Article by Emily Wang, White River Now
The Batesville School Board convened Monday night. Two issues of note on the agenda were finalizing the contract payout for former Superintendent Dr. Michael Hester and welcoming Dr. Ken James as the school district’s new superintendent.
Following Dr. Hester’s resignation last month, the board agreed to a payout of $175,000 for the 2024-2025 year. He also received $22,457.35 for the remainder of the 2023-2024 year.
In a statement provided to Region 8 News, Batesville School Board President Scott Fredericks said: “This payout was an agreement reached between the board of education and our previous Superintendent, Dr. Michael Hester. We have the ultimate trust in our newly appointed Superintendent, Dr. Ken James, in moving the school district forward.” (Click here for the Region 8 News story.)
Additionally, the board approved James’s employment as superintendent of the Batesville School District from March 8, 2024, to June 30, 2025, at the annual rate of $55,615.60, payable in four monthly installments for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, and $177,969.91, payable in 12 monthly installments for the 2024-2025 fiscal year.
Also at the meeting, Paul Barrett, a science teacher at White River Academy, was named to receive the April Citizens Bank Above & Beyond Award.
This story was updated to include Fredericks’s statement to Region 8 News and to note the former superintendent’s payment for the remainder of the 2023-2024 year.
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