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Delavan-Darien School Board extends superintendent's contract

DELAVAN — Superintendent Robert Crist will stay on with the Delavan-Darien School District and drop the "interim" from his title, according to a news release from the district.

The Delavan-Darien School Board on Monday voted to continue Crist's contract until June 2014, according to the release. The board in August hired Crist as an interim superintendent on a one-year contract.

The district parted ways with former Superintendent Wendy Overturf in May after a contentious series of parent meetings in 2011 and a significant turnover of school board members in the spring election.

The board appointed business administrator Carey Bradley as interim superintendent and in August chose Crist to succeed Bradley.

The district has made progress in the three months Crist has served as interim superintendent, school board President Jeff Scherer wrote in a letter to district staff. Searching for a different person would disrupt progress, he wrote.

"We think it is best for the district moving forward by keeping Dr. Crist as superintendent for another year beyond his initial contract," Scherer wrote, according to the news release.

Crist has been working to implement the Delavan-Darien Strategic Plan, which was developed by community members, according to the news release. He also is exploring solutions to issues in the school district including late school-day start times, schedule changes for the district 4K program, increasing student use of classroom technology, hiring bilingual staff members, developing community-based adult education classes and year-round schooling.

Crist worked as the superintendent of the Wisconsin Rapids School District from May 2007 to June 2010 and has worked in school administration since 1978, according to the news release. He worked as a physical education teacher from 1969 to 1978.