By Dedra Cordle
Staff Writer
Dr. Bill Wise is set to remain the superintendent of the South-Western City Schools District for the foreseeable future.
At its Aug. 10 meeting, the board of education approved a contract extension that will keep Wise as the superintendent of the district through the 2020/21 school year. The contract will go into effect August of 2016.
Board president Randy Reisling said the contract extension is a reflection of the confidence the board has in his leadership abilities and his work ethic.
“Dr. Wise works tirelessly for the students and families in the South-Western City Schools District,” he said.
Reisling credited Wise’s management of the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission project and the implementation of the Accelerated Learning Center and all-day, every day kindergarten for the upcoming school year as examples of his successes as the leader of the district.
The approved contract will bring changes to his current contract. Under the new terms, Wise will receive a base salary of $186,734. Benefits and performance bonuses are not included in the base salary, though there will be an additional $8,400 included due to a $700 per month car allowance. His current contract has that allowance, but it is not included in his base salary. Next year, it will be.
The board agreed to raise his vacation days by five (he will receive 30 vacation days) and also agreed to make an annual contribution of 3 percent of his current salary to a board approved tax-sheltered annuity of Wise’s choice each January throughout his contract.
Wise has been with the district for 13 years. He started in 2002 as the assistant superintendent of curriculum and then was promoted to the deputy superintendent in 2007. Later that year, he became the superintendent after the retirement of Kirk Hamilton.
Wise said that he is proud to be a part and remain a part of the district.
“I am very pleased with the progress the staff has made to make South-Western a better place throughout the last decade,” he said. “We have come a long way and there are many more things we want to accomplish.”
