan Rader said King scored a 4.17 out of five, which is higher than the previous year. Rader also said King received an evaluation completed by administrators.
“Thirty-six administrators turned in their evaluations, and that score was 4.67, which I think again underscores that Director King has the respect and the confidence of his entire staff, and that is one reason why our school system has been so successful and so effective this past year,” Rader said.
King was evaluated on 10 different categories. Rader highlighted that the board rated King a 4.29 for community relations, a 4.34 for the vision of the school system, and a 4.28 out of five for integrity, fairness, and ethics.
In other business, the board approved a $2,600 donation received from the Putnam County Democratic Party for the Angel Fund lunch assistance program.
The board also approved allocating funds donated by UTrust to the Special Education Department. The funds will be used to furnish the new Independence Program house ribbon-cutting/open house event once completed.
The board approved the donation of a 2007 Lincoln Navigator from Greg Vandergriff to be used in the Automotive Maintenance and Light Repair classes at Cookeville High School.
The board approved an agreement between Monterey High School and Standing Stone Care & Rehabilitation for the high school to be used in the event that the nursing home must evacuate for emergency purposes.