INSIDE NAACP honors Thomas Woodson > page 5
Volume 57, Number 37 • September 22, 2011
School superintendent’s contract questioned By Ken Odor jodor@goochlandgazette.com
File Photo by Ken Odor
District 2 School Board member Raymond L. Miller talks with a parent after a recent School Board meeting.
School Board member Miller says he still has more work to do By Jim Fields jfields@mechlocal.com
Raymond A. Miller has been serving on the Goochland County School Board longer than any of the current students have been alive. “Let’s just say it’s over 30 years,” Miller said. “When I first became a member of the School Board, I was appointed, now members are elect-
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ed. I accepted the original appointment because I had a passion for education, and I’m running for reelection because I’m not finished. There is still work to be done.” Miller talked with pride about the positive accomplishments of the Board in recent years. “There was a study 12 years ago where Goochland County residents were asked among other things
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about the type of education they wanted their children to receive,” he said. “They said they wanted their children to receive a worldclass education. Not just good, but world-class. “Based on the fact that Goochland County Public School students are some of the highest achievers in the
SPORTS Goochland volleyball on track > page 13
see Miller > page 3
School Board candidate Penny Palen said last week she has taken steps to determine the status of Goochland School Superintendent Linda Underwood’s current contract. Underwood’s original 2007 contract was due to expire on June 30 of this year, however the School Board has extended it twice, in a July 2009 addendum until July 14, 2013 and again last October through October 26, 2014. Monday Palen filed a motion for a preliminary injuction in Goochland Circuit Court requesting the School Board be prevented from making any changes to the addendums or extending the contract. “I believe there are some irregularities and possible violations of Virginia Code concerning the wording of the two addendums to the superintendent’s contract,” said Palen, citing Virginia Code section 22.1-60 (A) which states that a school superintendent’s contract shall expire on June 30. “It’s not up to me to decide,” said Palen. “It’s for the interpretation of a judge.” Palen said she was concerned
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that current School Board members might be discussing correcting the previous addendums or possibly considering making another contract extension. “My position is to prevent the School Board from making any changes,” said Palen. Palen delivered a letter to four School Board members at the Sept. 13 meeting and to the Schools’ attorney, Andrea Erard, announcing her intention to file a petition for injunction to prevent the current board from taking any action on the superintendent’s contract for the remainder of their term in office. Contacted the next day, School Board Chairman Ivan Mattox said the two extensions of Underwood’s see Contract > page 2
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