Did public outcry lead to contract extension for this Kansas City area superintendent? | Opinion
Well that was fast.
Two weeks after the Lee’s Summit school district’s Board of Education voted not to extend Superintendent David Buck’s contract, the board reversed course and added an additional year to Buck’s employment agreement.
In a Feb. 20 closed meeting, the board voted 5-0 to extend Buck’s rolling three-year contract to 2027-2028, according to information obtained via an open records request.
While terms of Buck’s new deal weren’t immediately available, his previous contract showed a salary of $265,000.
Board members Erica Miller, Jennifer Foley, Heather Eslick, Kamile Johnson and Stacie Myers approved the extension while Regina Garrett and Bill Haley abstained.
I reached out to both Garrett and Haley seeking an explanation on why they held out. I will update this column if and when either answers the inquiry.
Foley, school board president, said in an email that Buck’s performance evaluation was complete and that the board voted on Thursday prior to the public meeting to extend his existing contract.
On Feb. 14, I wrote a column questioning the board’s initial decision to deny this extension during a closed meeting earlier this month. When asked this week if the public outcry that followed led to the board’s about face, Foley declined to comment.
“As you are aware, personnel records are not public information, so any conditions that were requested are not able to be discussed,” she said. “All of our employees need to feel safe knowing their personnel records are held confidential, including the superintendent.”
Foley added the school board “is delighted with the outstanding progress and accomplishments within our district.”
“We appreciate the opportunity to continue working closely with Dr. Buck and the district team to refine and expand our educational programs, ultimately creating an exceptional learning environment that supports the growth and success of all students,” she said.
What’s ahead for Lee’s Summit schools?
Buck is Lee’s Summit’s third superintendent since 2016. He has mostly avoided the public controversies that led to two previous district leaders stepping down with substantial buyouts. Working without a third year on his contract would have placed Buck squarely in lame duck status, which is no good for any stakeholder in this sprawling suburban community.
As with any school district, stability at the top is paramount to student success — and there is tangible proof to back this assertion. In 2024, Lee’s Summit was the top-performing school district in Jackson and Cass counties, according to the Missouri Department of Secondary and Elementary Education’s annual performance report.
Public contract squabbles aside, Buck said he wants the focus to remain on the district’s mission to prepare each student for success in life.
“This is done through day-to-day interactions and strategic planning — everyone in the district plays a part in this work,” he said.
Buck added the district is in the middle of a comprehensive school improvement plan built collaboratively with parents, students, staff and community in the 2023-24 school year. The plan “outlines our focus for the next few years,” Buck said.
The district is also proposing a $225 million no tax rate increase bond issue on April’s ballot to upgrade facilities including more than 3.7 million square feet of existing buildings.
“We are excited to present this proposal to voters at the polls this spring,” he said.
Continued academic and social growth for all students is among the district’s priorities as is recruiting and maintaining highly qualified teachers, Buck said.
“We want to continue to invest in our staff, who are amazing, and our facilities to best serve our students,” he said. “Our vision is always about being student-centered and supporting our overall mission of helping each student be successful.”
Input vital to Lee’s Summit schools
Davoya Marshall is a Lee’s Summit resident with four children that attended public schools there. Marshall’s PAC, Strengthening Education Together, supports candidates running for Lee’s Summit school board. She is well-versed in what is occurring in the district and is not afraid to speak out against what she considers wrongdoing by public officials.
She said she believes the community support for Buck led to his latest contract extension.
“I absolutely believe that the overwhelming response from the community applied pressure to board members that originally voted against the extension,” she said. “It is a testament to the power of raising your voice, the power of media, and the power of community.”
Marshall said she was shocked, disappointed, and upset when she first heard about a possible vote to not renew Buck’s contract.
“Dr. Buck is the third superintendent in (Lee’s Summit) in a decade,” she said. “Another campaign search would be expensive and disruptive in an already polarized and chaotic political environment.”
Marshall added she felt Buck has made decisions in the best interest of all students.
“This does not mean he’s perfect, but after being highly involved in the district with four children, regularly attending board meetings, starting a PAC and being selected as the parent to represent my kids’ high school in the district facilitated parent academy, I have felt supported by Dr. Buck, directly and indirectly,” she said.
Too bad it took a public show of support for the school board to extend Buck’s contract for another year.
This story was originally published February 25, 2025 at 11:22 AM.
