New Schools Super to Start in Brick July 1
'We're going to raise the bar,' new schools chief says
Dr. Walter Uszenski will begin his career in Brick July 1, a month earlier than first expected.
Uszenski was at the township Board of Education meeting Thursday night where board members unanimously approved a four-year contract that solidified his hiring.
Uszenski, 60, a township resident, said in an interview before the meeting that he will engage both members of the local community as well as district staff when he begins in Brick.
"We're going to raise the bar and raise the standards," Uszenski, who began his career in education as a math and special education teacher, said.
On his first day at work, Uszenski said, he'll meet with Board of Education members and speak with all of the district's administrators one-on-one. Then, he'll begin putting a plan in place to bring more cohesiveness to the district.
"I'm going to work very closely with all of the administrators to create a true professional learning community," said Uszenski, explaining that his strategy will utilize a team approach, creating data-driven assessment teams at every school to keep track of progress. He'll also create "superintendent's councils" of both teachers and parents to keep abreast of concerns.
"My vision for the district is one simple word: excellence," he said.
Uszenski also said he'll host focus groups at each of the township's schools once he takes the helm of the district, so he can speak with parents in the evening to hear their concerns and suggestions.
Also, he said, there are plans to bulk up advanced placement courses at the high school level. In Spotswood, where he currently serves as superintendent, there are 20 AP classes offered, and many are taught by teachers who are paid a stipend to teach an extra class, rather than hiring extra staff and paying additional salaries.
"If you have a teacher that is willing to teach an extra period, it's a big savings to the taxpayers and the board," Uszenski said.
Board President Sharon Kight said she's confident Uszenski is the right person for the job.
"I believe we've made the perfect choice, especially knowing he's a resident and is vested in the community," said Kight. "When we listened to what the community wanted … that was one of the things that they said. They wanted somebody who they are going to see in town."
"I like to be visible and I like to be out there," Uszenski said.
"As a taxpayer living in Brick, I want our schools to shine, and we will."
Uszenski will earn $175,000 per year as superintendent, according to his contract. He will be paid an additional stipend of $2,500 because the Brick district includes a high school.
JD
7:26 am on Friday, June 22, 2012
Good luck with that....
Can't do that without tax increase!!! Classroom sizes of 28+, buildings falling apart, etc.
The BOE cowtailed to the retirees this year with 0% tax increase... whereas with a 2% tax increase the money could have gone to building upgrades, repairs, etc
maddy
7:57 am on Friday, June 22, 2012
This guy has his work cut out for him.
Chief Wahoo
9:35 am on Friday, June 22, 2012
2500 because the town has a high school....... WTF!!!!!
Then these clowns wonder why taxpayers are sick of them
Watchman
1:16 pm on Friday, June 22, 2012
Chief,just to be clear,the town has two high schools.It's $1,250 each, what the state allows. Who are the clowns you refer to?
Chief Wahoo
1:42 pm on Friday, June 22, 2012
anyone that makes one penny from the education cartel
J
12:18 pm on Friday, June 22, 2012
Umm most towns have a high school. I don't see why there' s extra pay for that.
pam ulrich
2:02 pm on Friday, June 22, 2012
Let's be positive! I hope that Walter gets the schools back on track for the sake of the kids and the home values in this town. Please look to Neptune and she how they teamed up with businesses, especially the hospital, for grants and improvements. We need a vision and a leader to rebuild BTHS and repair and update the other schools. I hope the children remain the center of every decision and that the politcs of the BOE are put in place. Best of luck and please help these schools and our children!
Clown Baby
2:16 pm on Friday, June 22, 2012
"I DONTS LIKES BOOK LEARNIN" - Chief Wahoo
My Two Cents Worth
2:37 pm on Friday, June 22, 2012
There are many ways of learning - books are only part of the picture.
Mr. Smith
3:18 pm on Friday, June 22, 2012
I wish him all the luck in improving our schools for the children and all the staff. He is from our town and not Manaplan like Edwards so I will guess he has a vested interest in what is best for Brick Schools. For its students and its staff unlike the overpaid business administrator who is only worried about his own pocket and screwing the employees and tax payers of this district. I hope he looks real hard at the administrators and if they are qualified for the jobs they hold........Transportation......Custodial and for sure the Cafeteria and a few Principles
MOONPOOL
3:27 pm on Friday, June 22, 2012
He should start with the cleaning staff the schools are a mess. if the workers could bend over and climb a latter they would be able to clean up the mess"dust 2
' thick the waxed in dirt on the floor. "well that would be like work" they would rather sit on there fat asses then bend over and work!
Tarkus
8:13 pm on Friday, June 22, 2012
@MOONPIE, Dude, are you having a stroke? That comment made absolutely no sense at all! Next time sober up before you make a comment..
Tweety Q
9:55 am on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
hey are you frigging kidding me...the cleaning staff does a great job at keeping the schools clean and germ free... we dont all sit on our asses as you say ..we work our asses off to keep them clean and neat for the whole school district. we dont wax over dirt.u knkot head ...why dont you pop in and see what we do over the summer and all be=reaks when kids are off. If you dont know the work of the claning staff as you say shut your trap till you do.
Tweety Q
10:03 am on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
moonpool...u have no idea what the "custodial staff"/ cleaning crew does....they work really hard at their jobs and they are always put down , but let me tell you , they clean and the schools look wonderful, so before you shoot your mouth off....why not walk in some schools and see how good they look, and the work they do, they dont sit on their asses as you say they do work...everytime i go to a school i see a custodian and they are cleaning windows and dusting..... so dont put down a staff that lives in brick and takes care of your kids or your grandchildren....be happy they speak english and are not from another counrty.
lisa
2:13 pm on Saturday, June 23, 2012
To Mr. Smith and Moonpie, Please understand that you cafeteria workers are very hard workers and we take pride in our jobs. As for custodial They do a great job for this district with 50 plus year old biuldings. Transportation is also right on the money. Look at the salaries that these groups make and they make your not so right coments. They earn every penny and beyond. While your at work or sitting on your fat ass you know your kids are safe on the bus, eatting right and that when they throw up in class or or throw trash all over that the custodial staff is there.
AJ
3:39 pm on Saturday, June 23, 2012
Amen Lisa! The one thing you forgot was that staffs have had their hours and manpower cut to pieces.
Tweety Q
11:20 am on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Amen there lIsa....they do take pride in the schools and the children.
notajerseygirl
7:31 pm on Saturday, June 23, 2012
Well, Lisa, it's very kind of you to cast aspersions on all of us who have jobs in the real world. I have never sat on my fat ass at work knowing my kids were safely transported or well fed. I used to have to take the first day of school off from work just to follow my daughter's bus because Transportation screwed up her transportation every year. They even brought her to an empty house at three years old allowing her to get off the bus and ring the doorbell at an empty house. They had my number, my husband's number and the babysitter's number and written instructions on file about where she should be. They didn't bother to call me at my fat ass job and finally realized they screwed up and took her to the sitter. That's one example of the safe transportation we encountered over the years. And really, tater tots and French fries are not what I consider having kids well-fed. And by the way, your spelling and grammar skills wouldn't be tolerated at my fat ass job. You must have gone to school in this district.
Mrgrumpass
10:07 am on Sunday, June 24, 2012
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, WHAY WAS YOUR CHILD ON A SCHOOL BUS AT THE AGE OF 3? WHAT SCHOOL WAS SHE IN?
Reality
12:14 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
I thought Transportation put a stop to dropping off students at a different location from their pickup location, with the few childcare centers being the exception. Transporting over 9,000 students on a daily basis is a difficult job. Imagine if each and every student was being picked up at one location, yet dropped off at another at the parent's request. And, in case you are wondering, I have absolutely no connection to any employee in Transportation or the District.
KC
2:02 am on Monday, June 25, 2012
Seriously, who puts a three year old on a school bus? This is what is wrong with the whole system - people expecting strangers to parent their children. No child that age belongs alone on a bus IMO.
Mrgrumpass
9:54 am on Sunday, June 24, 2012
I hope Dr. Walter Uszenski is up to the task he has very, very SMALL shoes to fill! The performance of the past few superintendents was dismal I pray Dr. Walter Uszenski is a man of vision and action and not like the incompetent losers our children have had in the past!
Jean Peace
12:46 pm on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Good luck with Dr.Uszenski.....I will check in next year and listen to the comments then.
notajerseygirl
10:43 am on Sunday, June 24, 2012
Mrgrumpass, my daughter has a disability and was in the preschool handicapped program. Those children start school at age three.
notajerseygirl
6:37 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
Reality, I suppose transportation of special needs children is an exception. I can't answer that. I can say, however that having a child in this district for 17 years gives you quite a perspective. As I drive to my fat ass job every day, I am struck by the fact that the busses seem to stop about every block to pick up a child. There don't seem to be too many "bus stops" for several children any more.
diego
10:30 am on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Moonpool...Have you been to all the schools? I have family who works in all departments for over 15-20 years and one retired. They work their Non fat asses off and in 110 degree room temps in the summer. Take a day and work with them while the are moving furniture, stripping floors, fixing boilers while no air on all for less than what people assume they are making. And yes when your child gets sick or throws food or breaks something, they are there to clean and repair. Be there before school starts to see how clean it is. You seem to have a vendetta so grow up and learn not to post childish comments that mean no sense!
Tweety Q
10:09 am on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
AMEN TO THAT MALIBU228...THEY DO WORK IN 100 PLUS DEGREE ROOMS ALL SUMMER LONG cleaning furniture , washing walls ,windows stripping floors , sealing & waxing and dontf forget they have to put it all back...come walk a day in the life of a CUSTODIAN, MAINTENANCE OR GROUNDS GUY, SEE WHAT THEY DO , THEN RETHINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK. 90% of them all live IN BRICKand they CARE ABOUT THE KIDS...NOT LIKE OTHERS !!!!