New London — The Board of Education unanimously voted last week to extend by three years, until 2021, a contract with school Superintendent Manuel J. Rivera.

School board President Margaret Mary “Peg” Curtin called the contract extension a vote of confidence for what Rivera already has done and what everyone expects him to achieve over the next several years during a transformation into the state’s first all-magnet school district.

“We’d like him to continue the work he’s doing. We support him,” Curtin said.

Rivera is barely a year into a three-year contract that runs from July 1, 2015, until June 30, 2018. He has said publicly he wanted to stay in New London for eight to 10 years before he retires. He had approached the board in March about the contract extension, made possible by a provision in his contract.

The school board held an executive session on Thursday to evaluate Rivera’s performance. Criteria for the evaluation focused on three major components: educational leadership, organizational management and relationships as established by the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education; completion of annual goals detailed in the district’s strategic operating plan; and achievement of student growth and performance targets.

Rivera received a score of 3.5 out of 4 from the school board and an overall rating of 368 of 400 — a “distinguished” performance.

“The superintendent provides vision for the district, is active in the community, and promotes positive district culture,” according to the board’s summary. “He met budgetary challenges of being flat-funded and continued moving the district forward.”

They also praised Rivera’s relationship with state, other levels of government and professional groups, the latter being possible funding sources.

One of the few criticisms from the board was that Rivera “needs improvement to ensure proper evaluation of staff is being completed and oversight of administrative positions.”

The extension secures Rivera’s presence in New London until 2021 — through several massive school building projects and completion of the magnet pathways, programming links at various schools. He earns a base salary of $190,000 in the current contract.

After several years of turmoil and a district taken under state supervision, Rivera said part of his reasoning in asking for the extension was to provide stability.

“We have some major initiatives underway … I feel like I’ve just started getting a foundation in place,” Rivera said.

Rivera said he came back to New London with a purpose of transforming the school system.

“It was never anticipated to be a two- or three-year undertaking. It was never meant to be a quick stop,” he said.

Rivera was first named superintendent midway through the school year, in February 2015, taking over for interim superintendent Richard Foye. It was a tumultuous time for the district still recovering from the debacle that nearly led to a contract with Terrence P. Carter, a much-lauded administrator from Chicago who came to New London in 2014 following a six-month nationwide search. His contract was rescinded when the press, and later the school board, uncovered revelations that he misrepresented his background.

Rivera had left his position as superintendent at Norwalk Public Schools to take the New London job. He is a product of the New London public school system and graduated from New London High School in 1970.

Rivera attended Brandeis University and earned his master's and doctorate from Harvard University. He started his teaching career in the 54,000-student Rochester, N.Y. school system, where he eventually became superintendent in 1991.

After several years in the private sector working for Edison Schools in New York City, Rivera was rehired as Rochester's school superintendent. In 2006, he was named National Superintendent of the Year by the American Association of School Administrators.

Rivera said he is encouraged by his working relationship with the school board, whose members share his vision.

School board Vice President Scott Garbini called Rivera’s ability to complete work transforming the school system under the current local and state financial constraints “beyond impressive.”

“I have been impressed with his leadership and uncanny work ethic, as well as his humbleness and ability to ‘get it done,’” Garbini said in emailed comments.

“We hired a true leader with Dr. Rivera, and I am beyond proud to share that we had a unanimous vote to renew his contract.”

g.smith@theday.com