Schools

Shore Regional/West Long Branch Schools Likely to Share Superintendent With Oceanport

Oceanport School District's current superintendent announced his resignation this month.

The Oceanport School District will likely be led by Thomas Farrell, the shared superintendent of the West Long Branch School District and Shore Regional High School, for the 2013-14 school year.

Oceanport Board of Education President Colin Soyer said the board approved a shared services agreement with the Shore Regional and West Long Branch Boards of Education to employ Farrell during last week's meeting. The agreement will become effective on July 1 as long as the board ratifies it at its next meeting in June, Soyer said.

"This is a new shared services contract for the school district, not a continuation of the existing contract," Soyer said on the Oceanport Residents Facebook page. "This decision was based both on the substantial economic benefits from the reduction of administrative overhead, which will be reallocated to curriculum improvements, as well as the positive educational impact through increased collaboration, sharing of best practices, and relationship with Shore Regional High School."

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Oceanport's current superintendent, Andrew Orefice, announced that he was resigning last week to take a "position at a private school for the disabled for the upcoming school year."

Farrell was named as the Shared Superintendent of West Long Branch School District and Shore Regional effective April 15, 2013 and replaced Renae LaPrete, who was serving on an interim basis for both schools.

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"Mr. Orefice’s career decision afforded the Board of Education the opportunity to expedite this shared services initiative and while there has been over six years of examination on this topic, the board needed to act quickly to ensure a position with the other participating districts," Soyer said.

Orefice will remain as a consultant to Farrell until Aug. 16.

The Oceanport Board of Education will use its June 13 meeting to hear public comment on the decision to share a superintendent and discuss other shared service opportunities. Farrell will also be at the meeting to address the board.

The board must ratify the shared services agreement along with the Shore Regional Board of Education, West Long Branch School District Board of Education and the Executive County Superintendent of Schools.

The Oceanport Board of Education meeting will be held at Maple Place School at 7 p.m.


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