Some parents in one Westchester school district say they are outraged with the way a contract extension for their superintendent was approved.

On Wednesday evening, Pelham's Board of Education voted to extend Dr. Cheryl Champ's contract to 2026.

Some parents in the district say they were not notified of the vote until just 24 hours before and they feel the board should have waited to make this decision after three newly elected trustees are sworn in next month.

"To go about something like this is basically a slap in the face of a tremendous amount of people in the community," says Terry Carmady.

But trustees defended their action that excluded incoming trustees, saying this is the standard practice to review the superintendent's contract at the end of the year..

"I know people seem to be more upset by the fact that new board members don't get to vote, well no they don't get to vote because they are not board members yet, it's that simple," said Trustee John Brice.

Some parents say extending Dr. Champ's contract is a matter of retaining good talent.

"Dr. Champ has done an incredible job at instilling confidence in teachers and leaders around this district," said parent Chris Caruso. 

Some trustees are taking issue with the fact that past incoming trustees were able to observe the interviewing process when Dr. Champ was initially hired.
The Board of Education president said that was a different case because candidates were being interviewed. In previous contract extensions for Dr. Champ, incoming trustees were not allowed to observe the process until they were sworn in.

School officials say incoming trustees will evaluate Dr. Champs performance at the end of next school year and every year she is with the district.