Socorro ISD’s Atkinson To Be Evaluated Tuesday

By Ashlie Hardway

EL PASO — Socorro Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Sylvia Atkinson is scheduled to have her performance evaluation on Tuesday after a year of ecstatic highs and turbulent lows with the district.

Atkinson’s official one-year anniversary is Wednesday, so on the agenda for SISD’s school board meeting is a discussion on contract amendment. Her current contract runs through themiddle of January 2010 and the board has the option to extend it with or without a salary increase, or leave it as is.

“This evaluation has garnered a lot of interest and I think it’s because the community — unfortunately — has a number of issues with our superintendent,” said board memberCraig Patton.

Critics of the superintendentaccuse her of cronyism,orfavoring the hire of acquaintances, as well as degrading the morale of the district. Atkinson denies those allegations.

“It’s been a tumultuous year. I can never remember a year in our school district [with there] being so much upheaval. I don’t think it would be in the best interest of our district right now to extend her contract,” Patton said.

Meanwhile, Atkinson insists the district is better off now than in previous years. “”What’s happening now has paled in comparison. So, I would say[board members]need to go back and look at their history.”

The school board is scheduled to meet Tuesday night at 6 p.m. at Socorro High School’s Band Room.