School Committee Singles Out Admin. for Shorter Contract

Director of Strategy and Accountability Darshan Thakkar was granted a shorter contract than his peers.

Three top school administrators have new contracts, but Haverhill School Committee members disagreed Thursday night on the duration granted to new Director of Strategy and Accountability Darshan Thakkar.

The School Committee, after minor amendments, voted five to two in favor of Thakkar’s nearly two-year contract, and unanimously approved up to three-year contracts for Assistant Superintendent Jared Fulgoni and Director of Special Education Kyle Riley. Committee President Maura L. Ryan-Ciardiello and Scott W. Wood Jr. dissented on a negotiating subcommittee’s draft agreement for Thakkar. Both believed Thakkar should have received a term comparable to Fulgoni and Riley.

The committee amended each contract to reflect the three will work 227 days in a school year, rather than the draft “up to 227 days.”

Fulgoni will be paid a pro-rated amount from the $132,500 annual assistant superintendent salary, from last Aug. 25 to June 30, 2017. His contract is subject to salary review for the following two school years. Riley receives a $120,000 salary this school year and is subject to a similar salary review by the end of next June. Thakkar will be paid a pro-rated $127,500 salary, from Sept. 1 to June 30, 2017 and salary review for the second year of his contract.

Fulgoni was previously promoted from director of strategy and accountability, as recommended to the committee by Superintendent James F. Scully. He succeeded former Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum Julie R. Kukenberger, who became superintendent at the Scarborough, Maine school district in July.

Riley, who previously served as interim SPED director, became the permanent director July 1 after the school committee in June reached a tie vote between he and another search process candidate.

Thakkar was promoted from assistant principal at Consentino School to succeed Fulgoni as director of strategy and accountability.

6 thoughts on “School Committee Singles Out Admin. for Shorter Contract

  1. This school committee is pathetic. Sides have been drawn and if your not on take my ball and go home sullivans’s team you are in for a battle.
    Darshan Thakker is highly qualified if not over qualified, time to start looking elsewhere mr Thakker and let Sullivan and her puppets continue to disrupt and destroy the district.
    Thanks for nothing.
    I have no problem paying for private education when I see what is happening with this group of babies. Now if I can sell the house before its to late….

  2. Gail doesn’t like the Doctor because he makes her look like the fake educator she is. Experience in a small little town in Maine and NH and acts like she is remotely in the Doctors or Jim Scully court. Dream on hateful lady

  3. Great job Haverhill School Committee. Cost the taxpayers more money. Give only a minority a lesser contract? Here comes a lawsuit and civil rights violation!!