Schools
Interim Superintendent Will Not Seek Full-Time Job
Thomas Elliott, Port Chester's interim superintendent, would need an unheard-of long-term waiver to compete for a long-term contract as superintendent.
Interim Superintendent Thomas Elliott's contract will take him through June 30, when the district will face a challenge not unlike the superintendent debates of this winter.
The main difference? Next time around, the district will be looking for permanence.
Although the next superintendent search is months away and it's impossible to tell with any certainty which direction the school district will take, one thing is clear–Elliott won't be among the candidates.
As a retiree and member of the New York State teacher's retirement system, Elliott was required to seek a waiver from the state's Department of Education before taking on the interim job in Port Chester. That waiver was for a very specific time period, and it expires on Elliott's last day.
"The waiver can be extended, but it certainly can't be extended indefinitely," Elliott said.
Since any future hiring would involve a long-term contract–former Superintendent Donald Carlisle's contract spanned five years–it's unlikely that the education department would offer a new waiver long enough for Port Chester to consider Elliott for the job.
Elliott said he will not be a candidate when Port Chester renews its search this summer.
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