School City of Hammond educator Anthony Salinas is now doing double duty in his new role as the district’s acting superintendent and in his old job, executive director of teaching and learning.
The school board approved a contract for Salinas Tuesday that ends on June 30 but may be terminated with two weeks notice.
The board agreed to pay Salinas $175 a day on days he’s working as superintendent in addition to his regular contract salary and benefits.
Salinas thanked the board for its support in English and Spanish and noted he’s the district’s first Hispanic school chief.
District attorney Jewell Harris Jr. said there’s a distinction between an acting superintendent and an interim position.
He said an acting superintendent is typically someone who steps in to fill an emergency void until the board hires an interim or a new superintendent.
“Here, we’re fortunate to have someone who has the confidence of the board,” he said.
Salinas is the third educator to fill the superintendent’s job since former school chief Scott Miller left last year. Since then, Brent Wilson served as interim from July last year to February.
The board named Washington educator Telisa Reed as interim superintendent in February.
Her tenure was short and controversial. The board placed her on leave last month after Reed said she couldn’t work with them and labeled her work environment as hostile.
Under Reed’s contract, the district appears obligated to pay her about $32,000 or $800 a day from her February hiring date to June 30, the contract termination date.
School board president Carlotta Blake-King said when the board hired Reed she hoped she would stay on and become Hammond’s next superintendent.
Hammond Teachers Union member Rina Horgan thanked the board for its decision to place Reed on leave.
“The teachers union urges everyone to get the facts straight… please don’t let hearsay take the place of hope,” she said.
Mary Ellen Slazyk, of Hammond, questioned why the district has trouble keeping a superintendent.
“Maybe we should look within ourselves and find out why… We need to bring our school system up and stability is the No. 1 thing.”
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
