J.O. Amis will be the first appointed superintendent of the Newton County School District beginning Jan. 1, 2020.
Amis won re-election in 2015 and began serving the final term of an elected superintendent in January 2016. That term officially ends Dec. 31.
For the last few months, the school board met in executive session to determine the terms of a contract to keep Amis on as superintendent. School Board Attorney Jason Mangum said the district looked at other school districts to see what would be fair compensation based on the school district’s size and performance.
Mangum said Amis will be making $115,000 annually on a 3 1/2-year contract that begins Jan. 1, 2020, and ends June 30, 2023.
Amis said he is excited at the opportunity to stay on board as an appointed superintendent.
“I served eight years as superintendent prior to this opportunity to become the school district’s first appointed superintendent,” Amis said. “I am excited about the opportunity to continue to serve the county’s students. I will continue to work with our teachers and administrators to serve the needs of our students and help them be successful.”
In other business, the school board:
• Accepted a 16th Section lease from Iron Hill for $20 per acre.
• Approved financial reports showing that the district had received 23 percent of revenues and had spent 25 percent of expected expenses for the fiscal year. The cash balance is around $1.8 million.
• Approved school board policies section 1.
• Approved the claims docket.
• Approved a $6,770 donation for baseball.
• Approved one resignation and replacement hire.
• Followed board policy on a student transfer.
• Set their school district tour for Jan. 10.
