Dr. Johanna Ruberto to continue as superintendent of schools
By Gene Robbins, Managing Editor
Dr. Johanna Ruberto has signed to continue as superintendent of Manville schools through 2015.
The contract comes subject to regulations issued in 2011 that puts caps on salaries of public school superintendents in New Jersey.
She and the borough Board of Education agreed June 18 to a contract that will pay her the maximum $147,500 per year, compared to the $165,500 she received in 2011-12.
There is also a mechanism for her to receive up to a 15 percent merit bonus if she meets criteria agreed upon by her and the school board and approved by the county executive superintendent.
”We are both excited and proud that Dr. Ruberto will continue her career as the educational leader of the Manville School District,” said board President Heidi Alles. “Her proven track record with Manville made this decision an easy one for the Board of Education. Dr. Ruberto is a highly motivated individual, dedicated to the highest standards of educational excellence for our children.”
Ms. Alles added, “During our last hiring process in 2009, one of our main objectives was to find an individual who had experience with, and especially understood, the nuances of a working in a small town and school district. She has been a great fit for us, and we look forward to another three years of her leadership.”
In 2009-10 her first year in the district Dr. Ruberto was paid $153,000. In 2010-11 her salary contractually would have been $159,000, but she recognized budget pressures and opted to stay at $153,000.
Superintendent salary caps ’took effect in February 2011. Districts need to conform once superintendents’ contracts expired.
The salary caps are being challenged in court by the N.J. Association of School Administrators. Dr. Ruberto’s contract says if salary cap regulations are determined to be invalid by a court or administrative agency, she would be paid $165,500 per year, retroactive to the beginning of the school year.
In Manville, a district with about 1,300 pupils and a high school, regulations allow a maximum salary of $147,500.
The board has agreed to three quantitative merit goals; if she reached them all she could get a 10 percent bonus.
They are:
An increase of 10 percent of students achieving “advanced proficient” status on state Assessment of Skills and Knowledge tests;
An increase of 5 points on the verbal portion of the SAT for the Class of 2013;
An increase of 10 percent of students ranted proficient in the NJ ASK language arts literacy in grades 3, 4 and 5;
An increase of 2 percent of students achieving advanced proficient on the ASK in grades 6-8;
The intermediate school being classified as a “Safe Harbor,” a designation of student improvement in test scores;
Reaching two qualitative merit goals could bring another 5 percent of her salary. They call for managing special education costs and investigating “response to intervention” models, and reviewing and revising accountability systems in certain areas.
The contract also calls for 23 vacation days annually, 19 holidays and 15 sick days per year. Upon retirement, there are provisions for cashing in 33 unused vacation days, as well as accumulated sick leave to a maximum of $15,000.
The district will provide health insurance at a level “equal to or better than the health insurance in effect during the 2009-10 school year” for her and eligible family.
The board agreed to pay up to $2,500 in registration fees and costs for Dr. Ruberto to attend the Leadership Institute for Superintendents in the Harvard University Graduate School of Education once in the next three years.
Born and raised in Bergen County, Dr. Ruberto completed her undergraduate studies at Seton Hall University and earned her master’s in education administration from Rider University. Later, she returned to Seton Hall to complete her doctorate.
She began her career in 1971 as a teacher at John F. Kennedy High School in Paterson, then went on to teach and become principal in Bound Brook in 1989. She was the principal at Sampson G. Smith Elementary School in Franklin from 2000 to 2004, then moved on to Readington Middle School from 2004 to 2006. She was named assistant superintendent in Rockaway Township in 2006.
Dr. Ruberto lives in Flemington with her husband, Ron, and is the mother of grown daughters, Suzanne and Jaclyn.

