Snoqualmie Valley School District Superintendent Joel Aune’s employment contract was renewed by a 4-0 vote of the school board at its April 4 meeting. Aune, superintendent of the district since 2005, is now on a contract with the school district through 2020.

The four board members present voted unanimously to approve the contract. Director Dan Popp was not at the meeting, but expressed his support for the contract earlier that day.

Aune’s contract includes an annual salary increase to be determined by the board, a calendar of 222 work days, an annual stipend related to the extra work required for the facilities upgrades authorized by voters with the passage of a $244 million bond in 2015, an annual pay increase of $2,500 following Aune’s completion of a doctorate degree, and an annual review of the contract. Aune’s current annual salary is $212,930.

“Looking at the needs of the District, with a number of significant projects and long-term initiatives aimed at improving teaching and learning, Mr. Aune’s tenure with our school district continues to be an asset,” said School Board President Geoff Doy. “Our schools have made tremendous strides in recent years under his capable leadership, and I have no doubt that opportunities for students will continue to grow and improve, into the future.”

Aune said, “I appreciate the endorsement of the board and look forward to continuing with the work that is underway to make our schools the best they can be. We have made significant improvements in the past 10 years, due to a very supportive community and the efforts of our teachers, administrators, and support staff.”

Before taking action on Aune’s contract, the board discussed the process employed to evaluate the superintendent’s performance, and its relationship to the contract renewal. The process involved a self-evaluation based on performance criteria and goals set the previous year, the perspective of staff, and an assessment of performance as related to eight criteria.

Doy said, “The board was unanimous in its assessment, as Mr. Aune met or exceeded expectations in all areas of his evaluation. The process employed is more thorough than those I‘ve experienced in the private sector.”