Emily Featherston
BOE attorney Patrick Boone explains the contracts for Freeman and Mason.
At a special meeting Friday, the Vestavia Hills Board of Education met to take care of a few personnel items.
The first and highest-profile item was the approval of Todd Freeman’s contract to be the next superintendent for the district.
BOE attorney Patrick Boone explained that due to a need to close out his contract with Sylacauga, Freeman will start on March 12.
Interim Superintendent Charles Mason will continue serving in the role through March 11, and the board approved an extension of his contract through that date, as well as $1,000 in additional compensation.
Boone explained that he asked the state superintendent’s office for an extension on the requirement to fill a superintendent vacancy in 180 days, and that his request was approved and that the office believed that Freeman is a good choice.
Freeman’s contract will run through June 30, 2021, when the board will vote on whether to extend, and the contract includes the annual salary of $190,000, a monthly car allowance and standard district benefits.
In addition to the superintendent contracts, the board approved several personnel items to set up the administration for the new school structure that will take over in 2019.
Ty Arendall was already named as the principal of the new elementary school on Jan. 18, and on Friday, Lorie Belski — who is currently the assistant principal at Vestavia Hills Elementary Central — was named as the assistant principal at that school.
David Howard and Jennifer Brown, who are currently Vestavia Hills High School assistant principals, will be assigned to the new ninth grade center.
In a release Friday morning, Vestavia Hills City Schools representatives said that the appointments were made this far in advance in order for the administrators to be able to be part of the planning process for their respective campuses, and for faculty, staff and parents to know who will be leading the new campuses.
“Dr. Freeman and I have consulted on these assignments which are based on the recommendation of principals, Dr. Arendall and Dr. Burgess,” said Mason in the press release.
“I congratulate and thank these administrators who are willing to help lead the creation of these two important new campuses in our school system.”
