The Amador County Unified School District Board of Trustees voted to approve a four-year employment agreement for Jared Critchfield as superintendent and took several other personnel, benefits and interagency actions at an April board meeting.

The board approved an employment agreement for Jared Critchfield effective July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2029, with an initial annual salary of $215,000 and an annual increase of 3 percent, plus a number of additional contractual benefits described by the board in open session. The board also voted to appoint Alliant Insurance Services Inc. as broker of record for the district’s dental, vision and voluntary employee benefits, approved a renewal agreement for college and career (CTE) pathways with Yosemite Community College District, authorized two years of adult education course approvals, and adopted a new job description that combines two superintendent-office positions into a single Administrative and Communications Officer.

The superintendent contract carries supplemental pay and allowances the board read aloud before the vote. The board summarized the agreement as including: a four-year term from 07/01/2025–06/30/2029; a base salary of $215,000 with 3 percent annual increases; a 15 percent additional salary allocation from the district for duties as county superintendent as stated in the agreement; an annual master stipend of $1,408; a monthly $1,200 retirement-account contribution and a $500 monthly vehicle allowance; and the same health and welfare benefits available to other administrative certificated employees. "I appreciate the trust that the board has placed in me," Critchfield said after the vote, adding his goal is consistency: "This is my eighth year in the district office...This is the stone for me. Not one to step on and move on."

Why this matters: the contract ends a yearlong interim period and gives the district a stable chief executive through mid-2029, while board members said they hope the multi-year agreement helps reduce turnover and support longer-term initiatives.

Board action and related votes at the meeting

Votes at a glance:
- Superintendent employment agreement (Item 15.2): Approved in open session. The board read the required verbal summary under California Government Code section 54953(c)(3) before taking the final vote.
- Alliant Insurance Services, broker of record for dental, vision and voluntary benefits (Item 15.5): Approved after extended discussion; roll-call reflects a 4–1 vote (one trustee recorded a No vote).
- CCAP/ACUSD agreement (dual-enrollment/CTE MOU with Yosemite Community College District) (Item 15.3): Approved unanimously; board asked staff to report counts of students served.
- Annual course approvals, adult education (Item 15.4): Approved unanimously (two years presented to catch up with CDE requirements).
- Job description: Administrative and Communications Officer (Item 15.7): Approved after discussion about consolidation and optics; the board reported annual net savings of $104,448.13 by combining two prior positions into one.
- Consent agenda (including HR recommendations and resignations): Approved by roll call. The packet listed resignations including Chris Garcia and Kelli Churchill.

What board members and speakers said

Teachers’ union representative Jeannie Jensen, speaking for the Amador County Teachers Association during employee-organization remarks and during public comment, urged that classroom supports be prioritized. Jensen said teachers are leaving the district not because of site leaders but because of "district-level decisions about compensation, benefits, workload expectations, and an overall lack of structural investment." She told trustees the district needs "RTI teachers, aides, and behavioral support staff," and noted concern about a proposed $70,000–$80,000 district-office position tied to insurance oversight while classroom supports remain uncertain.

On benefits, Robert Norton (presenting as the district’s benefits consultant) recommended that the board approve a broker record letter appointing Alliant Insurance Services Inc. as the district’s broker for dental, vision and voluntary products on an interim basis (effective May 1 through the district’s medical-vendor decision point). Norton told trustees the change would not alter employee plans or premiums at the moment and would rely on existing group numbers to ensure a clean transition. He said Alliant could present pooled purchasing options to the district and assist with communications and administration during a planned evaluation period. "I recommend that the board approve the broker record letter," Norton said.

Board members said they weighed the need for improved vendor support and communications against concerns about switching brokers midstream. Trustees pressed staff on the possibility that the current broker might react or that pooled carriers could decline to quote the district. The board approved the Alliant broker appointment 4–1.

On the superintendent contract, trustees who spoke described broad public support during deliberations and said they expected Critchfield’s longer term to help stabilize cabinet-level staffing. Critchfield thanked the board and said the term length is the maximum allowable under district policy and state rules, and that he sought continuity: "One of my biggest goals in this process is consistency."

Administrative reorganization and optics

The board voted to combine two superintendent-office positions into a single Administrative and Communications Officer (confidential range level 41). Trustees debated optics: some members and public commenters said the district must balance restoring central-office capacity with ongoing teacher shortages. Cabinet members told the board the change reduces head count (two positions eliminated, one brought back) and yields an annual savings figure the superintendent supplied: $104,448.13 (benefits and salary savings combined). The superintendent said the office would be understaffed if the board did not approve the position and that he needs an assistant to manage agenda preparation, confidential negotiations materials and communications.

Routine interagency and program approvals

The board approved a renewal MOU for CTE/dual-enrollment pathways with Yosemite Community College District (CCAP) and the district’s annual adult-education course proposals (two years’ worth were packaged to catch up with the California Department of Education requirement). Board members asked staff to provide counts of how many students have participated in CCAP/dual-enrollment and in adult-ed courses; staff agreed to supply that data.

Context and next steps

Trustees and staff said the district will continue negotiating medical insurance options and that the Alliant appointment is an interim step to evaluate vendor support and pooled options prior to medical coverage decisions effective October 1. Staff said the Alliant broker appointment can be terminated with 30 days’ notice. The board also scheduled further policy work and first readings: the district will bring a multi-part board-policy update series back for future readings and approvals to get the district’s policies current with quarterly CSBA updates.

Ending note

Trustees closed the meeting by noting spring events on campuses and upcoming board site visits. The board set its next regular meeting for May 7, 2025.