MILLTOWN — Come July 1, the Milltown School District will see a change in leadership.
Stephanie Brown is replacing current Superintendent of Schools Linda Madison, who is leaving the district June 30 to become the superintendent of the Middlesex School District.
Madison served as superintendent and principal for Parkview School for the last eight years.
In an interview with the Sentinel in March, Madison reflected on her time in Milltown.
“I will think back on the fact that I knew pretty much everybody’s name, and could greet children in the morning at the drop-off loop and greet them by name, saying hello to their parents,” she said.
Madison said she is also proud of the community support that Milltown has received over the years, contributing to school budgets being passed with significant majorities.
“I have always felt [that] even though I never lived in Milltown, I’m from Milltown,” she said. “I always connected with the community.”
Along with the superintendent position, Brown will serve as curriculum director, which is the position she previously held for the past seven years. She also served as assistant superintendent.
Brown’s annual salary will be $125,000, according to school Business Administrator Vincent Marasco.
“I am very excited about my appointment as the new superintendent/curriculum director in Milltown,” Brown said. “Having grown up in Milltown, I am looking forward to serving the community that I hold so close to my heart.”
The search for a new superintendent was facilitated by Gwen Thornton of the New Jersey School Board Association.
School officials said Brown distinguished herself among a large pool of candidates with her extensive background in curriculum; knowledge of budgeting and federal grant applications; ability to plan and implement innovative instructional programs and professional development; and knowledge of the Charlotte Danielson framework, which was selected by the district as the new state-mandated teacher evaluation tool.
Also, she has an excellent record of collaboration among staff, parents and community members.
Brown earned her doctorate in educational leadership from Rowan University in 2012. She served as a teacher in the Trenton school district prior to her tenure in Milltown.
The school district will also reorganize other personnel to ensure that the needs of all students are met. Janet Ferlazzo, who had been the principal of Joyce Kilmer School for the past eight years, will become principal of Parkview School. Ferlazzo began her career in Milltown as the Parkview School principal and is returning to that post as of July 1.
Ferlazzo’s annual salary will be $121,763.
The Board of Education approved the appointment of William Veit as principal of Joyce Kilmer on June 18. He previously served as an assistant principal in the South Amboy school district for the past four years.
He is a graduate of Wagner College and was an elementary school teacher prior to becoming an administrator. He received his master’s degree in educational administration from Kean University and a standard certificate for principal, supervisor and elementary school teacher positions.
His annual salary for 2013-14 will be $97,000 with benefits.