Berkeley Principal Promoted to Acting Director of Special Services

James Roselli, who had been principal of Berkeley Township Elementary School since it opened in January 2005, has been named acting director of special services in the Berkeley Township School District.

Schools Superintendent Joseph H. Vicari asked the Board of Education to approve the move because the district’s director of special services, Diane Beard, is battling health issues that are resulting in a prolonged absence from work.

Roselli, who recently received a doctorate, began his career as a special education teacher and is qualified to replace Beard, Vicari said.

In urging the board to approve the change, Vicari said promoting Roselli will provide a needed continuity in the job, someone who already knows and understands Berkeley schools and their students, as opposed to someone who might be hired from outside the district.

“I need continuity,” Vicari said. “And Dr. Roselli will give us that.”

To replace Roselli as principal at BTES, Vicari sought approval for naming Mary Guinan as acting principal at the fifth- and sixth-grade school. Guinan, the assistant principal at BTES, has previously served as acting principal at Bayville School, while Arleen J. Lippincott served as the district’s acting superintendent.

Vicari noted there would be a cost savings as there would be no assistant principal named to replace Guinan at BTES.

“I have total confidence she will do an outstanding job,” Vicari said.

Both temporary changes of assignment were unanimously approved by the board. Both changes take effect on Jan. 17 and are to run through Aug. 31.

The meeting was the first for board members Louis Tuminaro and James MacMoyle, who on Tuesday were named to fill the positions vacated by Thomas Grosse and John Bacchione when those two were sworn into their positions as newly elected members of the Township Council.

Tuminaro, of Deal Avenue, served on the board from 2007-2010 and was defeated last spring in his bid for a seat on the board. He is a maintenance worker for the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

MacMoyle, of Northern Boulevard, ran for a one-year unexpired term in 2010 but was defeated. He is a regional manager of Cargotec, which manufactures truck cranes.

Vicari, who has previously said he would step down as superintendent before the April school elections, was the focus of praise from the board Thursday night.

James Fulcomer read from a resolution passed by both the New Jersey Assembly and the Senate, which praised Vicari for his long career in education and his move to accept a minimum salary to return as Berkeley’s superintendent.

“This is an honor for our district,” Fulcomer said, noting that this was the first time a schools superintendent anywhere in the state had been honored in this way by the state Legislature. “I hope Mr. Vicari will accept a two-month extension and stay until July 1,” Fulcomer added. “When can we get such excellence at such a low price?”

Board President James Byrnes echoed Fulcomer’s praise a little later during the meeting. He noted it was a sentiment shared by the rest of the board, which recently completed its evaluation of Vicari as part of the district’s upcoming QSAC (Quality Single Accountability Continuum) review, which is scheduled for Feb. 21.

“Everyone gave him almost all 1s,” Byrnes said, noting that is the highest score they could give. Byrnes also urged Vicari to stay until July.

Vicari, who was mum on the issue of staying, praised the district’s teachers and staff and said they were integral to the honor he received.

“Mr. Duggan, if it wasn’t for the support of your staff, your bus drivers, your aides, we wouldn’t have this honor,” Vicari said, addressing Gerald Duggan, who heads the district’s teachers union.

In other actions:

The board approved a request from Business Administrator Laura Venter to go out to bid on expansion of the district’s bus garage. The expansion would add a third bay as well as extend the garage by 10 feet to better accommodate Central Regional’s buses, she said.

Byrnes asked Venter where the money for the project was coming from, and Venter said a change by the state Department of Education on the allowable lifespan of buses from 12 to 15 years freed up $180,000 that had been earmarked for new buses this year.

Byrnes then asked if Central Regional would be sharing the cost of the expansion, and Venter said she had not asked but would explore that possibility.

“Wouldn’t Central have the same money available?’ Byrnes asked.

Venter replied that she is not privy to Central’s budget.

Byrnes said negotiations with the teachers union on a new contract were progressing in a positive manner.

“I want to thank the association,” Byrnes said. “With the cap it’s hard to give our teachers what they deserve.”

The board briefly discussed the potential impact of legislation passed by the state Legislature on Monday that would allow districts to move school elections from April to November.

Byrnes noted there are some positives. Moving to November would eliminate the costs involved with holding the April elections. He also noted the legislation includes a measure that would allow districts that keep their budget increases under the 2 percent cap to not put that budget to the voters.

Board Attorney Jack Sahradnik said he would get the final version of the bill, which Gov. Chris Christie has not yet signed, to lay out the particulars for the board before the next meeting.

“There were some last-minute amendments, so it’s a little confusing right now as to what the bill says,” Sahradnik said.