Contract for Oak Ridge Schools superintendent extended to 2027

Oak Ridge Board of Education members recently took action to extend Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers' contract another year - to 2027.

"Your leadership is exemplary," Board Chairman Keys Fillauer told Borchers during the most recent board meeting. He said he knew Borchers would say he had a "good team" behind him. Fillauer said Borchers offers opportunities for his staff to grow, which also brings about students' success.

The board chairman said each member, with the exception of the newest one, Heather Hartman, had reviewed and evaluated Borchers as part of his yearly evaluation. They'd also had time, if they chose, to meet with Borchers individually on their evaluation of the superintendent, he said. Hartman was elected by voters to the school board in November.

Bruce Borchers
Bruce Borchers

The board unanimously voted to extend Borchers' contract a year, according to Fillauer.

Borchers is currently serving his 10th year as leader of the Oak Ridge school system. His new four-year contract will go into effect on June 18, he said by email. The contract would expire on June 17, 2027 unless it's extended further by a mutual agreement between the school board and Borchers. A four-year contract is the longest one the board can offer the superintendent under state law.

Under his current contract, Borchers' salary is $222,463.00 a year. The extension does not include a pay raise. Instead, any increase in his pay would be considered by the board when it considers raises for other employees in the school system under the upcoming budget deliberations for the 2023-24 year.

According to the superintendent's welcome letter to parents and patrons on the Oak Ridge School's website, the city school system includes a "preschool (serving 216 students ages 3-4), four elementary schools (serving 1,694 students), two middle schools (serving 1,337 students), and one high school (serving 1,480 students) and supporting programs."

The Oak Ridger's News Editor Donna Smith covers Oak Ridge area news. Email her at dsmith@oakridger.com and follow her on Twitter@ridgernewsed. Support The Oak Ridger by subscribing. Offers available at https://subscribe.oakridger.com/offers.

This article originally appeared on Oakridger: Contract extended for Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers