JAMESBURG: Superintendent ready to make progress

By Jenine Clancy, Special Writer
JAMESBURG — New school Superintendent Brian Betze says he is ready to move the school district forward.
Mr. Betze started his contract on July 1, taking over from former superintendent and Grace M. Breckwedel Middle School principal Dr. Gail Verona.
Having worked in 26 years in public education, Mr. Betze says he was ready to work for a district that shared similar beliefs.
"I really found my aligning in smaller districts where there is a very blue color mentality," Betze said, having resigned from the Moorestown school district in 2013. "I really wanted to be somewhere that appreciates what the public educators are doing for the kids and support coming from the district."
Moorestown, in Burlington County, has roughly 4,000 students between six schools, whereas Jamesburg’s two schools house about 700.
Mr. Betze’s contract is for three years and has a salary of $132,000, down from his salary at Moorestown of $163,000.
"It was a bigger district with a lot going on," he said. "Also a lot of personal things were happening and it was time to move on.
"I wanted to be there where I can be appreciated," Mr. Betze added.
Mr. Betze says with the new school year approaching, the first thing he wants to do as superintendent is to reach out to the community and the municipal leadership, the board of education and teachers.
"I want to address the diverse culture that is out there, the non-English speaking population," Mr. Betze said of the increasing Hispanic. According to the 2010 Census, the Hispanic and Latino population made up about 22.38 percent of the residents, about 1,324 people.
Mr. Betze also says he wants a much stronger relationship with the PTA and to work on some of the facilities that have been neglected in the past couple of years.
"I want this to be instructional, we have to address the Common Core Standards and prepare our kids so they are prepared when they go on to Monroe Township," Mr. Betze said.