Belmont Superintendent Enters Final Year of Contract, Looks for Extension

Belmont-Redwood Shores School District Superintendent Dr. Emerita Orta-Camilleri is looking to extend her contract with the district as she enters her sixth year as superintendent in Belmont.

Orta-Camilleri, whose contract expires this year, assumed the position of superintendent in 2006. Her original contract lasted through 2010 and was renewed for two years after its initial expiration.

“It’s basically an agreement between the board and the superintendent to engage in a relationship to take on the challenges that the district is facing,” Orta-Camilleri said.

“That’s the way I approach it,” she said. “It’s a mutual agreement to work together to solve the issues facing our schools and support the educational programs for our children.”

The school board is allowed to address a possible extension for the superintendent at any point, but according to Board President Andy Stulbarg, there were a wealth of separate issues that faced the board last school year and during the summer.

In June, with the support of the superintendent and staff, the school board voted to for all six elementary schools as the district faced over-crowding at some of the schools.

That decision followed months of uncertainty in which school officials, board members and parents grappled with numerous ways to deal with the increased enrollment in the district. One board meeting in which the issue was discussed lasted until 3:30 a.m.

Stulbarg said the superintendent extension conversation could happen at upcoming meetings or be postponed until the spring.

“Normally, what happens when you engage in a contract negotiation, you usually engage for a three-year contract renewal,” Orta-Camilleri said. “This is my sixth year so I hope the conversation is around looking at a three-year renewal, if possible.”

As with any prevalent issue facing the school district, parents have begun to inquire whether Orta-Camilleri will have her contract renewed or if the district will cut ties with the current superintendent.

Although the process of renewing her contract focuses on deliberation between school board members, Orta-Camilleri is adamant about expressing her goals to the community at large.

“During the year, there have been different issues that I have resolved and the community has said this is what they would like to see,” she said. “They would like to see peace and harmony with their employee groups, which I think has transpired over the past few years.”

“They like to see financial stability, which has transpired over the years. They like to see the achievement gains in our schools, which have continued over the years. So my comment to the community would be that I want to continue to have our district make the kind of progress that it needs to make with the challenges that lie before us.”

The next Belmont-Redwood Shores School District board meeting will be held on Sept. 15.