Monroe superintendent gets a new deal

Contract extends school chief’s service through June 2007 and increases his salary.

By: Al Wicklund
   MONROE — Superintendent Ralph Ferrie has a new contract and a familiar problem.
   The Board of Education gave Dr. Ferrie a contract that will extend his service as Monroe Township schools superintendent through June of 2007 and increase Dr. Ferrie’s annual salary from $124,800 to $140,000 on July 1.
   Board President Joe Homoki said Dr. Ferrie had a 4 percent increase, $4,992, coming to him under the terms of his current contract and will receive $10,208 under the new contract. The new contract will run until June 30, 2007.
   With the contract comes a number of challenges, including that of finding an acceptable plan that will provide classroom space for a steadily growing student enrollment.
   The township Board of Education’s most recent try for a solution saw a $113 million referendum for a new high school and renovations to the Applegarth Middle School voted down last September.
   "It’s obvious the big issue is getting a facilities plan approved to meet the needs of the community," Dr. Ferrie said earlier this week.
   The vote came near the end of a Jan. 15 board meeting that was dominated by an hour-and-40-minute public discussion of the board’s approval of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes club at the high school.
   School board President Joe Homoki said board members expressed confidence in Dr. Ferrie’s performance. He was hired in September 2001.
   "Each year the superintendent was evaluated by board members. Each board member filled out an eight to 10 page evaluation sheet designed by the New Jersey School Boards Association. Dr. Ferrie’s evaluations were exceptionally good," Mr. Homoki said.
   The board president also said the board had surveyed Middlesex County school districts and found the superintendent’s salary at the low end of the scale.
   Dr. Ferrie said Tuesday it’s important that he and the board work hard to maintain high quality academic, athletic, music and drama programs while seeking answers to the district’s classroom space problem.
   Dr. Ferrie said he has enjoyed working in the district with the board, school administrators, parents and teachers.
   "But, the most enjoyable part of the job has been working with the students," he said.
   Dr. Ferrie said another aspect of working in the district will start next month when the board and the Monroe Township Education Association begin negotiations for a new contract.