BRICK, NJ — When Superintendent Thomas G. Farrell accepted the job to lead the Brick Township Schools in 2020, the district had been through more than a dozen years of turbulence.
Eleven people had held the superintendent’s position since 2000. Political fights had dominated the school board. And the district was faced with the state aid cuts imposed by S2.
Over the last three years, Farrell has brought calm and consistency to the district, staff members said Thursday night, offering resounding praise as the Board of Education unanimously approved a new contract that extends his tenure as superintendent through June 30, 2028.
“There was so much turmoil,” said Tim Puglisi, who was president of the Brick Township Education Association at the time Farrell was hired.
“There was no consistency,” said Kevin Bliem, who just succeeded Puglisi as BTEA president.
Farrell brought “a consistent voice and message to lead us,” said Ed Sarluca, athletic director at Brick Memorial High School and president of the Brick Township Association of School Administrators.
“We got it right four years ago when we asked Dr. Farrell to join us,” Sarluca said.
Farrell took over the district on March 1, 2020, two weeks before Brick (and schools across the United States) shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“There was no manual for COVID,” Bliem said, praising Farrell for steering the district through those challenges and those of the aid cuts under S2.
Sarluca said part of what has made Farrell so successful is “he is not a boss, he is a leader of people.”
“He treats us all with respect,” he said.
Farrell’s initial contract was for four years, with 2023-24 being the last year of that pact. He was slated to earn $211,130 for ’23-24. The new contract rescinded the final year of that contract, replacing it with a five-year deal covering 2023-24 through 2027-28.
Farrell received a pay raise to $235,500 for 2023-24, and the contract provides raises of 2.95 percent per year starting with the 2025-26 school year, bringing his salary to about $257,000 for the ’27-28 school year.
Other provisions of his original contract are unchanged, including how many vacation and sick days he receives. Farrell does not take separate health benefits but is covered under those of his wife, Linda, who is a kindergarten teacher in the district. He does not receive a payment for waiving health coverage, and there are no merit bonuses in the contract.
“He’s worth every penny of it,” said Walter Campbell, a former board member and oft-critic of the district.
Puglisi praised Farrell for being a welcoming and nice person, and for his attentiveness to the district.
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“He’s all about the children and the community of Bricktown, and so is this board. That’s the way it feels, and that’s a win-win,” Puglisi said.
Puglisi also took a moment to single out Susan McNamara, the district’s director of planning, research and evaluation, calling her “the glue who held the whole district together,” particularly during the chaotic years from 2010-2019. McNamara has been a key part of what Farrell refers to as his “cabinet,” particularly during the pandemic.
The board praised Farrell’s visibility in the district, noting how he attends a variety of events, from plays to art shows to band concerts, and thanked his family, especially his wife, for sharing him with the community.
Farrell thanked the board and the community for the praise, and said: “When I came here, I said I was staying. I’m not going anywhere.”
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