MONROE — The Monroe Township Board of Education will begin the process of seeking a new superintendent after Superintendent of Schools Michael Kozak’s contract was not renewed.
Kozak’s last day in the district was June 30.
At the June 13 meeting, board members named Monroe Township High School Principal Robert Goodall acting superintendent effective July 1 through June 30, 2019, or until a permanent superintendent is selected. Board member Michele Arminio voted “no” on the motion naming Goodall the acting superintendent.
Before Goodall was named acting superintendent, board member Ken Chiarella made a motion to install Kozak as the interim superintendent. His motion received applause from members of the public who remained at the long meeting.
Arminio seconded Chiarella’s motion. The motion failed after receiving three “yes” votes from Chiarella, Arminio and Marvin Braverman; and five “no” votes from board President Kathy Kolupanowich, Vice President Steven Riback, Jill DeMaio, Patricia Lane and Paul Rutsky, who is Jamesburg’s representative on the board.
Jamesburg students attend Monroe Township High School.
Board members Dawn Quarino and Frank Russo recused themselves from the vote.
Over the past few months, the non-renewal of Kozak’s contract has caused dissension among board members and the public.
In December, Kozak submitted his resignation after the board declined to offer him an extension of his three-year contract. Kozak succeeded Kenneth Hamilton as superintendent in 2015.
A petition from the Monroe Indians for Civic Action and Monroe residents demanded the board reconsider its acceptance of Kozak’s resignation.
Things changed in February when board members, in a 4-3 vote, directed the board secretary to ask Kozak to withdraw his resignation letter. Kozak withdrew the letter and negotiations began to renew his contract.
The board was scheduled to discuss and potentially vote on Kozak’s contract at a March 27 meeting; however, after a closed session meeting, five members of the 10-member board left the meeting. The board did not have a quorum to move any additional business items forward. It was not clear why five board members left the meeting.
Following the March 27 meeting, Kozak received a statutory notice stating his contract was not being renewed. Kolupanowich said the notice was between Kozak and the board.
“As I have stated at public board meetings, I will not speak about Dr. Kozak’s contract or employment with the Monroe Township School District due to pending legal matters,” Kolupanowich said when asked to comment on the superintendent’s contract and what has transpired over the last few months.
At the June 13 meeting, Kozak waived his rights to allow the board to discuss his contract and respond to a letter that was read from a member of the public allegedly stating “[Kozak’s] being pushed out of the district not because of his job performance, but because of a personal vendetta.”
Kolupanowich again said it would be “a breach of confidentiality should any board members say anything at this time due to pending legal matters.”
She said at this time there has been no discussion by the board regarding the process or timeframe to search for a new superintendent.
Also at the June meeting, the board did not approve new contracts for Assistant Superintendent Dori L. Alvich and Business Administrator/Board Secretary Michael C. Gorski. Kolupanowich said Alvich and Gorski will continue to work under the terms of their current contracts.
