Rockwood's Superintendent Contract Extended Just as State Audit Results Are Expected

Rockwood School District Board of Education directors voted on Sunday to extend Superintendent Bruce Borchers’ contract through June 30, 2016. The vote was 4-3 for the contract extension, according to a district news release made available Monday afternoon.

This board meeting originally would have been held Thursday, but was rescheduled to Sunday, based on inclement weather.

Borchers' contract extension comes just days before district residents will learn the discoveries of a Missouri auditing team, who just finished an audit of the district: Rockwood State Audit Results to be Revealed Wednesday

The district's last state audit was conducted in 1994.

Board members voting to extend Borchers’ contract, according to the release, were: Janet Strate, Matt Doell, Steve Banton and Keith Kinder. Bill Brown, Sherri Rogers and Steve Smith voted against the extension.

Borchers became Rockwood’s superintendent July 1, 2010.

Board president Janet Strate stated in the release:  “Dr. Borchers has had a student achievement focus demonstrated by the implementation of the vision scorecards. We believe that student success should be at the forefront of our decisions.”

Strate said Borchers approached the board of directors earlier in the year about not accepting a salary increase if given a contract extension. Borchers’ current salary is $234,600. Last February, board directors gave him a 2 percent salary increase.

Bill Brown stated in the release:  “I don’t believe we can ignore the information and feedback we have received from our some of our staff and community members. They have made it clear it’s time for a fresh start and a change in direction.”

School boards review superintendent performance each year. When board members support the superintendent, they extend the contract by a year to keep it at three years.

In St. Louis County, school superintendents generally hold three-year contracts.