Brick Likely to Appoint New Schools Super in April

Dennis Fillippone (center), was selected as the Brick school district’s new interim superintendent June 26, 2017. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

Brick school officials say the district’s next chief school administrator is likely to be hired at the Board of Education’s regular April meeting.

Five candidates participated in an initial round of interviews, said Acting Superintendent Dennis Filippone.

“The second round interviews will be conducted during the month of February, and we believe we’ll have a candidate – a good candidate – to present to the board at the April meeting,” Filippone said.

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The next superintendent will technically replace Dr. Walter Uszenski, who has been suspended since he was charged with providing educational service to his grandson above and beyond what prosecutors said the child should have received. But after two indictments were thrown out of court, prosecutors refocused their case and obtained a third indictment, this time over the hiring of Andrew Morgan, who had a drug conviction from the 1980s that he allegedly did not disclose. Morgan, however, received approval from the state Department of Education to obtain a teacher license under an amnesty program, and passed a state background check. Uszenski’s attorney has promised to seek yet another dismissal of the latest indictment.

Since Uszenski’s suspension began in May 2015, the district has had three superintendents – Richard Caldes, Thomas Gialanella and Filippone.

Filippone is being paid the equivalent of a $177,500 annual salary while serving in the superintendent role. The state’s current salary cap on superintendent salaries for districts with more than 3,000 students is $191,584, which can be bumped to about $220,000 with bonuses.

Filippone has previously said he is not interested in becoming the permanent superintendent.