SISD Trustees Debate Into The Night; Atkinson Awarded Extension

SOCORRO — The members of the Socorro Independent School District board of trustees worked into the early morning hours as they debated whether to extend the employment contract for superintendent Dr.Sylvia P. Atkinson. After almost four hours of discussion in executive session, trustees voted 5-2to award hera one-year extension.

Atkinson’s contract with the district will now run through Jan. 15, 2011. The agreement carriesa new proviso: instead of an annual performance review, Atkinson now faces quarterly evaluations.

There was no mention of a salary increase to the public, ABC 7 has learned.

Craig Patton, one of the trustees who voted against a contract extension, left the meeting immediately after adjournment with no comment. Earlier this week he said he neverhas seen “quite a tumultuous time for the school district” as this past year with Atkinson as chief administrator.

Patton had also told ABC 7 Atkinson “has not done a good job for our district” and that he would be “livid” if the board extended her contract.

Before the meeting went into executive session, trustees heard from 23 speakers. Some 17 supported Atkinson, citing more summer graduates, open communication and better test scores occurring under her supervision.

There were seven people who spoke against the superintendent, and named failing schools, a failed bond and questionable hires as reasons to allow her contract to expire in two years.