A national search is being proposed to find a new person to head up one of New Jersey’s largest school systems.
Board of Education member Angel Valentin announced almost two weeks ago that he planned to officially notify Jersey City school superintendent Dr. Charles Epps, whose contract expires on June 30, 2011, that there will be a national search for a new superintendent starting this summer.
The official notification was to have taken place in mid-May but had been postponed to deal with the teachers’ contract, which was approved at the board May 20 board meeting. The board must notify Epps by July 1 that a search for his replacement is official.
Jersey City school superintendent Dr. Charles Epps’ contract expires on June 30, 2011.
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Those in favor of the search argued that the search should try to find someone who will work for less pay than Epps and will implement measures to improve students’ dismal test scores and reform a district top-heavy with administrators making hefty salaries. Epps can put his name into the search as a candidate.
Epps currently makes over $258,000 plus a $12,000 housing allowance. He has been superintendent of the city school system since 2000, after he was chosen during a national search.
He has come under heavy criticism over the years for leading a $630 million-plus school system (with 28,000 students) with low high school graduation rates, as well as for other issues, such as serving in the state Assembly from 2006 to 2008 while holding the superintendent’s post.
The Jersey City school system has been under state control since 1989 when the state took over due to low test scores, and to combat corruption and mismanagement found under local control. However, after 20 years, some segments of the school system such as fiscal management and governance have been returned to local control.
Those opposing the search say it is being led by people who do not have their children enrolled in Jersey City public schools but in either local charter schools (schools that receive public school aid but are not under the governance of the Board of Education) or private schools. They also cited good work that Epps has done in the school district since he has been superintendent.
Search or no search
Ana Ramos, a Jersey City resident, gave an endorsement of Epps’ work for his 10 years as superintendent. Reading from what sounded like a prepared speech, Ramos touted the initiatives and accomplishments that have taken place during his tenure – from implementing a school uniform policy to millions of dollars attained in scholarships by students in the performing and visual arts – as reasons for him to stay in the post.
“[We] need you to stick around as superintendent of the Jersey City public school to help us succeed with our children,” said Ramos to rousing applause.
Kirsten Greene, a video editor who lives with her husband and her two children near Hamilton Park, supported the search for someone new. Greene, who was videotaping the meeting, criticized the low student test scores under Dr. Epps’ tenure as well as his contract, with its high pay and perks.
She wanted the search for a new superintendent – to be paid a lower salary – to start as soon as possible, pointing out that Epps’ contract calls for notification of the current superintendent of a superintendent search by July 1 of this year.
“Our city needs to get up the nationwide search for a new superintendent – now,” Greene said. “Not next month, not three months from now, and certainly not nine months from now.”
After the meeting, residents still had mixed feelings about the superintendent search.
Riaz Wahid, a father of two children – one enrolled in Middle School 4 and the other in Public School 3 – said he didn’t mind a search, but had certain reservations.
“I would prefer someone from the area, who is familiar with the Jersey City school system rather than someone from the outside,” Wahid said.
Mahaley Stewart Bowles, the parent of an eighth grader at Academy I Middle School and herself a substitute teacher in the Jersey City public schools, says Epps should continue in the post.
“He is most familiar with the job, and more importantly, the schools have come a long way,” Bowles said.
Epps said after the board meeting that he couldn’t answer questions about the superintendent search, and that it was a “personnel matter.”
Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com.