Aloia replaced in special services district

Tuesday, November 3, 2009
BY MICHAEL GARTLAND
The Record
STAFF WRITER

Embattled schools superintendent Robert Aloia will no longer serve as head of the Bergen County Special Services School District, according to Charles Grillo, president of the district’s board.
Howard Lerner, an assistant superintendent with both the county’s special services and technical districts, will replace Aloia as special services’ interim superintendent. Grillo said the special services board will vote formally to replace Aloia at its meeting Nov. 12.
“We can’t fire him, because we don’t have a contract with him,” Grillo said.
Aloia’s employment agreement is with the technical district, which has an inter-local agreement with the special services district, allowing them to share administrative costs.
One administration oversees both districts, but Aloia continues to act as the head of the technical district, which has hired an attorney to handle the termination of his employment there.
Aloia has been a subject of criticism since April for his handling of both districts’ finances, excessive travel and meal expenses and the purchase of two electron microscopes. Both school boards, the unions that represent teachers in the districts and County Executive Dennis McNerney all have called on him to resign. The state Department of Education is investigating the districts’ finances.
Aloia did not return a request for comment Tuesday.
Elyse Schifrien, co-president of the union that represents teachers in the special services district, said she did not have a problem with Lerner serving on an interim basis.
Lerner previously served as director of special services for Wayne schools. He could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
“I’m thrilled that they’ve replaced Robert with someone else,” Schifrien said.
E-mail: gartland@northjersey.com
Embattled schools superintendent Robert Aloia will no longer serve as head of the Bergen County Special Services School District, according to Charles Grillo, president of the district’s board.
Howard Lerner, an assistant superintendent with both the county’s special services and technical districts, will replace Aloia as special services’ interim superintendent. Grillo said the special services board will vote formally to replace Aloia at its meeting Nov. 12.
“We can’t fire him, because we don’t have a contract with him,” Grillo said.
Aloia’s employment agreement is with the technical district, which has an inter-local agreement with the special services district, allowing them to share administrative costs.
One administration oversees both districts, but Aloia continues to act as the head of the technical district, which has hired an attorney to handle the termination of his employment there.
Aloia has been a subject of criticism since April for his handling of both districts’ finances, excessive travel and meal expenses and the purchase of two electron microscopes. Both school boards, the unions that represent teachers in the districts and County Executive Dennis McNerney all have called on him to resign. The state Department of Education is investigating the districts’ finances.
Aloia did not return a request for comment Tuesday.
Elyse Schifrien, co-president of the union that represents teachers in the special services district, said she did not have a problem with Lerner serving on an interim basis.
Lerner previously served as director of special services for Wayne schools. He could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
“I’m thrilled that they’ve replaced Robert with someone else,” Schifrien said.
E-mail: gartland@northjersey.com