Reynoldsburg, Ohio, January 28, 2015: Reynoldsburg City Schools Superintendent Tina Thomas-Manning, celebrating one year on the job January 27, 2015, continues to operate in her role as the district’s top administrator without goals.
Raider Strong and its membership feels this is a breach of contract between Thomas-Manning and Reynoldsburg’s Board of Education.
Thomas-Manning entered into a ‘Superintendent Elect’ Contract on January 27, 2014, with Reynoldsburg’s Board of Education, as witnessed by then-board President Andrew Swope and current Treasurer Tammy Miller.
“The Board hereby employs the Employee, and the Employee hereby accepts employment, as Superintendent Elect of the Reynoldsburg School District commencing on May 1, 2014, and ending on July 31, 2014.” The contract was “entered” on January 27, 2014.
In a subsequent contract, transitioning Thomas-Manning to the full role of Superintendent beginning August 1, 2014 (also dated January 27, 2014), the agreement clearly states, “The board shall evaluate the Superintendent at least once each year and in accordance with Board policy. The Board and Superintendent shall mutually adopt goals consistent with the job description of the Superintendent.” (Italics added for emphasis.)
Raider Strong has addressed this concern with Thomas-Manning, asking publically for her goals at the December 16, 2014, regular monthly meeting. Later, the group adopted a position statement asking for Thomas-Manning’s goals by January 27, 2015, one year after her official hire.
It is Raider Strong’s position that goals are key to the success of any individual or organization. “District goals are measured by the state through the Ohio Department of Education’s annul state report card. Teacher goals are measured according to contract language negotiated in the fall of 2014. Superintendent goals are also required, as stated in the contract Tina Thomas-Manning signed. It is these goals that are used in her annual review clearly stated in her current contract with the Reynoldsburg City School District and the Reynoldsburg Board of Education,” the group’s Position Statement outlines.
“There are systems in place to measure student achievement, educator achievement, administrator achievement, our district achievement – yet the system to measure our superintendent’s achievement remains unaddressed,” said Margaret Mary Luzny, president of Raider Strong. “We asked for goals by January 27, 2015, but none were adopted at the regular January board meeting. We are clearly disappointed.”
Raider Strong is a non-profit Political Action Group that was created to support excellence and high quality education in the Reynoldsburg City School District. Our vision is to foster an open relationship between the community, teachers, the administration, and the Board of Education in Reynoldsburg in support of our mission in the hopes of creating a high quality educational system in which all children achieve their educational goals.
Raider Strong meets on the last Tuesday of each month, 7 p.m., at Messiah Lutheran Church in Reynoldsburg.
For more information, contact Debbie Dunlap, Communications Chair, at (614) 581-2870, or Luzny at (614) 5703173.