Nixa schools extend superintendent Kleinsmith's contract

The Nixa Public Schools Board of Education on Wednesday unanimously approved an extension to the contract of superintendent Stephen Kleinsmith.

The superintendent's contract was slated to expire at the end of the 2012 school year, but the contract extension pushes that date to 2013.

Kleinsmith will make $142,407 for the 2009-2010 school year, the same amount he made last year. Kleinsmith has said he will not take a salary increase while teacher salaries in his district are frozen due to budget constraints.

"Dr. Kleinsmith met or exceeded expectations in all areas. He does an outstanding job as the Chief Executive Officer of Nixa Public Schools," Glenn Scott, board secretary, said in a news release. The release cited Nixa's eight consecutive years of Accreditation with Distinction in Performance from the Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, as well as a dropout rate of just 1.6 percent.

"Nixa is a leader among area schools, and it all begins with the 'tone at the top,'" said board member Jim McCauley in the release. "(Kleinsmith's) ability to work with people through highly emotional situations and listen his way to a solution is greatly appreciated by our board."

Kleinsmith begins his 11th year as superintendent of the district in August.[[In-content Ad]]