The Toledo Board of Education gave its top two administrators a vote of confidence Tuesday in midyear evaluations.

The board expressed support for both Superintendent Jerome Pecko and Treasurer Matt Cleland after conducting evaluations last week in closed meetings.

The evaluation results read publicly Tuesday did not include any rating of performance or specific areas identified by the board as weaknesses or strengths in either man's performance.

Instead, a statement was read on behalf of board members that gave both officials their vote of confidence.

Both men were also given areas on which to focus. Mr. Cleland was directed to continue working on the passage of a 6.9-mill continuing levy being placed on the November election ballot and on leadership, financial management, communication and collaboration, professionalism, and facilities, property, and capital asset management.

Mr. Pecko was directed to focus on the levy's passage, the district's transformation plan for the schools, customer service, communication with the board and community, improving the district's graduation rate, and academic performance. Community collaboration was stressed by the board.

The board last evaluated Mr. Pecko in January, giving him a vote of confidence. A midyear review for TPS administrators is somewhat unusual, although both said they expected it.

"I appreciate the board's confidence [in me]," Mr. Cleland said.

Board policy calls for evaluations to be done once a year. In the past, evaluations for the district's top two administrators caused rifts on the board, with some protesting that the evaluations were not done annually as intended. When Lisa Sobecki became board president, she expressed her intention to hold evaluations for the pair at least twice a year.

Mr. Pecko was hired in July, 2010, and has a year left on his contract.

Mr. Cleland was made interim treasurer in September after Dan Romano resigned from the job. In March, Mr. Cleland was made permanent and given a two-year contract.

In other news, the district took a step at Tuesday's meeting toward expanding its growing partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo.

The board gave administrators the authority to negotiate with the organization for a third joint school and club, voting to lease and share space at East Broadway Elementary school.

The partnership will be similar to ones at Sherman and Marshall elementary schools.

The Sherman partnership was the first in Ohio. It was partly credited with bringing back students to the school, improving academic performance, and decreasing discipline rates. Marshall's club opened this year.

"I'd say its been very successful," Ms. Sobecki said of the partnership.

A representative from the Boys & Girls Club declined Tuesday by phone to give details on the proposed club, and TPS officials said that plans for the club depend on a lease agreement.

James Gant, district business manager, said anticipated costs for renovations of East Broadway would be about $200,000; in past projects, the Boys & Girls Club have reimbursed TPS for those costs.

District officials hope to have the club open by the start of the school year.

Contact Nolan Rosenkrans at: nrosenkrans@theblade.com or 419-724-6086.

First Published June 27, 2012, 4:00 a.m.