Cory Gibson officially takes over as the new superintendent for USD 232 in De Soto this summer, stepping into the role after long-time school district leader Frank Harwood’s retirement.
His first official day on the job is July 1.
Before moving to the northwest Johnson County school district, Gibson was the superintendent in the Valley Center School District just outside of Wichita for about a decade. Prior to that, he served two years as superintendent of the Halstead-Bentley school district.
In 2020, Gibson was named the Kansas Superintendent of the Year and recognized by the Friends of Education Confidence in Kansas Public Education Task Force.
The Post obtained a copy of Gibson’s employment contract, which was signed in early April by Gibson and USD 232 school board president Ashley Spaulding.
Here’s a look at what the document says and the responsibilities of the superintendent.
What does a superintendent do?
- A superintendent in a public school district reports directly to the school board.
- The individual takes on a lot of the day-to-day responsibilities of the school district in an extremely public-facing position.
- The superintendent also has a lot of oversight in regards to the organization of the school district’s administration, and plays a big role in the long-term planning of the district.
- According to Gibson’s employment agreement, his initial appointment to serve as superintendent of USD 232 will last until June 30, 2026. The school board can renew his contract.
- The school board will formally evaluate Gibson annually and provide him performance reviews every six months. Any related discussions about his performance and employment will be conducted in executive session, which is standard practice because it’s related to personnel.
Gibson will be paid $250K, plus some allowances
- Gibson’s base salary will remain the same for the period of the contract unless otherwise amended. The contract mentions nothing about annual raises.
- Gibson will also receive an annual $5,400 vehicle allowance and an annual $2,400 cell phone allowance.
- He will be eligible for 20 vacation days and 12 sick days. Sick leave can accumulate from year to year, up to 130 days.
His contract outlines key dates
- Annually, Gibson must turn in a self-evaluation to the school board by May 15, followed by an executive session for his annual evaluation, which must take place by June 15.
- The school board’s written evaluation of his job performance must be delivered to him by June 30.
- Additionally, Gibson and the superintendent must have begun the process of setting “goals and objectives” for the district by Sept. 15.
Gibson has to move into the USD 232 school zone
- He will need to relocate to USD 232 no later than June 30, 2024, the conclusion of his first year on the job. That time period is fairly standard.
- Recent board action suggests that process has already begun, with the school board deciding to dedicate no more than $10,000 to cover his relocation expenses.
- Gibson, at least until recently, was a resident of Valley Center near Wichita.
- He also must maintain a license to serve as the district’s top administrator.
Read Gibson’s contract below:
Loading...
Reload document 
Open in new tab For more on Gibson’s background: USD 232 taps former KS Superintendent of the Year as next leader
