LITTLE EGG HARBOR – The Pinelands Regional School superintendent and additional staff members have been placed on administrative leave, as an investigation unfolds with limited public detail.
Dr. Melissa McCooley was placed on administrative leave in late March following a Board of Education meeting, with Dr. Kimberly Clark immediately appointed as acting superintendent to maintain district operations. The district website has Clark’s title listed as Director of Research, Planning, and Evaluation / Supervisor of Science.
A message circulated after the meeting stated that Clark’s appointment was necessary to ensure the continued legal operation of the district.
Officials have not publicly released details about the scope or findings of the investigation. District leaders have said they can’t comment publicly on personnel issues.
Board of Education President August Daleo responded to requests for comment with two written communications.
According to official documentation from the March 23 Board of Education meeting, the employee identified as “Employee #6000” was placed on paid administrative leave “to allow a proper review process to occur while ensuring stability and the continued operations of the district.”
The action was described as administrative rather than disciplinary, with no finding of wrongdoing at this stage. The employee was barred from contacting staff and from accessing district systems during the leave period.
In a statement read publicly at the meeting, Board leadership addressed calls for transparency. “We understand the community’s desire for transparency,” the statement said. “However, transparency does not mean violating personnel laws, employee privacy protections, or legal confidentiality requirements established under New Jersey law.”
The Board added that it will provide information when legally permitted and asked the public to allow the process to continue without making assumptions.
Public Records Delayed
This reporter submitted a request for public information on March 25, 2026, the day after learning McCooley had been placed on administrative leave. The request sought records related to the investigation, including resolutions placing McCooley on leave, any notice issued to her, documents related to a potential forensic audit, communications involving district officials, and financial records tied to the superintendent’s authority.
After the seven-day statutory deadline passed without a response, a follow-up request was submitted. An interim response was eventually provided by Arlene Biesiada, the district’s interim business administrator, who stated she had only been appointed to the role on April 2, 2026 and did not receive the request until that date.
“Please allow this communication to serve as notice that as I am new to this role, and due to Spring Break,” Biesiada wrote.” I will require additional time until April 17, 2026, to respond to your request.”
An anonymous source described the head of IT and the business administrator as whistleblowers, a characterization that has not been confirmed by school authorities. This could explain why Biesiada is now named interim business administrator.
Board of Education member Stephanie Johnson said those personnel actions occurred before the superintendent was removed.
“The interim superintendent with the Board President’s guidance, suggested we put our BA out on administrative leave with pay pending the investigation,” Johnson said. “They want to keep the investigation as untainted as possible. No one in our district will be involved in assisting with the investigation aspect, just interviews. An IT Supervisor was placed on administrative leave with pay as well, before McCooley was put out on leave.”
Little Egg Harbor And Leadership
McCooley’s tenure in Little Egg Harbor provides important context to the current situation, particularly given the overlap between personnel, leadership roles, and ongoing disputes.
She began serving as superintendent of the Little Egg Harbor School District in 2015 and later took on a shared services role in 2018, overseeing both Little Egg Harbor and Pinelands Regional. She resigned from Little Egg Harbor in 2023.
After her departure, McCooley filed legal action against the Little Egg Harbor Board of Education and individual members, alleging discriminatory and retaliatory conduct tied to her employment. A settlement agreement was ultimately reached.
The current investigation unfolds against a backdrop of continued conflict within district leadership, including disputes involving Johnson, who had worked as a paraprofessional prior to McCooley terminating her employment there.
Johnson subsequently was elected to the Pinelands Regional Board of Education and said that ongoing tensions have affected her ability to carry out her duties as a board member.
Legal filings show McCooley has a lawsuit pending against Johnson in both her individual and official capacities in Superior Court. The complaint alleges that Johnson has engaged in a sustained campaign of harassment and defamation, including public statements, emails, and social media activity that McCooley claims damaged her professional reputation and caused emotional and economic harm.
Johnson has filed ethics complaints against McCooley, board members and other district leaders. In one case, the New Jersey School Ethics Commission found sufficient facts to establish probable cause that McCooley may have violated provisions of the School Ethics Act and referred the matter to the Office of Administrative Law for further proceedings. There is no published final OAL decision tied to that case.
The Commission’s October 28, 2025 decision states the allegation centers on McCooley taking Johnson’s personnel file from the Little Egg Harbor School District, where both had previously been employed, and using it as part of an investigation.
Johnson said she is not permitted to take part in board discussions involving McCooley, including meetings addressing personnel matters. She said she did not vote on the decision to place the superintendent on administrative leave.
Superintendent’s Contract Ends In 2028
Former Pinelands Board of Education member Kim Hanadel said the situation underscores the importance of a fair and transparent outcome, regardless of the findings.
“I just hope, whenever they figure out what the truth is, because there’s a lot going on, that if Dr. McCooley is not guilty of anything, that they vindicate her,” Hanadel said, emphasizing that the public and district both deserve clarity once the investigation concludes.
McCooley’s current employment contract adds a significant financial dimension to the situation as the investigation unfolds. Documentation approved by the Ocean County Office of Education shows her agreement runs for a five-year term beginning July 1, 2023 and continuing through June 30, 2028.
The contract set her starting salary at $180,000 for the 2023–2024 school year, with guaranteed minimum annual increases of 2.5 percent. Based on those terms, her salary for the 2025–2026 school year is estimated at approximately $189,000.
In addition to salary, the agreement includes health benefits, pension eligibility, potential merit bonuses, and other compensation provisions, including payouts for unused leave and contractual protections that could apply depending on the outcome of any employment action.
Because McCooley remains on paid administrative leave, the district continues to meet its contractual financial obligations while the investigation proceeds. Any long-term disciplinary action, negotiated separation, or termination could carry additional costs for the district under the terms of the agreement.
Neither McCooley nor her attorney responded to requests for comment.
