CHARLESTON — The Kanawha County Board of Education has taken initial steps toward negotiating a new contract with Schools Superintendent Paula Potter, beginning with the development of formal goals and objectives tied to her leadership.
Board members met in executive session Tuesday before announcing that Potter will prepare a draft outlining proposed goals and performance benchmarks. The board is expected to review and discuss the document at a future public meeting.
Board President Ric Cavender said the discussion helped establish a timeline and framework for the contract process. Cavender made the remarks in comments to WV MetroNews.
“Through this discussion we’ve developed a timeline, what we’re going to do to set goals and objectives for Dr. Potter and attach those goals and objectives to a contract,” Cavender said.
Potter, who assumed the superintendent’s role in July, has spent more than three decades working in the Kanawha County school system in a variety of positions.
Cavender said the board remains confident in Potter’s leadership at a time when he believes public education is facing increasing criticism at both the state and national levels.
“We believe in the system. We know it’s under attack,” Cavender said in an interview with WV MetroNews. “We also believe that Dr. Potter is poised to be in this leadership position to do the best to offset what we’re seeing at the state and national levels when it comes to public education.”
Kanawha County Schools, like many districts across West Virginia, has experienced declining enrollment in recent years. In response, the board has approved the closure of several elementary and middle schools over the past two years.
Cavender acknowledged that additional challenges lie ahead but said the board believes current leadership is prepared to navigate them.
“We definitely believe the leadership we have in place now is extremely strong and can combat, for lack of a better term, what we see happening here,” he said.
The Board of Education is scheduled to revisit the superintendent’s contract during a meeting planned for mid-February.
