By dave goldberg
Staff Writer
SOUTH BRUNSWICK — Additional assistant principal positions were added to schools in the district during a Board of Education meeting Monday night.
"The vote from last week was not overturned," said Willa Spicer, assistant superintendent of curriculum. "There was a change in status of assistant principals at some of the schools."
Second assistant principal positions were added to Indian Fields School and Brooks Crossing Elementary School. There were also assistant principal positions added to both the Constable School and Monmouth Junction. The position for assistant principal at the Green Brook school was turned into a full-time position.
Board members Barry Nathanson and Dr. Paul Podromo cast dissenting votes concerning the change in the Constable School. Podromo also cast dissenting votes regarding the Green Brook School and the Monmouth Junction School.
Last week, the panel voted 9-to-0 to appoint Christine Chrabaszcz as new assistant principal at the high school and Sondra Hinston to the post at Crossroads South Middle School.
They also voted 6-to-3 to appoint Melissa Sadin as full-time assistant principal at the Brunswick Acres Elementary School. In a 5-to-4 vote, Moses White was appointed as part-time assistant principal and part-time basic skills teacher.
About 60 residents came out to speak against the board’s decision last week. Members of the public were angry because they had voted on the assistant principal positions in the school budget passed on April 16. Three of the former board members stepped down from the panel during that election and two new members were voted in. Former board member Dr. Matt Speesler returned to the board to fill the third seat.
Resident Debbie Paley said she was upset that the board changed the plan to hire up to eight assistant principals.
"I am enraged that the Board of Education thinks it can remove positions at the last minute," Paley said. "These are positions that were outlined in the budget — a budget that was passed by the support of parents like myself. I attended many of the meetings and understood the budget. I supported it. I have also paid my third-quarter taxes that include our large increase. Now I find that my son, who is to enter kindergarten at Deans Brooks Crossing, will be in a building void of any assistant principal or teachers’ assistant. That is not what I voted for. Had I known that this was going to happen, I would have not supported the budget."
Spicer said that the decision was in reaction to last week’s meeting where the public made it clear it wanted to see more positions.
"It was clear that the public felt this needed to be done," Spicer said. "People seemed be satisfied with the addition of the positions. I don’t think there is a recommendation for any further assistant principals."