2014 Remains End Date For New London Superintendent

The Board of Education voted 6-1 Thursday against extending Superintendent Nicholas Fischer’s an additional year, reaffirming a decision on the issue made last year.

The decision retains the contract's expiration date of June 30, 2014. The “evergreen clause” in the contract allows the expiration of the three-year contract to be extended automatically by one year unless the Board votes against it.

The contract requires the Board of Education to take any vote against extending the contract before the end of April, meaning the Board had to decide whether to uphold last year’s decision to have the contract end in 2014. The Board’s membership has not changed since that vote.

“We have to do it every April, or else it extends a year,” said Board President Margaret Curtin. “And the Board just felt we shouldn’t extend.”

The contract vote normally takes place in executive session, but the superintendent may request that it be held in public. Fischer exercised this option and, as he did last year, spoke about academic progress in the New London Public Schools following the vote. He said improvements during his time as superintendent have included an extended learning time pilot program, an academic requirement for extracurricular activities, and all schools meeting or exceeding improvement expectations on the school improvement index under the state’s new metric.

“New London, interestingly, lost our two percent ECS [Education Cost Sharing] funds because of improvements overall in the district,” he said.

Board member Bill Morse, the sole supporter of Fischer’s contract extension on Thursday and in the 2012 vote, said he thought the extension would guarantee that the superintendent does not change in the midst of the transition to an all magnet school district. Morse also said he thought Fischer has been successful in improving student achievement.

“In my mind, he’s fulfilled the most critical component of bringing this district toward where it needs to be,” said Morse.

Some residents also praised Fischer during the meeting’s public comment section. Al Kinsall, a former president of the Board of Education, said the district has shown steady improvement under Fischer and that not renewing the contract could set the district up for failure and a state takeover.

“It is very untimely to hire a new superintendent,” said Kinsall. “Why start over when you have so much institutional knowledge and success that is leading the way to improved student achievement?”

John Pescatello said Fischer had reached out to assist him in the activities of New London Anti-Violence, a group formed after the 2010 murder of his friend Matthew Chew. He described Fischer as a “natural educator” who advised him on how best to reach out to the city’s youth.

“Dr. Fischer understands the kids of New London,” said Pescatello. “And when I say the kids, I mean all the kids in this very diverse and sometimes segregated city.”

Fischer has been superintendent since 2009. His last approved contract in 2011 included a $151,470 annual salary, 25 vacation days, payment of 84 percent of health and dental premiums by the district, a $7,000 insurance stipend, a $6,000 expense account for travel and other business expenses, a $5,000 tax-sheltered annuity and a $500 monthly automobile stipend.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.