Posted: 8:32 p.m.Monday, Jan. 26, 2015

SCHOOL SPENDING

Board approves Middletown superintendent’s retire/rehire

By Rick McCrabb

Staff Writer

MIDDLETOWN — 

    Despite reservations from union members,the Middletown City Schools District board of education unanimously approvedthe retirement and rehiring of its superintendent.

    More than 100 of the 400 MiddletownTeachers’ Association union members — just as the previous board meeting —attended Monday’s meeting and voiced their displeasure with Superintendent SamIson’s performance during the past two years. The union members filled thecity’s council chambers, with the overflow crowd sitting in the balcony.

    After the vote, most of those in attendanceleft the meeting.

    Ison said he was “honored and very humbled”after the board showed its confidence in his performance. Ison, 58, who hasserved as superintendent for two years, will retire on June 30, 2015, then berehired July 2, said Marcia Andrew, school board president.

    Andrewsaid the retire/rehire will save the district money because it won’t have tohire an interim superintendent. Ison also has volunteered to surrender twomonths of his retirement that will save the district an undisclosed amount ofmoney, she said.

    Ison has agreed to return for $120,000 ayear and eliminate his 5 percent bonus, which will save the district about$12,000 a year, Andrew said. Ison’s 2014 salary was $123,791.   The contract is for three years with apossibility of a fourth year.

    Also, Andrew said, the board is allowed togive Ison a 90-day notice, then fire him without cause with no severance.

    Ison has said he wants to remainsuperintendent because he’s seeing improvements in the district’s academics andresidents recently passed a bond issue and improvement levy that will fund thebuilding of a new middle school and renovating Middletown High School.

    “He does care and he wants the district tosucceed,” Andrew said.

    Ison said he hopes the emotions shown bythe union “can drive actions.”

    He promised to improve communications betweenthe administration and the district’s staff. He also wants to periodically meetwith the faculty council and improve the climate and professional developmentin the district.

    Ison called communication “a two-way and Iam reaching out.”

    He then addressed the teachers in the room:“I do believe in you.”

    Before the vote, Terry Cole said hegraduated from MHS, then earned his bachelor’s and masters degrees from Miami Universitywith the goal of returning to Middletownas a science teacher. He has taught in the district for six years and he hadplanned to stay until he retired, he told the board.

    Now, he said: “I can’t imaging stayingright now.”

    He called losing quality teachers“sickening” before adding, “I don’t feel valued by the downtown administration.We feel like we are inadequate. It’s a negative climate.”

    Two members of the Middletown community voiced their support ofIson. Rick Pearce, president of the Chamber of Commerce Serving Middletown, Monroe and Trenton,called   Ison “very compelling” and saidhis enthusiasm is contagious.

    Peggy McClusky, who worked for MiddletownCity Schools for 28 years, said she has been a friend of Ison’s for 20 years,and she encouraged him to leave the Lebanondistrict and accept the administration position in Middletown.

    “I don’t know anybody better,” she said.She called Ison “hard working and a dedicated” person.