Superintendent’s contract approved

The Sparta Township Board of Education approved a new five-year contract for Superintendent Matthew Beck in a 5-3 vote at its meeting Thursday, Aug. 24.

Board members Walter Knapp, Christina Keiling and LeeAnne Pitzer voted no. Board vice president Leigh McMichael was absent from the meeting.

The contract replaces a previous one that would have expired next year. It is retroactive to July 1, 2023, and runs through June 30, 2028.

The contract provides for an annual salary of $204,422, Beck’s current base pay. It allows for 2.75 percent raises each year, less than the 4 percent raises in his previous contract, resulting in savings to the district, said the board president, Kurt Morris.

”We believe that the contract is not only a win for the board and Dr. Beck but also provides us the stability we need to continue to serve our students and our school district,” he said.

”The board retains a very valued and respected superintendent, and Dr. Beck is paid fairly and competitively as compared to his superintendent colleagues.”

During public comments, Jennifer Grana - who resigned from the school board in 2021, citing a lack of transparency, then ran for a seat in 2022 - questioned Morris’s reference to stability. She pointed out that the district’s rankings have begun to slide and it has had trouble finding teachers to accept jobs.

She also mentioned recent unprecedented tax hikes, skyrocketing legal fees and staff controversies.

Pitzer said she opposed the new contract because the latest budget proposed by Beck increased taxes 5.8 percent, three times the usual increase of 2 percent.

The superintendent has not provided taxpayers with sufficient explanations of budget cuts that resulted in staff restructuring, she said. ”While I understand that continuity is important, it is not more important than the quality of education our students are receiving.”

Overcrowding at Alpine Elementary School and problems with outdated facilities at all the elementary schools have not been resolved, she said. “We need a plan and have needed a plan for countless years.”

Keiling said she was not impressed by the “messy rollout of the new health and PE standards.” “It lacked organization and transparency.”

In addition, during the coronavirus pandemic, the Sparta district kept students out of the classroom longer than most districts in the county, she said.

Board member Lauren Collier pointed out that Beck joined the district during the pandemic, which was a tumultuous time. “I do see a man who is very committed to our district, who wants to be here.”

Knapp said the contract should not have been renewed until after the Nov. 7 election, when three new board members may be elected.

He also questioned why the new contract is for five years, rather than the usual three. “It just seems like a very long commitment.”

Morris said Beck is by far the best of the three superintendents with whom he has worked. “This puts this board in a great position and opportunity to retain him. ... I feel it’s good for the district going forward.”

Board members Vanessa Serrano and Wendy Selander praised Beck’s willingness to listen to their suggestions and critiques.

“Not only does he take our advice and our ideas, I know that he listens to the public as well which is something that our district was lacking in previous superintendents which I think is incredibly, incredibly important,” Selander said.

Craig Palleschi, who was the board president in 2022, said he saw Beck’s commitment and dedication.

Palleschi said he also was supporting the new contract because stability is important.