Ameera Steward
The Birmingham Times
Acknowledging system-wide progress, the Birmingham Board of Education last week extended Superintendent Lisa Herring’s contract through 2022.
“We are extremely pleased with the progress that we have seen under Dr. Herring’s leadership to date, and know that given time, Birmingham City Schools will realize its vision of becoming a recognized leader in public education,” said Cheri Gardner, board president.
Herring, who was hired as superintendent on May 3, 2017, said “I’m grateful. I wake up every morning honored to serve in Birmingham city and to serve our children in Birmingham City Schools. I feel the board has been very clear in their vote of confidence, but I’m also clear on their expectations around the work we have to do.”
According to BCS, “This vote of confidence comes after an 18-month tenure that has yielded the implementation of a number of academic programs and supports to positively impact student outcomes, district-wide initiatives to cast vision and set direction, and standardized systems and processes to improve organizational and operational efficiency.”
The system listed major hallmarks of Herring’s tenure including:
- District accreditation by AdvancED
- Formulation of the district’s new five-year strategic plan, “Force For Greatness 2018-2023,” that includes strategies and metrics for success
- Execution of a branding and image campaign including creation of a new district logo
- Introduction of a district app
- Implementation of a comprehensive teacher coaching and evaluation model
- Participation in Harvard University’s Public Education Leadership Project as Alabama’s first and only school system
- 100 percent first-class Pre-K designation
The BOE also approved a one-time bonus of $500 in the new year for some city schools employees. Teachers and support personnel, both certified and classified employees who are in active status as of Jan. 1, 2019 and whose salary does not exceed $83,000 will receive the bonus, according to the school system.
The supplemental pay comes as a “gesture of gratitude from Birmingham Board of Education members and Superintendent Herring who thank employees for positively impacting the lives of children on a daily basis,” according to a statement from BCS.
