Superintendent John Antonucci received rave reviews in his annual evaluation by the School Committee, which praised his decision-making and communication skills, personnel management, and leadership.
"Overall we're extremely happy with how things are going in the system. You've had to deal with a lot of adversity this year with the budget, and I think you handled it in a way that was non-alarmist, and very smooth," Chairperson Barbara Delisle said last week, speaking for her committee. "If you're going to feel good about having a zero percent budget increase, you made us feel good about what decisions we had to make."
The schools have a $32.5 million budget for fiscal 2010, which begins next month. That is $946,000 less than what Antonucci initially asked for from the town when presenting his budget proposal in January.
Delisle noted that budget transparency has always been a priority under Antonucci, who came on the job in 2005.
"I think the zero percent increase budget this year, while it wasn't what you wanted to do, what you did put forward was still an extremely reasonable budget," Delisle said.
She announced Thursday that while Antonucci's contract calls for a 3 percent salary increase each year, "This year you actually volunteered, or offered, and we've accepted that offer, to take a zero percent increase for the year" - in line, she said, with the level-funded department budget.
Antonucci's total salary is $162,089. His current contract runs through 2012.
Delisle's comments were almost uniformly positive. She said the superintendent's decision-making and communication skills are excellent, he has great integrity, and he sets a collegial atmosphere managing personnel.
She said his relationship with the School Committee has also been excellent. "You listen to us, and we have our different takes. You're very flexible about when we want information on something, you're very flexible and work with us on those areas," she said.
Addressing Antonucci's leadership, Delisle said he always gives credit to staff - except, perhaps, for when Antonucci misspoke earlier in the meeting, accidentally saying that Audrey Seyffert and he had done some yeoman's work on a project. Antonucci promptly gave credit where it was due, to Seyffert and Avalin Green, two members of his administrative team.
"You don't have to have your finger in every single pie. You can have a lot of confidence in your staff, and you give them credit. You empower them," Delisle said.
