Hopatcong Superintendent to Retire in 2013

A gold nameplate marks school Superintendent Dr. Charles Maranzano's office in Hopatcong.

A different name will grace the plate in July 2013.

The Board of Education accepted Maranzano’s retirement at its meeting Monday night at the a. The 64-year-old, whose four-year contract expires June 30, 2013, said he isn't willing to take .

"I think this is obviously the right time because of the economic decisions of the state of New Jersey has imposed on superintendents," Maranzano said. "And that's a shame. There are a lot of superintendents leaving prematurely. I could put myself in that group. I could have gone another year or two or three or four. But when you put arbitrary caps on salaries to meet your own goals and affect your retirement in that way, you have to make a decision."

The Christie administration imposed a salary cap in July 2010 that would require Hopatcong's next superintendent contract to offer a yearly salary of no more than $155,000.

Maranzano is set to make about $175,000 during the 2012-2013 school year.

Existing contracts, like what Maranzano signed in 2008, were allowed to exceed the student-population-based cap. On the current scale, Maranzano would be paid about as much as a district with 6,501 to 10,000 students. Hopatcong has just more than 2,000.

Here’s a look at the cap’s pay scale:

• Up to 250 students: $125,000
• 251 - 750: $135,000
• 751 - 1,500: $145,000
• 1,501 - 3,000: $155,000
• 3,001 - 6,500: $165,000
• 6,501 - 10,000: $175,000
• More than 10,000: Determined by the Department of Education

The state superintendent salary cap will make hiring a new school leader difficult, District Business Administrator Theresa Sierchio said.

"It's a ridiculous cap based upon nothing concrete," she said. "So it's going to be very difficult. You're always going to find somebody to take the job. But you're going to find more that leave because of them. Your seasoned superintendents are going to be harder to find."

Sierchio said the Board of Education would be in charge of hiring the next superintendent and could begin its search as early as the fall. Sierchio said she would advise the school board not to hire an interim superintendent.

"I'm looking for someone for July 1 next year," she said. "When we started looking for Charles we started the process in October or november of [former Superintendent Wayne Threlkeld's] last year."

As for Maranzano, the 40th-year educator said his future is uncertain.

"There are a lot of people who have a passion for this, myself included, and the future is unclear," he said. "I don't know what to tell you. I don't have a plan. I'm not quite sure how I'm going to apportion my time.

"I do think I'll keep active in the next phrase but I have to sort it out."

Maranzano, who will turn 65 in October, spent five years as a Virginia superintendent before joining Hopatcong. He said his impending retirement wouldn't change his approach to his job.

"It shouldn't," he said. "The only thing that changes is that the countdown begins. It's the last July, the last August. And so there are benchmarks. School has a season and it definitely has its phases. It's exciting to open school in September. Everybody gets that anticipation and you set some goals and you bring that staff together and it's a wonderful time."

Maranzano replaced Threlkeld, who spent about 30 years as district superintendent and retired among the state's highest paid, in 2008. He formally announced his retirement in a letter to the school board. A copy of the letter can be seen in the photo on the right.

"I don't want to back off at this point in time," Maranzano said. "I want to continue to push this school board and this school district toward higher aspirations."