District postpones hiring of asst. superintendent

BY DANIELLE MEDINA
Correspondent

BRICK — School officials are saying a dearth of unfilled lower-level school administrative positions has caused them to put on hold the hiring of an assistant superintendent.

School officials announced in November they were interviewing for the post previously held by MaryAnn Ceres, who retired in January after 30 years of service in Brick schools. At the time, Superintendent Thomas L. Seidenberger said her position would be filled by January.

Now, the hunt has been put on the “back burner” as the Board of Education’s personnel committee looks to fill other key administrative holes, school officials said at the Feb. 9 board meeting.

“The priority now is to fill the spots at Midstreams Elementary School and Brick Township Memorial High School,” said Frank Pannucci, chairman of the board’s personnel committee. “We want to replace these people because they work directly with the kids.”

The first position most likely to be filled is Midstreams’ principal, which was vacated by the now-retired Rosemary Cunningham in January. Assistant principal Jeanene Gibbs has been acting as the school’s interim principal.

Personnel committee member John Talty said there were 25 applicants for the position and 13 candidates were interviewed in the first round. Talty said he expects six candidates to make it to the second round of interviews.

A final round of candidates will be interviewed by the full board by the end of the month, Talty said.

The board may act on a recommendation from Seidenberger by March, he said.

Two additional administrator positions that will soon become vacant are two assistant principal positions at Brick Memorial. Assistant principal Peter Morris is leaving the district March 3 and assistant principal Dennis Campbell will retire in September.

Morris, who has been in the district for almost 12 years, is leaving to become Lavallette Elementary School superintendent and principal.

“I feel very bad that this man felt compelled to leave this district and take a job in Lavallette,” Talty said. “We lost a man with unique abilities and his abilities will be missed.”

Talty called Morris “a Brick guy who went to Brick schools and was well-liked and well-respected at BMHS.”

The job opening for Morris’ position at Brick Memorial was posted and the district is reviewing applications, Talty said.

Morris was a candidate for the district’s assistant superintendent position, but due to privacy issues, Talty couldn’t say why Morris wasn’t hired.

“Peter was my choice,” he said.

In Ceres’ absence, Seidenberger and Assistant Superintendent Walter Hrycenko have picked up Ceres’ duties.

“There is no candidate right now,” Seidenberger said. “The committee is taking a breather.”

Seidenberger said that he hopes that a new assistant superintendent would be in place before the end of the school year.