Diane Pedroza's Contract
Dear Manchester Township School District,
This is a request for public records made under OPRA and the common law right of access. I am not required to fill out an official form. Please acknowledge receipt of this message.
Records requested:
Please provide the following items regarding Mrs. Diane Pedroza, Interim Superintendent, per the November 7th Board of Education meeting.
- Diane Pedroza's 23-24 Director of Curriculum Contract
- Diane Pedroza's 23-24 Interim Superintendent of Schools Contract
- County Approval of Diane Pedroza's Interim Superintendent of Schools contract
- 11/7 BOE Meeting Addendum (related to Diane Pedroza's appointment)
Yours faithfully,
Justice Fighter
Good morning
As per your request, please find Diane Pedroza's contract as the Director
of Curriculum, Acting Superintendent and the Nov 7 meeting addendum.
County approval was not required for her Acting Superintendent contract.
I've included a copy of an email exchange with the county confirming the
same.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you.
Dear Lorentzen, Craig,
Is Ms. Pedroza acting or interim superintendent? The contract and email indicate that she is the acting superintendent; however, the board video indicates she is the interim superintendent. I also noticed that on December 4, 2023, you were quoted in the Manchester Times with the following:
“The distinction between acting and interim superintendents is minimal,” he added. “In general, both are appointed under the authority of N.J.S.A. 18A:16-1.1 ‘temporary officers,’ but an interim is usually appointed for a fixed term.”
“An acting superintendent is usually appointed on an emergent or shorter-term basis at a daily rate. In this case since Mr. Berenato was terminated, the appointment of Mrs. Pedroza as interim superintendent for the fixed period of November 8 – June 30, 2024 seemed more appropriate. The term ‘interim’ is not solely tied to retirees who fill these positions,” he added regarding another procedural question.
Can you please clarify? Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
Justice Fighter
She was board approved as the interim Superintendent. The County felt
this situation warranted the title of "Acting" so her contract was
changed. Based on the description in the statue the "interim" title
seemed more applicable at the time she was approved but the County has the
final determination and requested we change it to Acting.
Thank you.
Dear Lorentzen, Craig,
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:7-8(j), the Executive County Superintendent (ECS) must review
and approve, prior to district board of education approval, all employment contracts for
the following positions: superintendent, deputy or assistant superintendent, and school
business administrator. The ECS must also approve any contracts for interim, acting, or
person otherwise serving in these positions pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:23A-3.1(a). This
includes review and approval of the following:
1. all new employment contracts, including contracts that replace an expired contract for
that employee (tenured and non-tenured);
2. all renegotiations, amendments, and other alterations of terms of existing contracts;
3. all employment contracts sharing superintendents or business administrators pursuant
to N.J.S.A. 18A:17-24.1, et seq.
Please be advised that I will be contacting the commissioner of education, as well as the School Ethics Commission since Mrs. Pedroza's employment contract for acting superintendent was never approved by the ECS.
Yours sincerely,
Justice Fighter