School Committee gives Pellicone new contract
BY STEVE SHEPPARD
The School Committee has given Dr. Robert Pellicone a new three year contract that, with rollover provisions, will extend to 2011.

The unanimous vote was to assure the new superintendent he'd have a job beyond the two years left on the contract negotiated when he was hired last year as deputy superintendent. Dr. Pellicone was named superintendent when Alan Myers retired in June.

"If we want to hire and keep an instructional leader for the district we felt we needed to give him some assurance of continued employment," said school committee chairman Susan Genthner.

The contract is retroactive to Sept. 6. The school committee must notify Pellicone in writing by February 1, 2007 if it does not intend to keep him beyond 2009, or the rollover provision will kick in.

The contract gives him a salary of $130,000 for the first year with a separate housing stipend of $1,500 a month that will increase to $3,000 a month if he buys a house. At the end of his employment, however, he must return 30 percent of all stipend monies given him to the Nantucket Educational Trust.

"It's an issue we all struggle with, and as a community we have to help people with housing," Genthner said. "We thought this was the best option we could come up with to give him the confidence that he was going to be here for a while."

Dr. Pellicone said the new contract means he can start putting down roots on the island. "I'm happy with the contract," he said. "It's an endorsement of their confidence that I can lead the schools for a number of years.

"Right now I'm renting," he continued. "For two years I've been doing the Nantucket Shuffle. The name of the game is (having) a place I can call my own."

With contract talks behind him, Pellicone said he will concentrate on working with teachers in developing educational programs and being part of the island community. "I think we've made some gains with MCAS scores in grade ten," he said. "Our staff is committed (to education). They're making a difference in students' lives."

"We are confident in his leadership, confident he will work to improve student abilities and confident he will support the incredibly talented staff we have," Genthner noted. "He knows how to build a team. He sees what needs to be done and gets the job done. I think the decisions he's making for the system are generally good decisions."

SCHOOLS SEEK PUBLIC INPUT

The Nantucket Public Schools will be conducting a study to determine whether the community school should continue current operations, become a nonprofit under the management of the schools or relocate to another building to free up classroom space.

The schools will host a series of forums beginning Monday, October 30, at 7 p.m. in the high school LGI. The public is invited to attend. Those who cannot attend but wish to give opinions on the matter are urged to e-mail school superintendent Dr. Robert Pellicone at pelliconer@nps.k12.ma.us.

The public schools also are seeking people to serve on a facility advisory committee to make recommendations to the school committee on building utilization and instruction space. According to the school superintendent's office, "The district needs to be prepared to address alternate space needs for the future as our enrollment continues to increase."

The committee will meet in the evening hours. Those interested should contact Sarah Holdgate in the superintendent's office by October 31 by calling 228-7285.

Reports and recommendations on both matters will be made to the school committee in January, 2007.