Greenwich Township School District taps new superintendent, Maria Eppolite; starting date set for January

GREENWICH TWP. | Greenwich Township School District officials anticipate a new superintendent by early January following Maria Eppolite's acceptance of the school board's offer last week.

School board President Denise Valle said Eppolite is due to start work Jan. 5. Her three-and-a-half-year contract has a prorated salary of $140,000 a year, according to Valle.

"We're looking forward to a new beginning," she said of the board's unanimous Nov. 26 decision.

Kevin Brennan left the district in July after 12 years to assume a post as the county executive superintendent. His salary at Greenwich Township was $146,000 a year.

Eppolite is an assistant superintendent at Montville Township School District in Morris County, but will be leaving that job Dec. 18, she said.

She said she was excited about the new job and her coworkers.

"So far all of my interactions with the board of education and the teachers have been very positive," Eppolite said.

The Greenwich Township School District chose to conduct the superintendent search without assistance from the New Jersey School Boards Association, unlike nearby Lopatcong Township and Phillipsburg. By not enlisting the organization's help, Valle said the district saved $6,000.

"In today's times, if you can save $6,000, it's a good thing to do," she said. "Money is tight in the district."

Board member Christopher Wittmann, who also sits on the Phillipsburg School Board, has seen a search conducted with and without the help of the NJSBA.

"Having seen it from both sides, I'm very satisfied with our own process," Wittmann said.

The decision to offer Eppolite the job was a solid one, according to school board members.

"She was an outstanding candidate and not only that, but the board's decision was unanimous," Wittmann said.

Within a month of starting with the district, Eppolite will begin work on the state-mandated Quality Single Accountability Continuum assessment, which calls for schools to self-assess their operations.

Eppolite said she is familiar with the assessment process because Montville Township was a pilot district for the state program.

She acknowledged that she will be hitting the ground running.

"But I don't think there's any other way," she said.