Vernon school superintendent resigns
VERNON — The Vernon Township School District Board of Education accepted the resignation of Interim Superintendent Charles Maranzano on Tuesday night.
Maranzano's last day on the job will be Saturday, Feb. 28, which isn't soon enough for some members of the audience. The approval was met with a round of applause from about 50 audience members, who waited 90 minutes while the school board discussed the matter in executive session.
“Pay him, let him sit in the office but not let him continue to act as the superintendent," resident Steve Dunlop said.
Maranzano spoke on grievances and issues within the Special Services Dept. and surrounding Director of Special Services Carolyn J. Marano in the Feb. 5 edition of The Advertiser-News North.
Six grievances have been filed against the Vernon School District by the New Jersey Education Association over working conditions in the Dept. of Special Services. Seven employees in that department have resigned over the past year and a half since Marano was named director. Dunlop's comments turned into an exchange with the board's attorney, James Plosia Jr.
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"(Maranzano) should not be allowed to serve another day," Dunlop said. "The article only confirmed what we have been telling the board for the past few months."
Maranzano, in the article called the grievances against Marano and the district "frivolous." He also admitted to aggressive actions, which included moving specialists to different schools. He also said he wasn't bothered by the loss of seven employees in a short period of time and suggested "perhaps it was time some people do leave the district." New Jersey Education Association union representative John Ropars, whose union filed six grievances against the district over conditions in the Special Services Department, said employees were switched to other schools against their wishes and over the objections of building administrators. Ropars said the resignation of Maranzano was "the appropriate thing. I think the board still has further action to take to fix what has become quite a mess in the special services department. The union has alleged that Marano has created a hostile work environment.
“Whether anyone here likes it or not, (Maranzano) had to defend his staff,” resident Robert Oliver said.
But Oliver's comments soon turned negative as well.
“I think the last 18 months have been totally wasted," Oliver said. "The board should have started looking for a new superintendent 18 months ago.”
Oliver also said any board members that might have supported keeping Maranzano on as the new full-time superintendent “should seriously consider your positions on the Board of Education.”
"The prospects of full retirement are very attractive and it is now that I set my sights on this direction in life," Maranzano said in an emailed statement. "I thank the professional educational community for allowing me to serve the children and young people of Vernon as well as the professional teachers and staff embedded here.
In a telephone interview Wednesday morning, Maranzano said his decision had nothing to do with the troubles surrounding Marano and the Special Services Dept.
He acknowledged some people were unhappy with Marano, but said he stood by decisions she made, and said he didn't want to comprimise his effectiveness.
Three board members, Robert Hughes, Ed DeYoung and Lori LePera abstained from voting due to a conflict of interest.
While many of the audience members were parents of special education students, school board President David Zweier asked that any comments on the Office of Special Services be held until Thursday, when it will be an item on the board's work session agenda. His request was backed by former board member Brad Sparta who said that, based on his own experience, “what the board did tonight wasn't easy to do,” and that he suggested the audience let the board go home to their families and work on the special education issues on Thursday. An in-depth discussion on the special services department is expected at Thursday's board meeting.
What next?
According to Board of Education vice-president Cynthia Auberger, the board will seek an another interim superintendent to work in the district from March 1 until June 30. An ad will be placed in newspapers and New Jersey School Boards Association has a list of superintendents are available for temporary positions.
Meanwhile, the search for a new permanent superintendent continues. The board is setting up second interviews, and Auberger said she hopes the process will be wrapped up in the next two weeks.
As most of the candidates are currently employed, the new superintendent would not be expected to start until July 1. Reporter Nathan Mayberg contributed to this story