Greenwich Township's final candidate for superintendent, Maria Eppolite, fields questions about district's future

GREENWICH TWP. | With nearly 30 years of experience in education, Maria Eppolite looks to fill the shoes of the township school's former superintendent, Kevin Brennan.

Board President Denise Valle introduced the final candidate for the position during a public hearing Monday night. She said the 12 years of consistent leadership from Brennan demand another committed leader.

"In July, when he actually left, we realized that we as a board had some soul-searching to do," Valle said.

Eppolite, assistant superintendent at Montville Township School District in Morris County, is the "visionary" Valle said the board was hunting.

The board plans to offer Eppolite the position at the next board meeting, Nov. 19, according to Valle.

Eppolite spoke to an audience of about 30 teachers and parents, emphasizing a strong commitment to helping not only general education students excel, but also special needs and gifted students.

Fielding inquiries ranging from special education to the new Phillipsburg High School, Eppolite covered a wide spectrum of concerns.

Greenwich, she said, should be involved with the new high school in both design and curriculum.

"I don't see our involvement stopping when our students leave eighth grade," she said.

Eppolite called parental involvement important and lauded the success of "small, flexible groups" for teaching complicated material.

Again and again, she touched on the need for arts and athletics in school as well as comprehensive special education programs addressing early needs and helping those students remain in general education whenever possible.

One of Eppolite's proudest accomplishments at Montville Township was her repair of a divisive and splintered administration, she said.

Greenwich Township Parent-Teacher Organization President Liz Kemp praised Eppolite after the meeting. Having to work with the superintendent on a daily basis, Kemp said she was relieved and excited with the board's final candidate.

"She has our future and our view in mind and that's very important," said Kemp. "Kevin was amazing and it's really, really good to see her follow in those footsteps and share her vast educational knowledge."

The board president said if all goes well, she hopes Eppolite would settle in by January.