Monroe close to new superintendent

By Maria Prato-Gaines, Staff Writer
   MONROE — The search for a new superintendent for the Monroe school district is nearing an end as the Board of Education conducted interviews with its final two candidates during a closed meeting Tuesday.
   ”The board by consensus has picked a final candidate and we’re entering into contract negotiations with that candidate,” said school board President Amy Antelis.
   Ms. Antelis said the board would like to make the appointment by Dec. 4.
   The new superintendent will replace Ralph Ferrie, who resigned effective June 30 to become the new superintendent of Three Villages Consolidated School District in Suffolk County, Long Island, N.Y. Dr. Ferrie had earned $140,000 a year.
   Joe King has served as the interim superintendent since Dr. Ferrie’s resignation.
   The board started with 25 candidates, and whittled the group down to seven before reaching the final two candidates. The board previously presented both candidates with seven goals set forth for the new superintendent to address.
   The new superintendent will have to confront several issues, such as the opening of the new high school, which is currently under construction. Once completed the current Applegarth Middle School will become an elementary school and the current Monroe Township High School will become a middle school.
   ”We presented goals such as how they would handle the transition of Applegarth Middle School over to the existing high school,” Ms. Antelis said. “We also dealt with opening up the new high school and how to make the transition easier for staff, students and parents.”
   Ultimately, Ms. Antelis said she has one clear quality out of the new superintendent that she’s looking for.
   ”We want them to move the district forward,” she said.