Short List for Interim Super, but None Contacted Yet

Board of Education President Lisa Ellis said the board has not contacted anyone regarding an interim superintendent to take over for departing Superintendent Dr. Richard Noonan, but that it does have a short list it is considering talking to.

Ellis previously told Patch she expected the board to look for an external candidate to fill in for a year while it searched for a permanent replacement, and confirmed that is how the board will proceed. Typically, interim superintendents are retired and not eligible for permanent jobs.

She also said the board still needs to officially finalize a contract with New Jersey School Boards to aid in the search for the permanent superintendent, but that the group which helped find Noonan the last time the district was searching for someone to fill the position will again offer assistance.

Ellis said Joanne Borin, who is the NJSB field representative the district has worked with over the years, is someone she is looking forward to working with.

"She's been our field rep forever," Ellis said. "She knows every super in the state."

The search comes at an interesting time in the state, as Gov. Chris Christie is proposing limits on how much superintendents can make in salary. Christie's proposal is to limit salaries based on district enrollment, with a possibility of merit bonuses. As reported by The Star-Ledger, districts with enrollment between 1,501 - 3,000 students (the New Jersey Department of Education 2008-09 School Report Card had the district's enrollment at 2,269) would have their superintendent salaries limited to $165,000.

Noonan's salary this year, according to the Asbury Park Press' Data Universe, was $228,662, the second highest in Morris County. That is potentially a savings of $63,662 if the legislation is passed.

"Obviously, it will be effecting all districts going forward," Ellis said. "Rich's contract, which was locked in to 2014, would not have been impacted. But it would obviously impact us moving forward. That is something we discussed the other night. A thorough evaluation of our administrative structure is part of where we are going during our search, and we'll see if any economies can be achieved."

The district is searching for a new superintendent after Noonan accepted a position as superintendent in the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District, which is near Philadelphia in Pennsylvania. The position is effective Oct. 1.

The board has had one executive meeting to address the open position, on Thursday, July 15, the same night as the regular public board meeting which had been moved up one week. Ellis said she expects the upcoming July 27 meeting to be a special executive meeting only, with no regular public session.