The Montgomery County Board of Education on Thursday approved a final contract to keep Jack Smith as superintendent of the school district, but school officials did not immediately release the new contract. A district spokesman said the new contract includes a 9% salary increase.
On Feb. 10, the school board voted unanimously to renew Smith’s contract, contingent upon finalizing the contract’s details.
During a work session about the school district’s capital improvements program on Thursday, the school board announced it and Smith had reached an agreement for a final contract. The board voted unanimously to finalize his reappointment through June 2024.
The school board did not disclose any of the details of the contract during the meeting, and the contract was not publicly available online.
School district spokesman Derek Turner said the contract would not be available Thursday, but Smith’s new salary will be $315,000 per year. His current salary is $290,000.
Smith’s reappointment is subject to written approval by State Superintendent of Schools Karen Salmon, which has not yet happened.
School board member Jeanette Dixon said in a message on Friday morning that she believes the contract will be made publicly available when Smith’s renewal is approved by Salmon.
Smith first publicly said in December that he wanted to continue working as superintendent. Shortly after, all eight members of the school board told Bethesda Beat they supported renewing his contract.
Prior to MCPS, Smith was interim state superintendent and the State Department of Education’s chief academic officer. He spent eight years as superintendent of Calvert County Schools and six years teaching in Japan.
“It is with great humility and humbleness I thank the board for its support,” Smith said earlier this month. “I certainly will do everything in my power to maintain and increase excellence for all students.”
Caitlynn Peetz can be reached at caitlynn.peetz@moco360.media
