The superintendent and treasurer of Toledo Public Schools received glowing praise from the board of education Wednesday, after a nearly five-hour, closed-door meeting to give yearly evaluations.
Board members unanimously approved votes of confidence for Superintendent Romules Durant, 40, and Treasurer Ryan Stechschulte, 48, who was hired a year ago.
The successful evaluations, however, do not come with additional pay.
Mr. Durant’s base salary will remain at $175,000 and Mr. Stechschulte’s salary will stay at $135,000, according to a district spokesman.
Both men’s contracts expire July 31, 2018.
The board also outlined several goals for the leaders.
It wants Mr. Durant to revive a practice of delivering a “State of the District” address. He’ll give the public update in October, the first time he’ll do so since being promoted to the top post in 2013.
“I take most seriously being a part of Toledo Public Schools, and you make it very easy to be proud of everything that we do,” board President Bob Vasquez told the superintendent.
The board also wants Mr. Durant to increase parent engagement; focus on the state’s third-grade reading guarantee, which keeps those students who don’t score high enough from advancing to the next grade; communicate regularly with the board, develop interest-based bargaining methods to be used during negotiations with employee unions, and continue to implement the district’s strategic plan.
After the meeting, Mr. Durant said he took time during the evaluation to tell board members about “major strides” the district has made.
He specifically mentioned the advantages to reorganizing elementary and middle schools into a K-8 model, growing the number of students who take college courses, and his excitement about trying to improve graduation rates.
Mr. Durant said he’s energized by the position.
“I live this work,” he said. “This is a 24/7 job and, you know, to continue to involve and intertwine myself into the community — from the cornerstones of being into your churches, into your neighborhoods — and at the same time the work that we do here at the school.”
The board tasked Mr. Stechschulte with making a five-year budget forecast presentation available to the public and implementing software programs, among other goals.
Board member Polly Taylor-Gerken said she counts hiring a treasurer as among the most important decisions made during her time on the board.
“I’m feeling really confident that we made a great choice when we came across you, Ryan,” she said.
The board made one change to Mr. Stechschulte’s contract related to his 31 annual vacation days. He now will be paid out for up to 20 unused vacation days, instead of 10.
The board also unanimously agreed to create an ad-hoc evaluation committee to oversee future reviews.
Board members Stephanie Eichenberg and Perry Lefevre were tapped to serve on that committee.
Contact Vanessa McCray at: vmccray@theblade.com or 419-724-6065, or on Twitter @vanmccray.
First Published June 30, 2016, 4:00 a.m.