The Guttenberg Board of Education is seeking a part-time superintendent of schools to replace Dr. Joseph Ramos after reaching an agreement with the Town Council to trim the coming year’s school budget.
The board has placed an ad on NewJerseyHire.com and has gotten three resumes to date, said Board of Education President Sari Zuckerman. She said that on Wednesday, the board sent out letters to the school boards of North Bergen, West New York, Union City, Weehawken, Hoboken, Hudson County Schools of Technology, Edgewater, and Cliffside Park, asking if they were interested in sharing their superintendent.
“If we pull this off, it’s going to be a one of a kind thing.” – Gerald Drasheff
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A compromise after public rejected budget
On April 20, voters in Guttenberg had rejected that budget for the coming school year, which meant that it automatically went to the City Council for cuts. Among various recommendations, the council said that Guttenberg – which only has one elementary school and sends its high schoolers to North Bergen – really didn’t need a full-time superintendent of schools. Ramos’ salary is $136,517.
The council recommended eliminating other positions as well, for a total of $392,517 in cuts.
But the board thought the cuts would be too detrimental to the school district, particularly after losing significant in state aid. At a heated special meeting in May, the board voted to appeal the council’s cuts to the state Department of Education. Board of Education Attorney John Schettino pointed out that Guttenberg had already lost $827,000 in surplus from the current year’s budget and had been given $800,000 less in state aid for the upcoming year’s budget.
However, in June, the school board had a change of heart and decided to try and work with the council.
Both parties agreed that the board would rehire two aides who would otherwise be laid off, advertise for a part-time or shared superintendent, give more funds to the town’s recreation program, and amend their appeal with the state. Drasheff said by eliminating the superintendent position, more teachers can be brought back into the classroom.
Other cuts that will remain include 12 teachers, clerical positions, custodial staff, text book purchases and other reductions.
Instead of appealing for the full amount of cuts to be restored, the school board requested $342,517 back from the state.
The council, in a move rare in budget reconciliation situations, then agreed to support the school board’s appeal to the state.
Tax impact
The original $13 million budget included a $9.4 million tax levy on property owners. The Town Council’s cuts would have reduced that tax amount to $9 million. This would have reduced the school tax rate increase from 7.3 percent to 2.8 percent.
If the state rejects the appeal and taxes stay closer to the original amount, a home assessed at $200,000 will likely face a $120 increase per year.
Last week Board President Sari Zuckerman was still unhappy with the council’s cuts. She said that the additional cuts “decimated” the budget.
Zuckerman said that the council’s recommended budget leaves no support staff in classrooms, as the curriculum, technology, and library media coordinators will be eliminated. The basic skills program, summer school, and all extra-curricular activities have also been cut. She said this will put in jeopardy new reading, language arts, social studies and math programs next year.
“We absolutely have nothing,” said Zuckerman.
Zuckerman said that Guttenberg has the lowest per pupil cost in the state, the lowest teacher salaries in the state and that Dr. Ramos’ salary is “very much lower” than what other nearby superintendents are paid.
The district’s sole school, Anna L. Klein, has around 1,000 students and less than 100 staff positions.
Ramos did a super job
Drasheff said that if not for financial reasons, the council would never had pushed for eliminating the superintendent position. He feels that Ramos had done a great job.
Several phone calls to Ramos were not returned in time for publication.
Ramos has one more year left on his contract, but if the position is eliminated, that can be voided.
Drasheff said that he spoke with several neighboring school districts about sharing their superintendent and received good feedback. Drasheff said that the new superintendent could start in September.
Zuckerman is concerned about how all of this will affect the school. She said that three years ago, present school board member Robert Tholen was both the superintendent and principal and felt the position was too overwhelming. Afterward, Interim Superintendent Tom Roberts suggested that they return to having a full-time person.
Drasheff said that the few schools in New Jersey that share a superintendent have 300 students between two schools. Guttenberg’s diverse population of 1,000 students will make implementing this plan difficult, said Drasheff.
Rare move
Drasheff said Guttenberg is one of only a few schools to appeal to the state, and it may the first time a council-supported appeal has ever occurred.
“Now I’ll be honest with you,” said Drasheff. “If we pull this off, it’s going to be a one-of-a-kind thing.”
Tricia Tirella may be reached at TriciaT@hudsonreporter.com.