Washington Township school board moves forward without replacing suspended superintendent, and reduces hours for teaching aides

Embattled Washington Township school Superintendent Eric Hibbs remains on a paid leave imposed by the school board, pending an investigation into an ethics complaint against him.

At a marathon board meeting Tuesday night spanning nearly seven hours, Assistant Superintendent Annette Miller filled in as the schools chief and will serve in that capacity moving forward, board president Julie Kozempel said.

The rift between Hibbs and the board has caused turmoil in the district amid a budget shortfall. Dozens of non-tenured employees were forced to wait until Tuesday night’s meeting to learn if their contracts would be renewed for the upcoming school year.

The board on Tuesday rehired non-tenured teachers, administrators, assistants, and other employees.

“All of the staff has lived in purgatory,” Lou Randazzo, a field representative with the New Jersey Education Association, which represents about 800 employees, told the board.

Tuesday’s meeting, which attracted about 100 people in the high school auditorium and more virtually, mostly concerned the budget shortfalls and cuts. There were tears, anger and emotional pleas by teachers who will lose aides and secretaries.

“These staff reductions were among the most difficult decisions we’ve had to make as a board and administration. They reflect the harsh fiscal reality we’re facing — not the value or dedication of our employees," the board said in a statement.

Here are takeaways from the meeting:

Since suspending Hibbs in March, the board has been unable to agree on whether to name an interim superintendent or bring back Hibbs. But the board didn’t debate that again Tuesday night.

In May, Hibbs filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the board and the district alleging his suspension was in retaliation for raising questions about a district insurance contract awarded in 2021 before he became superintendent.

Hibbs has been superintendent since 2023. His contract, with an annual salary of $215,000, runs through 2027.

Kozempel said an investigation by a law firm into the ethics complaint filed by union leaders is continuing. Hibbs’ lawyer has said the complaint was the reason for his suspension.

The complaint alleges the superintendent provided preferential treatment to a family member of board member Carol Chila by changing a failing math grade in September 2023. It also contends students were improperly admitted to the National Honor Society.

In a cost-cutting move blasted by union leaders, the board reduced 59 teaching assistant positions to part-time. It means they will work 15 minutes less per day and lose their health benefits.

Kozempel said the initial budget proposed in March would have impacted 89 positions and 35 teachers. She said cutting the aides’ hours will save several million dollars.

“In the end, we were able to save some of them, but not all,” Kozempel said. Two administrators in the central office also lost their jobs, she said.

Randazzo said the union plans to challenge the move. Most of the employees affected are among the lowest paid, getting about $17 an hour, he said.

An appeal was also made by a coworker on behalf of Marjorie Zalegowski, a fifth-grade teacher at Hurffville Elementary whose position is being eliminated for budgetary reasons. Her husband has stage 4 cancer and she provides the family’s healthcare. The coworker said Zalegowski gave permission to share her story.

Kozempel said the district is still awaiting final approval on a 7.13% tax increase included in its $167.5 million budget for next year.

Washington Township was among 74 South Jersey districts allowed to apply for a new state incentive program this year that permitted districts to exceed a 2% tax levy cap.

In return for increasing the local tax burden, districts can get additional state aid for 5% of the amount of local taxes raised above the 2% cap.

Kozempel said the state may seek some changes in the application, but believes it will be approved and no additional cuts will be needed.

“Hopefully, when we get the tax levy things will be better,” Kozempel said.

The meeting began Tuesday night and ended early Wednesday morning after the board agreed to extend the meeting beyond its scheduled 11 p.m. end time.

With tensions running high, Kozempel said she wanted to give employees and the community an opportunity to express their concerns.

“My personal commitment is to listen fully and seek a path forward that honors the dignity of our staff and the mission of this district,” Kozempel said at the beginning of the meeting. “As for the board, we are listening.”

The board also lifted a five-minute time limit per person for public comment. It also allowed speakers to address any subjects during the first comment period, normally restricted to later in the meeting.

Kozempel said at least 34 speakers addressed the board, including several Whitman Elementary students who were upset that their librarian will rotate between several schools in the fall.

The meeting adjourned at 2:15 a.m., with a handful of people remaining in the audience.