Suter asked why the position was needed now, to begin in January instead of at the start of a new school year for example.<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t heard one complaint, everything is aligned to the standards, teachers are happy, everything is going great, and all of a sudden, we need another supervisor? I don\u2019t understand why,\u201d said Suter, in a lengthy discussion with the superintendent that was at times contentious. \u201cWhy wouldn\u2019t they come to the committee to ask for this?\u201d<\/p>\n
Uszenski said central administration positions wouldn\u2019t manifest in committee but would instead originate from his office and then be discussed in board subcommittees, in this case Human Resources. \u201cThey come if the superintendent requests them to be there,\u201d he said. \u201cI have been asking since I\u2019ve come here for additional supervisors in all areas.\u201d<\/p>\n
The superintendent said that Brick should align itself with similarly-sized districts\u2019 structure of having supervisors both in the elementary and secondary schools.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I came here we had department heads. We took the department heads out. I\u2019ve been asking for an elementary math and language supervisor, and actually, what I\u2019d really like to have is one elementary math and one elementary language supervisor, which we don\u2019t have the luxury of having right now,\u201d Uszenski said. \u201cEvery school district this large has supervisors at the elementary and at the secondary (level).\u201d<\/p>\n
The superintendent added that the county school board applauded his budgetary request for the additional supervisor, \u201cbecause it is something that is direly needed. Just like we need teachers, we need supervisors \u2026We need to get supervisors in there that can work with the mandates and work with the curriculum and work with central administration.\u201d<\/p>\n
Suter said what she really didn\u2019t understand was the timeline. \u201cWe heard about this December 8, the posting went up, and a week later, we have a candidate. I just feel that this is rushed in. Why can\u2019t we wait until we have the full board?\u201d she said, referring to the beginning of a new school board term in Janaury, instead of the final meeting of the year.<\/p>\n
Suter also asked why the position was a priority over other the need for new high school textbooks or a much-needed parking lot. Uszenski said that new textbooks are coming after the best books can be found, as he\u2019d like to spend the time to make sure the new texts align with new PARCC\/Common Core curriculum mandates.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not going to waste taxpayer\u2019s money,\u201d he said, adding that there was $300,000 pledged toward new textbooks, and that they would be coming. \u201cMost textbook manufacturers will sell you that they are aligned to Common Core, but they are not.\u201d<\/p>\n
The bottom line, said the superintendent, is the position will relate to student achievement, and moving forward with student achievement is the most important thing. \u201cThe board has been gracious and helped administration to give us what we need to move forward,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Suter continued that the process was rushed, and that there were many qualified internal candidates. \u201cI think this is unacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n
The board ultimately passed the personnel change, transferring Emma Havens Young school kindergarten teacher Daniel Layton from a teacher to the elementary math and language supervisor position. Suter voted against the measure, as did board members Frank Pannucci, Jr.<\/p>\n
Layton will begin serving in the role in January. The personnel move was approved by the board for January through June, prorating the salary. Layton, a kindergarten teacher and Emma Young school, is in his 8th<\/sup> year as a full day kindergarten teacher, according to his teacher page on the Brick school\u2019s site. He has bachelor\u2019s degrees in political science and communication from Monmouth University, along with graduate degrees in elementary education and educational leadership.<\/p>\n
![\"Brick](\"https:\/\/www.shorebeat.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Brick-board.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n