This letter is written in response to "Board Being Secretive About Selection Process for Superintendent" (Letters to the Editor, Sentinel, May 21).

In the letter, the author wondered, "What is the Spotswood Board of Education up to now?" and then went on to list a number of suppositions that are entirely inaccurate. As we have worked hard to keep this an open process, we feel the need to correct these accusations.

Regarding community input, we have in fact published a community survey that was disseminated on May 11 and was open until May 22. It was sent via email blast to both school-district and senior-citizen email addresses and was posted on the district and borough websites. For those without a computer, copies were made available in the municipal building, library, Spotswood Office on Aging and Board of Education office. The survey solicited exactly the type of input the letter mentioned — the abilities and experiences community members feel are important in a superintendent.

To further community contribution, we have also formed a superintendent search advisory committee, which consists of key stakeholders from the community, including the Borough Council, PTA, senior citizens, Helmetta and Milltown boards of education, Spotswood Board of Education (past and present) and Spotswood parents. This group will interview candidates and make recommendations to the board for final interviews.

The charge that we only publicized the position in the Star Ledger to fulfill our legal obligations is completely incorrect. In addition to listing it twice in the Star Ledger, we placed print ads in the Trenton Times, Jersey Journal, the Staten Island press and the Atlantic City press. We posted it in-house and put it on our website as well as nj.com, njhire.com, the New Jersey School Boards website and the New Jersey Superintendents website. We did not place an ad in the American Association of School Administrators magazine, as this is a national magazine and we would likely encounter certification issues with candidates. We also did not hire a professional recruiting firm at a cost of thousands of dollars to the district. We are not against either of these ideas; however, it seemed prudent to target this geographic area first and not spend taxpayer dollars unnecessarily.

As for the length of the search, the initial application deadline was Friday, May 29. This date is a guideline, however, and one we are willing to extend in order to find the right candidate. We take this decision very seriously and will not rush to fill the position.

The accusation that John Krewer's hiring was based on nepotism is baseless. Dr. Krewer was chosen due to his outstanding credentials and vast experience, especially with curriculum. In his tenure here, he has led a team of talented supervisors to update our curriculum beyond New Jersey core-curriculum standards as well as a host of other achievements.

Finally, regarding the request for a public meeting, we believe we have met and continue to meet that condition. Spotswood Board of Education meetings are held the first and third Tuesdays of every month at 7 p.m. in the high school media center, except in July and August when they are held only on the third Tuesday. Here, you will be able to express any and all concerns regarding the superintendent search or any other issues within the school district. If you cannot make these meetings, you can email us at spotswoodboe@spotswood.k12.nj. us or call the board office and leave a message.

We greatly appreciate those who reach out to us directly rather than blindly throwing accusations via the media or message board. This way, even if you don't agree with our decisions, you will at least be informed on the subject.
Rich O'Brien
President
Donna Faulkenberry
Vice President
Superintendent Search
Chairperson
Spotswood Board of Education