Familiar Name May be Eyed as Temporary South Brunswick Superintendent

South Brunswick, NJ - With Dr. Jerry Jellig placed on administrative leave as of Monday night, Richard Chromey, the school district's director of human resources, has been filling in as temporary superintendent.

But Chromey will not last long in the head office: He already announced his plans to retire June 30 and that has not changed. (Chromey was one of five top administrators, including longtime Assistant Superintendent Joanne Kerekes, who announced they were leaving the district under Jellig.)

The Board of Education is currently searching to find a more permanent replacement super, and Patch is hearing rumors they're looking at a familiar name: Former South Brunswick superintendent Dr. Gary McCartney.

For more than 10 years, McCartney led South Brunswick schools, and developed a reputation for getting along with teachers, the union and parents alike. He retired from the district at the end of the school year in 2014. In February of 2015, McCartney headed to Atlantic City, where he was named by the Christie administration as the state-appointed fiscal monitor of Atlantic City schools. His job there was not insignificant: Due to a severe drop in local tax revenue thanks to the casino collapse, the public school system was broke. McCartney's role was to scour the budget for cost savings.

His one-year contract there expired in February, according to the state Department of Education.

Some are suggesting that McCartney now be brought back to South Brunswick temporarily until a permanent superintendent can be found.

However, Board president Dr. Stephen Parker declined to comment on that rumor when asked by Patch.

"Other than the actions that were taken at the Board meeting on May 9th, the Board is not making any decisions at this time," Parker said. "Mr. Chromey was appointed as Acting Superintendent until further notice. Nothing further has been decided."

Photo: Now-retired superintendent Gary McCartney at a Board meeting in 2013, with Board president Stephen Parker to his right.