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NEWS TRANSCRIPT
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2021
thenewstranscript.com
Santora named Manalapan-Englishtown superintendent By MARK ROSMAN Managing Editor
N
icole Santora, who joined the Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District in 2016 as the assistant superintendent for curriculum and human resources, has been named the district’s new superintendent. Santora will succeed John J. Marciante Jr. when he retires as the superintendent of schools on June 30. Santora told the News Transcript, “It has been a privilege to serve the Manalapan-Englishtown community for the last five years as assistant superintendent and I am extremely honored the Board of Education selected me to be the next superintendent of schools. I am looking forward to continuing to provide our students with the highest level of education in a safe, supportive environment.” In a letter she sent to the community, Santora wrote, in part, “As superintendent, I will work with stakeholders to ensure the district continues to reach and exceed high levels of education and academic achievement; provide students with a safe, technologically-advanced learning environment; and provide a positive and healthy work and learning environment for both staff and students.” Board of Education President Dotty Porcaro said Santora’s hiring as superin-
tendent was made official on April 20. “She has communicated on a continual In a statement, Porcaro said, “Dr. San- basis with the staff, school parents and the tora came to us from the Freehold Regional community throughout the pandemic. She High School District in July 2016. During regularly has solved problems with the help this time, she has worked tirelessly with of administration and union leadership on teachers and the adminisa variety of issues, including tration toward closing the instructional, contractual and achievement gap. safety,” Porcaro said. “She has been respon“Dr. Santora has sible for the district-wide brought the Genesis HR implementation of our Resystem to the district and has sponse to Intervention procreated and managed the disgram and in choosing the trict’s Facebook page which most effective administraprovides updates on school tion and staff to lead the happenings. schools with this program. “She has facilitated our “Dr. Santora has shown yearly kindergarten registrastrong leadership skills in tion and presented at various strategic planning and goalstate and national conferencsetting. She facilitated the es … She has also acclimated 2020 Quality Single Acherself with the transportation countability Continuum reand physical plant areas,” the view. She has taken a huge board president said. Dr. Nicole Santora leadership role during the Porcaro said that in midpandemic, working closely November, a six-member with Dr. Marciante and the district admin- board committee conducted a superintenistration to ensure safety and the continuity dent search with the assistance of the New of instruction. Jersey School Boards Association. “Working together, they created a COSix individuals were interviewed in DeVID health related closure plan and a dis- cember. The field was narrowed to three trict COVID reopening and instructional candidates who each had a second interplan which included the creation of the Vir- view in January. tual Academy for all students who would “The committee then discussed (the be learning from their homes. candidates) and agreed Dr. Santora was the
best candidate for the position. We negotiated with her and put together a contract which has been approved by the Executive County Superintendent. ” … The board is looking forward to continuing our good working relationship with Dr. Santora and is very excited to see what she will bring to her new job as superintendent,” Porcaro said. Santora’s first contract as ManalapanEnglishtown’s superintendent of schools will run from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2024. The initial salary is $185,000, with a 2% increase each subsequent year, according to a copy of the contract that has been posted on the school district’s website. The superintendent will be eligible to receive merit increases based upon achieving certain criteria, according to the contract. District administrators also announced the following personnel changes: • Jodi Pepchinski, who is currently the principal at the Milford Brook School, has been hired as the assistant superintendent for curriculum and human resources to succeed Santora, effective July 1; • Melissa Tice, who is currently the assistant principal at the John I. Dawes Early Learning Center, has been hired as the principal at the Milford Brook School to succeed Pepchinski, effective July 1.
“I am extremely honored the Board of Education selected me to be the next superintendent of schools. I am looking forward to continuing to provide our students with the highest level of education in a safe, supportive environment.” — Dr. Nicole Santora