SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The superintendent of the Springfield School District since 2005 plans to leave his position in June 2015. The district said Norm Ridder recently asked the School Board not to extend his contract past that date.
The school board recently completed its annual performance review of Ridder. During the evaluation process, the board and Ridder typically discuss an extension of his contract, which now ends in 2015. Ridder asked the board not to extend his contract beyond that time.
Ridder is evaluated on seven performance categories identified as critical for high performing organizations: 1) leadership, 2) strategic planning, 3) customer focus, 4) measurement, analysis, and knowledge management, 5) workforce focus, 6) operations focus and 7) results.
In a news release, the board said it is pleased with Ridder's continued devotion to the educational needs of students. Board president Tom Prater said Ridder's caring service for the children of Springfield is exemplary. He made the appropriate changes in response to a state audit of the district and continues to represent the district well at the Capitol in Jefferson City, Prater said.
"I have a contract through 2015 and asked the board not to extend it past that date as Nadine and I begin to anticipate the next phase of our lives," Ridder said in the news release.
"I respect Dr. Ridder's decision. We certainly have some exciting projects on the drawing board and we are not ready for him to leave now, but I do get a feeling that the grandkids are coming into play," Prater said in the news release.
Ridder's base salary for the 2012-2013 school year is $159,333. Ridder moved to Springfield from Colorado Springs, Colo.
