Phil Meara leaving to become superintendent of Freehold Borough School District.
By: Scott Morgan
PLUMSTED Phil Meara will hang around long enough to see New Egypt High School graduate its first-ever senior class on June 24. But one week after, he will be gone.
Mr. Meara, the assistant superintendent for the Plumsted Township School District, announced during Monday’s school board meeting that he will succeed Janet Kalafat as superintendent of the Freehold Borough School District on July 1. Mr. Meara’s departure ends eight years of service in Plumsted.
What will the school district be like without him?
"Terrible," said Superintendent Gerald Woehr. "It’s definitely our loss. He’s been an integral part of us for a long time."
For Mr. Meara, 53, the feeling is mutual.
"This is a great place to work," Mr. Meara said. "This staff has been just beautiful to work with. I’ll miss this place."
But as with all good things, Mr. Meara’s time in Plumsted will end, though with neither the proverbial bang nor whimper. In truth, Mr. Meara said, now is just the time to move on.
A major factor in the decision, he said, has been next year. If he were to stay in Plumsted, Mr. Meara would begin splitting his duties between assistant superintendent and principal of Plumsted Elementary School, which is where he started in the district in 1995. Dr. Woehr said Mr. Meara was slated to take over the district’s pre-K to first grade school so as to not add a new administrator to the payroll. The new elementary school is under construction and scheduled to open this fall.
He became assistant superintendent in 2000. Mr. Meara said he was afraid if he took on his new responsibilities he might like it too much.
"If I got back to being with the kids, I’d never leave," he said.
Such a position doesn’t surprise Dr. Woehr.
"He’s very, very student oriented," Dr. Woehr said. "He absolutely wants what’s best for the kids. They’re very lucky (in Freehold) to get him."
While Mr. Meara said he will miss Plumsted, from the "tremendous" learning experience it has provided him to the people who have encouraged and supported him in his rise from principal to his pending stint as superintendent, he said he is excited to get to work with Freehold Borough.
"I met with the superintendent and the business administrator there and we just clicked," he said.

