Pittsfield's Superintendent McCandless Given Six-year Contract Extension
 Superintendent Jason McCandless agreed to a six-year contract extension. |
The committee approved the extension on Wednesday, which replaces a four-year contract he signed in 2013 and will take him until 2021.
McCandless makes $157,000 and the agreement freezes what was a 1 percent annual raise.
"Even a small increase on my salary is money. I'm not going to do this while we are laying people off," McCandless said.
The raises could come back for negotiation as early as next year but for now, McCandless' salary will stay the same. Future raises are all negotiable.
The School Committee approved rolling over 10 vacation days from previous years.
"I appreciate the carryover," McCandless said, adding that in his first year he didn't use many of his days.
The contract allows the superintendent to use 25 vacation days and 20 sick days. McCandless can carry 15 vacation days over to the next year and at the end of the agreement, state law allows him to get paid for unused days. That payment was capped in this contract at 40 days. The 20 sick days can accumulate as well but is limited at 100.
McCandless was hired in 2013 to fill the position left by Howard "Jake" Eberwein III, who took a job with Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. McCandless came to Pittsfield after being in Lee for 11 years, eight of those as superintendent and three as principal. He came to Lee after three years as an assistant principal in Virginia.
He earned his doctorate in educational administration from Boston College, his master's in educational leadership from the University of Virginia, and a bachelor's in communication from Grove City College.
A new district improvement plan process and ushering in the construction of a new Taconic High School are among the initiatives McCandless is currently overseeing in his third year.
"I think we are doing some good things here and good things take time," McCandless said.
The extension closes somewhat of a revolving door for Pittsfield administrators since William Travis left after seven years in 2005. Following Travis, the city hired Katherine Darlington for three years and then Eberwein for four. Gordon Noseworthy filled in on an interim basis between Eberwein's departure and McCandless' hiring.
Tags: contracts, pittsfield schools, superintendent,
