BRICK – Dr. Stacie Ferrara was named as the new principal for Brick Memorial High during the recent Board of Education meeting, replacing Dr. Richard Caldes, who is retiring.
Ferrara has been a school administrator since 2007, and was most recently vice principal at Manchester Township High School.
She has 18 years of educational experience and has held positions in Freehold Regional School District as academic supervisor and science teacher.
According to a press release issued by the Brick Township School District, Ferrara increased advanced placement course enrollment, addressed chronic absenteeism and served on many committees while serving as vice principal in Manchester. She developed a “Summer Institute” for at-risk incoming high school freshmen.
Dr. Ferrara has also participated in District Strategic Planning and is a great supporter of technology in the classroom, says the press release.
Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from The College of New Jersey; a Master of Arts in Administration, Supervision and Curriculum Development from Georgian Court University; and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City.
As a resident of the Jersey Shore, Ferrara is the creator of a monthly #coffeeEDU chat in Belmar for educators to meet in a casual environment to discuss education topics.
Dr. Ferrara’s contract starts on September 1 and her annual salary will be $144,725.
In other news, the administration announced that the College Experience would be expanded from two to seven courses in each high school.
The College Experience allows students in grades 10 through 12 to earn credits at Ocean County College (OCC) while still earning high school credits.
OCC Coordinator of College Readiness Now Program Dr. Henry Jackson attended the Board of Education meeting to explain the program and take questions from Board members and the audience.
“We are bringing the experience to Brick public schools in a partnership,” he said. “We are hoping to grow the number of courses to 30 credits, that is our ultimate goal, but we’ll start slow…because we want the students to have a successful experience.”
Students would receive five credits on their high school transcript as well as three credits on their college transcript for each college course they earn a grade of C or better.
The courses currently available include English IV, Public Speaking, Survey of Mathematics, Art History, Introduction to Sociology, Introduction to Business, General Psychology and Western Civilization.
Students must pay OCC directly for the college credits and are not eligible for financial aid due to the reduced tuition of $92.50 per credit. (A three-credit course would cost $277.50)
Also, business administrator James Edwards said he has no new information about the reversal of state aid to certain districts that are considered to be over-funded, including Brick.
Governor Phil Murphy signed the new school spending plan proposed by NJ Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney that would eliminate adjustment aid to those districts. Brick stands to lose $1.8 million for the 2018-19 school year, and a total of $25 million over seven years.
There could be a 2 percent tax increase to make up for the cuts, Edwards said.
And finally, Osbornville Elementary School Counselor Brett Novick was named as a NJ State Governor’s Jefferson Award, the nation’s most prestigious and longest-standing organization dedicated to celebrating public service.
Novick is the director of the Brick Township School District’s BASE (Behavioral Academic and Social Education) summer camp for special needs students.
