DRAFT EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

BY AND BETWEEN
THE TORRINGTON BOARD OF EDUCATION
AND
CHRISTOPHER LEONE, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS

It is hereby agreed by and between the Board of Education of the Town of Torrington (hereinafter

called the "Board") and Christopher Leone (hereinafter called the "Superintendent") that the said Board in

accordance with its action by election pursuant to Section 10-157 of the Connecticut General Statutes, on

the ____day of [December, 2009] January, 2010 has and does hereby employ him as Superintendent of

Schools of Torrington and that he hereby accepts employment as such Superintendent upon the terms and

conditions hereinafter set forth.

1. DUTIES

The Superintendent of Schools is the chief executive officer of the Board. In harmony with the

policies of the Board, state laws, and State Board of Education regulations, the Superintendent has executive

authority over the school system and the responsibility for its supervision. He has the general authority to

act at his discretion, subject to later approval by the Board, upon all emergency matters and those as to

which his powers and duties are not expressly limited or are not particularly set forth. He shall advise the

Board on policies and plans that the Board takes under consideration, and shall take the initiative in

presenting to the Board policy and planning issues for the Board's attention.

Unless otherwise directed by the Board, the Superintendent or his designee as approved by the Board

shall attend all meetings of the Board and shall participate in all Board deliberations, except when matters

related to his own employment are under consideration. The Superintendent shall receive notice of all

Board Committee meetings and, unless directed otherwise by the Board, he or his designee may attend such

meetings.

Draft Contract
2. TERM

The term of said employment is for two and half years, from January __ 2010 to June 30, 2012. If

the Board and the Superintendent wish to extend employment under this contract for an additional period of

three (3) years then at least one year prior to the expiration of this contract the Superintendent shall notify

the Board that it may vote on whether to enter into a new agreement with a term not to exceed three (3)

years pursuant to Section 10-157 of the Connecticut General Statutes.

3. COMPENSATION

A. The base salary of the Superintendent shall be $142,250 annually, prorated during the first 6

months, and thereafter on an annual basis starting July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011. The salary

mentioned in this Section 3 A. shall be as negotiated between the Board and the Superintendent for

subsequent years. Any adjustment in salary made during the life of this agreement shall be in the form of an

amendment and shall become part of this agreement. It is provided, however, that by so doing it shall not be

deemed that the Board has modified the term of the agreement with the Superintendent.

B. The total salary described in 3.A shall be subject to contribution to the State Teacher’s Retirement

system.

4. FRINGE BENEFITS AND WORKING CONDITIONS

The parties hereto agree as follows:

A. The Board shall provide the Superintendent with fifteen (15) sick days annually. Unused sick days

may be accumulated annually to a maximum of 150 days. He shall be compensated for thirty percent

(30%) of his unused sick days upon retirement or other termination of employment while in good standing.

The Board will permit the Superintendent to allocate a maximum of five (5) of his fifteen (15) sick days to

be used for the purpose of immediate family illness and or deaths in the immediate family.

Draft Contract
Page 2 of 6
 B. The Board shall provide the Superintendent with twenty (20) vacation days annually, exclusive of

legal holidays. Unused vacation days may be accumulated to a maximum of five (5) days. At the time of

his retirement or other termination of employment in good standing he shall be compensated for any

unused vacation days.

C. The Board shall provide the Superintendent with four (4) personal days annually to be used for

personal business, deaths in the family, family sickness and the like. Unused personal days shall not be

accumulated and the Superintendent shall not be compensated for unused personal days upon retirement or

other termination of employment.

D. The Board shall provide the Superintendent (including his dependants) with the same health

insurance benefits provided to Torrington administrators pursuant to the Torrington Public Schools

Administrator’s Association collective bargaining agreement. The Superintendent's contribution towards

these medical insurance benefits will also be consistent with the Torrington Public Schools Administrator's

Association collective bargaining agreement and will be made through payroll deduction and shall be

made pursuant to an IRS Section 125 plan. Any such coverage shall be subject to eligibility requirements

and/or working periods imposed or required by the Board's health insurance carrier.

E. The Superintendent may purchase long-term disability coverage (LTD) of his choosing for the life

of this contract. The Board shall arrange for payroll deduction if requested by the Superintendent upon

proof of purchase of coverage provided by the Superintendent..

F. The Board shall pay $400.00 per month as reimbursement for the Superintendent's automobile

expenses.

G. Subject to prior approval of the Board, expenses incurred by Superintendent to continue

professional development and to participate in relevant learning experiences and professional meetings at

the local, state, national and international level shall be reimbursed by the Board upon presentation of

Draft Contract
Page 3 of 6
 proper proof. Expenses expected to exceed $1,000.00 shall require prior approval of the Board. This

provision does not include expenses incurred by the Superintendent associated with doctoral

programming.

H. The Board shall pay, on behalf of the Superintendent, the membership costs of

CAPSS (Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents) and one other relevant professional

association of the Superintendent's choosing provided membership costs are reasonable as determined by

the Board.

I. The Board shall pay $4000.00 annually to a tax sheltered annuity or annuities of his choice

J. Unless stated otherwise all benefits provided on an annual basis shall be prorated for

any partial year of employment. “Annual” shall, for the purpose of determining the period for which a

benefit is due shall mean a contract year, July 1, to June30.

5. EVALUATION FORMAT AND PROCESS

A. The Board shall meet and discuss the evaluation format with the Superintendent and attempt in

good faith to agree on the development and adoption of a mutually agreeable evaluation format. However,

the evaluation format must include a written formal evaluation of the performance of the Superintendent by

the Board annually during the term of this agreement. Said evaluation format shall also be conducted in

connection with the Board's established goals for the District and based on assessments in four leadership

areas: Educational Leadership / Organizational Management / Community and BOE Relations / Personal

and Professional Qualities and Relationships. And, in advance of the evaluation, the Superintendent shall

submit on or before May 1, 2011, and annually thereafter, a performance portfolio designed to be a

compilation of the work product aligned with the Board's established goals and include any mitigating

circumstances that may have compromised goal attainment and in relation to in any of the four leadership

areas. The Board shall consider that the performance portfolio be initially presented by the Superintendent

Draft Contract
Page 4 of 6
at a special meeting of the Board dedicated to reviewing the information contained in the portfolio and all

other relevant district data.

B. The Board shall have up to 45 days following the submission of the performance portfolio to

complete its evaluation unless otherwise agreed to by parties to this agreement. In the event the Board

determines under its evaluation that the performance of the Superintendent is deficient in any respect, it

shall describe in writing in reasonable detail, indicating specific instances where appropriate, said deficient

performance. The evaluation shall include recommendations as to areas of improvement in all instances

where the Board deems performance to be deficient and all other instances where the Board deems such to

be necessary or appropriate. A copy of the written evaluation shall be delivered to the Superintendent and

the Superintendent shall have the right to make a written reaction or response to the evaluation, which shall

become a permanent attachment to the Superintendent’s personnel file. Within 30 days of delivery of the

written evaluation to the Superintendent, the Board shall meet with the Superintendent to discuss the

evaluation.

6. TERMINATION

A. The parties may, by mutual consent, terminate the contract at any time.

B. The Superintendent shall be entitled to terminate the contract upon written notice of

ninety days.

C. The Board may terminate the contract of employment during its term for one or more of the

following reasons:

(1) Inefficiency or incompetence;

(2) Insubordination against reasonable rules of the Board;

(3) Moral misconduct;

(4) Disability as shown by competent medical evidence;

Draft Contract
Page 5 of 6
 (5) Other due and sufficient cause.

In the event the Board terminates the contract for one of the above reasons, it shall serve on the

Superintendent written notice that his contract has been terminated and shall state the effective date thereof.

Such notice shall be accompanied by a written statement of reasons. Within fifteen (15) days after receipt

from the Board of written notice that his contract has been terminated the Superintendent may file with the

Board a written request for a hearing before the Board, which shall be held within twenty (20) days after

receipt of such request. The Board shall hear evidence as to whether it has reason to rescind or modify its

decision to terminate the Superintendent’s employment. The Board shall render its decision within fifteen

(15) days of such hearing and shall send a copy of its decision setting forth the reasons and evidence relied

on to the Superintendent. The Superintendent shall have the right to his own counsel, at his own expense.

Any time limits established herein may be waived by mutual agreement of the parties.

7. GENERAL PROVISIONS

A. If any part of this agreement is invalid, it shall not affect the remainder of said agreement, but

said remainder shall be binding and effective against all parties.

B. This contract contains the entire agreement between the parties. It may not be

amended orally but may be amended only by an agreement in writing signed by both parties. Commencing

on its effective date it supersedes all prior agreements between the parties.

C. Pursuant to a vote of the Board at a meeting duly held on December _____, 2009 the Board

authorized the Board Chairperson to execute this contract on its behalf.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this contract the

day and year aforesaid.

______________________________________ ___________________________________

Draft Contract
Page 6 of 6