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6-figure salaries, culinary manager; new CMS leader makes big changes

By Stephanie Maxwell
By Stephanie Maxwell

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Channel 9 sat down with new Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ superintendent Dr. Clayton Wilcox, who is already raising eyebrows for his new leadership choices and their boosts in salary.

Channel 9 anchor Stephanie Maxwell met with Wilcox at Barringer Academic Center, where he helped serve lunch to students through the district's summer food program.

But his decisions about food nutrition management and other key positions in the district are leaving a bad taste in a few mouths.

Wilcox created a new position -- manager of culinary development -- one he told Maxwell the community demanded to improve school food.

"We're going to have Jody Francisco take a look at all of our community-based gardening initiatives (to) talk about our farm to table initiatives, (and) talk about making healthy choices with kids," he said.

CMS leadership change breakout

  • Sheila Shirley stays as Chief Financial Officer, salary change: $185,915 to $193,400.
  • Earnest Winston moves from chief of staff to chief of community engagement/ombudsman, salary change: $134,415 to $175,000.
  • Laura Francisco is the new chief of staff -- salary $175,000 ($40,585 more than the previous chief of staff).
  • Carol Stamper stays as chief operating officer, with no increase.
  • Brian Schultz stays as chief academic officer, with no increase.
  • Dr. Valerie Truesdale moves from chief of technology, personalization and engagement to associate superintendent of personalization and school partnerships, with no increase.
  • Derek Root is new technology chief, salary $138,500 ($18,185 more than previous technology chief).
  • Akeshia Craven-Howell moves from assistant superintendent of office of school options and innovation to associate superintendent of school assignment, CTE and magnet programs;, salary $131,005.70 to $165,315.
  • Dr. Frank Barnes moves from chief accountability officer to associate superintendent of accountability, with no increase.
  • Jody Francisco is the new manager of culinary development, salary $85,000.

Wilcox hired Jody Francisco for the same position at their old district in Maryland. With CMS, Francisco is making $85,000 per year, and he's not the only Francisco on Wilcox's new team. He's married to Laura Francisco,  the superintendent's new chief of staff, who he also brought in from his previous district. Hiring his chief of staff's spouse has raised some questions.

Channel 9 asked if he created the job for Jody Francisco.

"We created the job," he said. "We didn't create it for Jody. But Jody did fill it, because he had the skill set that went there."

(Click PLAY to hear Wilcox explain the culinary manager position.)

Channel 9 also asked if his job was posted, if other people were interviewed and if applications were taken from other people.

"No, we really did not. Not in this case. We created a position from clean cloth because I knew the person. The board asked me to bring some people to stir some things up. I did it in that process,” he said.

As chief of staff for Wilcox, Laura Francisco will make $175,000 per year, which is $40,000 more than the last CMS chief of staff.

Derek Root, who is the new chief of technology officer also from Wilcox's old school district, is making $18,000 more than his CMS predecessor.  Under Wilcox, some employees are shifting to different front-office positions, some with pay increases and some without.

"We are trying to reduce the overall amount of administration in the system. When this is all done, we would've paid for these through the attrition of other positions netting up salaries,” Wilcox said.

He said he understands why the community may be skeptical, but he insists that in the long run, his changes will benefit everyone in the district -- including students, who he said are his "real constituents.”

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