EUSD board renews contract for superintendent Baird

As per the four-year contract he signed in 2014, Encinitas Union School District Superintendent Timothy Baird must get a satisfactory performance review each year to see his deal renewed for another 12 months.

At its Sept. 13 meeting, the EUSD Board of Trustees voted unanimously to do just that.

“We have looked at the contract, we have discussed the contract,” said EUSD Board President Emily Andrade. “As a board, we are very happy to renew (Baird’s) contract. We are very happy with the work (Baird) does for our district, we feel very fortunate to have (Baird) as our superintendent.”

Following what she called an extensive evaluation in closed session, Andrade announced at the Aug. 23 meeting that Baird had received a satisfactory performance review.

Baird, 59, earns just over $200,000 per year, and closer to $250,000 when factoring in benefits such as retirement.

The renewal comes on the heels of a tumultuous summer, during which the board was forced to make a decision on funding an Enrichment Teacher Program that includes yoga for the kids. The controversial yoga program was previously funded by an $800,000 grant from the nonprofit Sonima Foundation, but that funding was not provided for the 2016-17 school year.

While Baird strongly supported the program, a vocal group of community members was vehemently opposed to spending school or district money on the program, even going so far to accuse the superintendent of breaking the law.

The board eventually voted 4-1 to approve a 2016-17 budget that included spending $400,000 on the Enrichment Program, with a least one day per week designated for yoga.