Manatee Superintendent Diana Greene re-signed through 2020

Diana Greene will head Manatee County schools until at least June 30, 2020, after the Manatee County School Board unanimously approved her contract Tuesday.

Greene will be paid $189,995 the first year of the new contract and will be subject to the same raises other administrative staff members receive each year. During her evaluation each year, the board will have the option to extend the contract an additional year past 2020.

The board discussed Greene’s contract at the last workshop, and board member John Colon said he wanted to lock Greene into a five-year contract.

“I have seen what she’s done in the district and I have not seen a better advocate for this district than Dr. Greene,” he said. “We can move forward with that. I still wanted a five-year contract and I wasn’t shy about it.”

Board member Dave Miner called Greene a breath of fresh air.

“She has been a voice of progress, of unity, of civility and we want her here,” Miner said.

During a workshop earlier Tuesday, Greene laid out goals for the upcoming years. Setting board goals is a requirement under Greene’s contract. Greene wants to:

▪ Implement the brand ManaTeach, a video marketing strategy to teach the community more about what happen in schools and classroom

▪ Continue to improve the district academic performance

▪ Continue to cultivate a culture of trust, relationship building, inspire growth and excellence

▪ Build a fund balance to continue to improve Manatee County School Disitrct credit ratings

“Goals are big-picture ideas,” Greene said “My four are big-picture ideas.”

Greene is embarking on her second year as the district superintendent, after former Superintendent Rick Mills retired, leaving his contract early. Don Hall was named interim superintendent briefly, and Greene was given a one-year contract instead of embarking on a national search for a replacement.

Greene earned high marks from the board during midyear and annual evaluations in her first year.

This story was originally published May 24, 2016 at 8:04 PM with the headline "Manatee Superintendent Diana Greene re-signed through 2020."