Berkeley School Officials To Vicari: Don't Go!

It's been almost two weeks since Berkeley Township Schools Superintendent Joseph H. Vicari told school board members to start looking for his replacement.

But some Berkeley Board of Education members are hoping to persuade Vicari to stay on, perhaps for even another year.

"We are still trying to convince Mr. Vicari to stick around a little longer," Board President Steven Pellecchia said. "I'd like him to stay until November."

Board Vice-President James Fulcomer wants Vicari to stay on even longer than that.

"My view is to persuade him to continue his philanthropy," Fulcomer said. "He's donating $200,000 a year to the children and parents of Berkeley Township. It is in the interest of the board to persuade our superintendent to stay the full length he can stay, which is a maximum of two years."

Vicari announced earlier this year he would step down before the April school board elections. But the school elections have now been moved to November.

Vicari said he had received stellar evaluations from all of the board members in February, with the except of Dawn Parks. He said he could not continue without the full support of all board members.

"I will not entertain any kind of extension of my contract," Vicari said at the Feb. 9 Board of Education meeting. "The evaluation by Mrs. Parks was not what I expected."

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 vote was an illegal one,  engineered by the Democratic majority on the board.

Before he returned in 2011,Vicari had offered to work for free. But state law requires that a certified school administrator be paid a minimum salary of $18,500. Vicari returned with no health benefits or travel expenses.

He told the board at the Feb. 9 meeting to consider his reduced salary as a "one-time revenue" for the district.

Parks said she "has a plan that would save Berkeley Township taxpayers money."

"Take on Dr. Parlapanides (Central Regional Schools Superintendent Triantafillos "Tom" Parlapanides) for the whole K-!2," Parks said. "We don't change districts."

Parks said Parlapanides would be paid a dollar for assuming the superintendent's responsibilities for the Berkeley district, while continuing as Central Regional superintendent.

Meanwhile, Pellecchia said a search for a new superintendent has not begun.

Pellechia said he hopes to discuss the matter with the personnel committee sometime this week.

"We haven't even discussed it yet," he said. "We will discuss it if we are going to go in that direction."

The board could advertise and interview candidates, or interview potential replacements for Vicari by using a list of candidates provided by the state Department of Education, Pellecchia said.

"It depends," he said. "Maybe I can convince him to stay until we've chosen his replacement."