Berkeley School Board Hires Consultant For Superintendent Search

Berkeley Board of Education members recently voted to hire an outside staffing firm to search for a new superintendent to take place when his contract ends.

Board members voted unanimously to approve a $6,500 contract with Richard Morasco's firm Leadership Advantage at the April 19 board meeting.

“We don’t pick the superintendent, that is your job, but we do give you a quality pool of candidates,” Morasco told the board.

Morasco served as a superintendent in Monroe Township for 19 years and was also an interim superintendent in Berkeley for a six-month period.

Following the presentation, board member Sophia Gingrich made a motion to hire Leadership Advantage to lead the superintendent search.

“We have other proposals but I like that you’ve been involved with Berkeley,” she told Morasco.

that he had spoken with Central Regional schools Superintendent Triantafillos Parlapanides earlier that day. Vicari said   that Parlapanides was not interested in assuming superintendent duties for both districts.

But said on April 20 he was very much interested in taking over Berkeley as well and wanted to apply for the position. He denied telling Vicari he wasn't interested and said he wouldn't ask for additional money for Berkeley duties.

Board President Steven M. Pellecchia said Friday he didn't think was "qualified" to serve as Berkeley superintendent and went on to call Central Regional a "failing" district.

received his doctorate in executive education from Seton Hall University. He also has a masters degree in administration from Georgian Court University and a bachelors degree in history from Villanova University.

Morasco told the board at the meeting that recent changes in state law such as removal of tenure for superintendents and a salary cap have made it more difficult for districts to attract superintendent candidates. So more of them are using outside firms such as his, he said.

Morasco said his firm needed three things from the board before soliciting candidates: what they are proud of in their schools, what immediate challenges face the new superintendent and what skills the new superintendent should possess.

Morasco said it's common practice for his firm to discuss the issues with other groups that will be affected by the hiring such as teachers, parent-teacher groups, education foundations, union leadership and other administrators.

He said his firm will attract candidates through existing professional contacts as well as newspaper and Internet advertising. They will also interview candidates in person prior to sending them to the board for an interview.

“This is the most important process or decision you as board members will ever participate in,” Morasco said.

The average time to pick a superintendent for a district is six months. But Morasco said in the past year, things have taken less time.

The process includes two weeks of advertising, six weeks of soliciting resumes, 10 days for the first round of interviews, then two or three additional rounds of interviews plus whatever time the board feels it needs to make independent reference checks.

Based on his experience, Morasco said while it is possible to get a new superintendent in place by the first day of school, he felt October is a more likely target.

Vicari weighed in on some of the challenges of filling the superintendent’s position, after Morasco's presentation.

The board should let candidates know what the salary is prior to them accepting the job, Vicari said.

Benefits information is also important, because the new job market is so competitive. Fewer principals may be interested in superintendent’s positions than in the past because they would have to give up tenure for a three-year contract, Vicari said.

“Now that it [superintendent pay] is capped, a lot of principals will not leave tenured position,” he said.

He said the board will also have to adjust its budget surplus next year to cover the costs of superintendent’s salary, as Vicari has been working for the state minimum salary of $18,500 per year.

Vicari said he did not believe consolidation of the superintendent and business administrator positions was a viable option for a district the size of Berkeley.

Board Vice President asked Viccari if he would stay on another six months while the board finishes the hiring process.

Vicari said he has not decided yet and would only stay on if he had unanimous support from the board.

“If there is not unanimous support, I will not stay,” said Vicari. “If I am going to be viciously attacked in a campaign that is not good for the kids, I will leave at the end of my contract.”

Vicari said he is grateful for the support he has received from the community.

“I am very a lucky person to serve the residents of Berkeley Township,” he said.

Vicari had served as Berkeley schools superintendent for six years when he  returned to the district on April 1, 2011, after a two-year absence.

A previous board in 2008 refused to renew his contract. Vicari has always contended the move was engineered by the Democratic majority on the board and was illegal.

Before he returned in 2011, . But state law requires that a certified school administrator be paid a minimum salary of $18,500.