The Retirement That Wasn’t

Marybeth Kopacz, the now-former Assistant Superintendent of BHPS, ends up in Roxbury Township Schools as Supervisor

-Written by an Educator in the Community

The “retirement” of Berkeley Heights Public Schools (BHPS) Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education and Intervention Marybeth Kopacz was one of six administrators to depart BHPS for various reasons over four months (April-July 2023). However, the departure of Mrs. Kopacz is different.

A little history

Dr. Varley and Mrs. Kopacz worked together in Sparta Public Schools prior to 2015. Dr. Varley was the Assistant Superintendent and Mrs. Kopacz was a curriculum supervisor. In 2015, Dr. Varley became Superintendent of Schools at Florham Park School District and Mrs. Kopacz served as the Director of Curriculum, Instruction, Humanities, and Professional Development at Livingston Public Schools from 2015 to 2020. In that Central Office role, Mrs. Kopacz oversaw at least four supervisors and the curriculum across six K-5 elementary buildings.

Dr. Varley started at BHPS in July 2019 and felt the need for an Elementary Curriculum Director to strengthen the K-5 curriculum and build a full day Kindergarten program (see Dr. Varley’s answer to the first question in this article). At the June 11, 2020 Berkeley Heights Board of Education (BHBOE) meeting (see page 16), Mrs. Kopacz was announced as the Director of Elementary Education and Intervention (a position that had not existed before) at BHPS for an annual salary of $118,000. 

The salary came in low due to complications surrounding the pandemic. 

To help with this following the bulk of the pandemic, a new position titled “Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education and Intervention” position was created, which Mrs. Kopacz was promoted to as of the November 11, 2021 BHBOE meeting (see page 12) for an annual salary of $160,000 (+35% salary increase).

At the June 5, 2023 BHBOE meeting (the BHBOE meeting after the retirement of Mrs. Kopacz was announced), she stated that her retirement had to do with “looking forward to having a lot of fun with the grandbabies” (see timestamp 2 hours, 25 minutes).

Note that BHCW has heard from reliable sources that Dr. Varley and Marybeth Kopacz had some sort of “falling out” in winter/spring 2023.

Currently

Mrs. Kopacz is employed as a leave-replacement Supervisor of Applied Sciences and Mathematics for Grades PreK-6 at Roxbury Township Schools (Morris County). See page 21 on their August 21, 2023 BOE agenda. Her salary is $500 per diem (per day) and not to exceed three (3) days per week.

The point here is that Dr. Varley knew Mrs. Kopacz for many years as she was able to bring Mrs. Kopacz into the district in 2020 and provide her a pay raise in 2021. Why would Mrs. Kopacz give up a position closer to home in Berkeley Heights where she would have earned nearly $170,000 for the 2023-24 school year for a $500 per diem position (that would max out at $60,000 per school year if she worked three days per week for 12 months)?

Additionally

Why is it that for four of the five BHBOE meetings from April through August, 2023, has seen the resignation or “retirement” of an administrator:

April 27, 2023: Realignment of administration forcing out math supervisor Drew Ziobro (who ended up as a Supervisor in Roselle Schools) and science supervisor Dennis Dagounis (who was later appointed Director of STEAM for only two months and now Assistant Principal of Governor Livingston High School)

May 11, 2023: Retirement of Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education and Intervention Marybeth Kopacz

June 5, 2023: No administrative resignations

June 29, 2023: Resignations of Assistant Superintendent Dr. David Greer, Business Administrator Julie Kot, Mary Kay McMillin Principal Annie Corley-Hand (see retirement letter)

August 10, 2023: Resignation/early retirement of Director of Special Services Michele Gardner

Also, with regard to budget and administrative restructuring, why was there the need to appoint an Interim Assistant Principal at Governor Livingston High School (James Shriner) for $500 per day when Mr. Dagounis was already an employee in the district? GLHS has four other administrators in the building (Principal, other Assistant Principal, Director of Guidance, Director of Athletics) who could help cover the very-temporary vacant Assistant Principal job. Typically, these interim appointments only come when districts are waiting on a new hire to come from out of district or when there is a medical leave of absence.

Between the sudden departure of Mrs. Kopacz, other long-time administrators leaving, and an unnecessary interim appointment, the BOE needs to ask itself: are taxpayer dollars being spent in the best way possible for our students in the classroom?

BHCW allows for confidential articles from non-administrators of local public entities whose careers would be affected because of their efforts in informing the public. We have confirmed the source of this article, know their location and full name and have had face to face contact with the individual.

Articles On The BHPSNJ Staff Retention Issue Under Dr. Varley