KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — The Knox County Board of Education voted 8-1 to approve an amended contract for incoming school superintendent Jon Rysewyk that will have him start close to a month sooner than originally planned.
The board voted on a substitute motion Wednesday evening that accelerates Rysewyk's start date in order to make the transition process smoother ahead of the next school year.
Rysewyk will now start as KCS' next superintendent on June 4 instead of July 1.
Current KCS Superintendent Bob Thomas' contract is scheduled to end on June 30. He will remain with the school system until his contract ends in an advisory role after Rysewyk takes charge.
Earlier in the week, the school board met for a work session to discuss changes to Rysewyk's initially proposed contract. Rysewyk will now make $240,000 annually with a $10,000 annual performance bonus instead of $250,000. The school board said Rysewyk was the one who proposed the change.
For comparison, Bob Thomas' initial 2017 contract set his pay at $200,000 annually for the first two years. Rysewyk makes about $134,000 currently with the system in his current position as assistant superintendent and chief academic officer.