By James Lomuscio
UPDATE Westport’s Board of Education tonight voted unanimously to extend School Superintendent Elliott Landon’s contract through June 30, 2016, and 5 to 1 raise his 2013-14 salary to $292,937, a 1.75 percent increase. 
Elliott Landon: begins 14th year in July. Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
Board member Mark Mathias was the lone dissenter on the raise.
“I believe he is well compensated with his current salary level,” Mathias said, adding that he was in full support of extending Landon’s employment contract, which expires next year, an extra two years.
Landon’s current compensation—$287,899—already makes him the highest paid schools superintendent in Connecticut, according to reports. Landon, 73, has served as superintendent since July 1999.
Jill Greenberg was the only member of the public to speak against extending Landon’s contract. Greenberg had been a vocal opponent of five-day, all-day kindergarten which Landon had pushed and the board approved this spring.
“Our town deserves an educational leader who can stand up against state mandates,” she said, ” …a leader who can really lead our district to 2025.”
After the meeting she said that the five-day, all-day kindergarten was not the only reason she did not want Landon’s contract extended.
“I don’t hold a grudge; that’s not what this is about,” Greenberg said, adding that Landon runs the district with a heavy hand and that teachers are not free to speak their minds.
At the meeting’s close, School Board Chairwoman Elaine Whitney, praised Landon’s educational leadership, saying, “I want to thank Dr. Landon for this service to the district.”
According to Whitney, the school board had been discussing Landon’s contract extension for the past month, studying his leadership, organizational skills and his relationships with the school board and the community, as well as his personal and professional qualifications.
Landon expressed thanks for the vote of confidence for three more years, saying, “I hope I can do that with full community support.”
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This story has been updated to correct the superintendent’s current salary and that board deliberations on the matter were one month, not six.
When you factor in the quality of the schools, the calculation makes much more sense.
This is an excessive salary! If we instead spend the money on our teachers and other staff directly involved with our students we would be more likely to improve the quality of the education offered . When you consider that U. S. News & World Reports ranks Staples number 7 among the state high schools with Darien number one, Weston number three and Wilton number 6 we should improve our standing. This is especially true when you realize that in the 1960’s and 1970’s Staples was ranked either number one or two in the nation almost alternating yearly with New Trier East in Winnetka Illinois.
Something is very wrong if our Super oversees 5,700 students at near $300k but Bridgeport’s Super oversees 20,700 students at $234k. Bravo to Mark Mathias for not doing the usual rubber stamp on Mr. Landon’s inappropriate salary increases.
http://www.nhregister.com/news/superintendents/
The only town in the state that attended school the day of the blizzard Feb 2013. I mean really?? 300k. Not seeing the justification. Grew up in Ridgefield that didn’t care for Mr Landon. Not a fan. And we all seemed to land on our feet with quite a bit less. Odd. But I do remember my teachers. They did make the difference. There’s where the increase should be made. Sorry…