BOE amends, extends superintendent’s contract out to 2027

The Guthrie Board of Education recently amended and extended the school district’s superintendent’s contract.

At a special board meeting held on Sept. 25, which also served as a retreat meeting for the board held inside Meridian Technology Center, the school board unanimously (7-0) approved amending this school year’s contract as well as giving Dr. Mike Simpson a new three-year contract extension.

The votes came after an executive session to discuss the agenda item. School board members did not offer any comments in regular session.

The new agreement will keep the top school official under contract until June 30, 2027. Simpson is the fourth longest-tenured superintendent for Guthrie Public Schools, which dates back to 1911.

In Oklahoma, school districts may contract with a superintendent, which cannot exceed three years beyond the fiscal year in which the board approves and the superintendent accepts the contract.

Simpson, who has served as the Guthrie superintendent since 2012, has guided the school district with two highly successful school bond issues that, in part, have constructed a new elementary school (Charter Oak Elementary) and will build a future elementary school (Cotteral Elementary).

The BOE amended Simpson’s 2023-24 salary from $133,000 to $142,000.

The new contract will allow an increase each year, including $143,433.33 in 2025, $144,866.66 in 2026, and 146,300 in 2027.

The contract continues to call for the cost of premiums for the superintendent’s family medical, health, hospitalization coverage, and health and dental plans.

The BOE agrees to continue to pay all of the superintendent’s required contributions to the Oklahoma Teachers Retirement System. Other contract agreements continue to include a $250 monthly vehicle allowance, mileage reimbursement, 15 days of paid vacation time, and 12 sick days.

Prior to his arrival in Guthrie, Simpson served as the assistant superintendent for the Ponca City school district. He was the athletic director for eight years (2000-2008) at Stillwater High School. He first got into education as a teacher and boys basketball coach at Apache High School before moving to the same position at Blackwell High School (1996-2000).

Simpson earned his Ed. D from Oklahoma State University in December 2010. He graduated from OSU in 1991 with a Secondary Education major and a MA in Kinesiology from Sam Houston State in 1993.