Criticism accompanies switch in school job title High school board

Criticism accompanies
switch in school job title
High school board

changes deputy supt.

title to asst. supt.

By dave benjamin

Staff Writer

The Freehold Regional High School District Board of Education has voted to eliminate two so-called unrecognized job titles — deputy superintendent of curriculum and instruction, and learning center director.

The titles have been changed to assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, and learning center supervisor, respectively.

District administrators indicated that the recommendation for the change was made by Monmouth County Superintendent of Schools Michael Maddaluna. The county superintendent represents the state Department of Education.

Maddaluna said the use of unrecognized titles — of which deputy superintendent is one — is granted on an as-needed basis by the state Department of Education through its county superintendents.

"The county superintendent renews the use of these titles on a year-to-year basis," he said. "We are trying to eliminate the use of unrecognized titles."

Maddaluna said that more than 10 years ago, a previous county superintendent granted permission to the Freehold Regional High School District to use the title of deputy superintendent. The use of the unrecognized title had not been reviewed until this year, he said.

Maddaluna said he determined that the change in job title would not harm Dr. Louis Talarico, the district’s deputy superintendent of curriculum and instruction, from a standpoint of salary or responsibilities. Therefore, he said, he recommended that the unrecognized title of deputy superintendent be discontinued.

That explanation was countered at a recent board meeting by Talarico, who is objecting to having his job title changed to assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction.

Talarico came to the district in 1996 and said he made a bargain with then-superintendent Dr. Daniel McGuire to accept the position with the title of deputy superintendent. He said board members ratified that bargain last year when they approved his title and pay through October 2003.

"I have a contract," Talarico said. "If the board opts to try to void that contract (by) rearranging my title and duties, I can assure you that we will be back before a Superior Court judge or some other appropriate forum."

According to an October 1989 job description for the title of Freehold District deputy superintendent for curriculum and instruction, the deputy superintendent "serves in the absence of the superintendent as the chief administrative officer in the district."

Revisions indicate additional responsibilities for the position, including: Serves in the absence of the superintendent as the chief administrative officer of the district and assists the superintendent in the evaluation of the building principals, assistant principals and supervisory staff.

A 1996 organizational chart indicating the position of deputy superintendent denotes this position directly under the superintendent and above the position of the assistant superintendents.

"To have to go to a judge to force public review and enforce my rights on this matter really tells a story," Talarico told board members. "Especially since the state Board of Education, which absolutely controls and directs all school districts, actually advertised for the deputy superintendent position recently in the Jersey City school district."

Maddaluna, the Monmouth County superintendent, said the Jersey City school district, which is under the control of the state, has the right to request the use of an unrecognized job title, just the way Freehold District administrators made that request a little more than a decade ago.

"When you consider the size of the Jersey City district, they may need that stratification in the administration, while the Freehold District may not," Maddaluna said.

Talarico also questioned the board’s elimination of the learning center director’s title.

"Does the board realize that director is a recognized title and needs no county superintendent’s approval?" he asked.

He also questioned the district’s proposed new organizational chart and claimed it "is going to cost the people of this district extra money." Talarico said additional positions will escalate costs without any clear objectives or analysis to benefit the students educationally.

"All this to rid me as the second in command and rearrange the core of the organizational structure that has resulted in enormous success in dealing with the largest regional high school district in New Jersey," said Talarico.

Talarico has a lawsuit pending against the district relating to his job description and responsibilities. The lawsuit was filed in the spring of 2000.

During the public portion of the Nov. 5 meeting, resident Bonnie Rosenwald, of Marlboro, addressed the board.

"Three times I asked about job descriptions and I got three different answers at three different meeting ... I have copies of all the minutes of all the meetings. There was no record of any vote on any job descriptions or organizational charts," she said.

Rosenwald asked how the agenda item listed that evening could state it "is intended to reaffirm" when, she claimed, the issue was never brought up for public discussion and "this isn’t even in our policy manual."

Board member Dr. Steven Mishkin of Marlboro said the policy manual was discussed for several months and was approved in two readings in April.

Rosenwald responded by saying, "I asked at those meetings if the job descriptions and the organizational chart was in the policy manual and I was told ‘no’ because it was in draft form."

Board member Terry Kraft of Howell said the organizational chart is prepared and presented to the board by the superintendent.

"It is not part of the policy manual as such," said Kraft. "It is given to the board for review."

Kraft said the organizational chart was changed at least twice, but could not comment further. He said the county superintendent notified the board on two occasions that the title of deputy superintendent was not appropriate "and therefore has to be changed."

Resident Michael Rescinti of Manalapan told the board he thinks the change in Talarico’s job title looks like a demotion.

Board President Patricia Horvath of Manalapan said the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction is at the same level as the other central administrators for special services; for business; and for personnel.

"We are not changing the level at all," Horvath said. "They are all equal."

The board voted to eliminate the job titles of deputy superintendent and learning center director. Under the board’s weighted voting system the vote was 8.1 points in favor of the change to 0.9 points against. Board member Bernice Hammer of Freehold Borough cast the lone vote against the change.

Following a lengthy discussion, the district’s proposed Table of Organization, a flow chart of personnel positions, was also voted upon. The item was narrowly defeated, 4.7 points against the Table of Organization to 4.3 points for the table.

The votes are weighted as follows: Farmingdale, 0.5 points; Manalapan, 1.4 points; Howell, 2 points (two board members, 1 point each); Englishtown, 0.5 points; Freehold Borough, 0.9 points; Marlboro, 1.4 points; Freehold Township, 1.4 points; and Colts Neck, 0.9 points.

Voting for the Table of Organization as proposed were Arlene Radman of Colts Neck; Colin Miller of Farmingdale; Terry Kraft of Howell; Patricia Horvath of Manalapan, and Diana Cappiello of Englishtown.

Voting in opposition to the item were Bernice Hammer of Freehold Borough; Ronald Lawson of Howell; Dr. Steven Mishkin of Marlboro; and Marlene Caruso of Freehold Township.

One bit of confusion arose this week when Maddaluna told a News Transcript reporter he had a copy of the district’s Table of Organization showing the assistant superintendents on an equal level. Maddaluna said the table was marked "Adopted, Nov. 5, 2001."

A spokeswoman for the Freehold District cleared up the matter when she said the information had been sent to Maddaluna before the meeting on the evening of Nov. 5 in anticipation of the table being approved by the board.

With the job titles of deputy superintendent and learning center director changed and the proposed organizational chart defeated, the board will discuss the matter during a workshop meeting in the near future.

News Transcript Managing Editor Mark Rosman contributed to this story.