Barnegat School Board Picks New Superintendent

BARNEGAT, NJ - The Barnegat Board of Education recently tapped the district's special education director to to serve as the next superintendent, according to a report in The Sandpaper.

Brian Latwis, 38, will start his new job on July 1, when he officially takes over as superintendent. He replaces current superintendent Karen Wood, whose contract runs until the end of June. The board did not renew Wood's contract last year.

Latwis has a doctorate in education leadership from Rowan University, a bachelor’s degree from New Jersey City University and a master’s degree from Georgian Court University. He will be paid $155,500 a year with a five-year contract calling for a two percent raise each year.

Latwis began his career in public education in 2002 as a teacher with the Monroe Township school district. He became student services director in the Keansburg school district in 2011.

Wood was at odds with the board over last summer. She posted a message on July 23 - which has since been removed - about possible illegal or criminal activities on the part of school board members and questioned their ethics.

Wood later apologized to board members, the district staff and the community for the Facebook post for her "poor word choices," according to a letter she posted on the district website.

..."I want to make clear that I have no knowledge of any illegal or criminal conduct by any members of the board, nor have any board members displayed such conduct," she wrote. "I am presently unaware of any violations of the school ethics act by any members of the board."

Her letter was posted two days before the school board voted not to renew her $155,977 contract.
Board President Scott Sarno said her post did not have any effect on the board's decision, and declined to discuss reasons why her contract will not be removed, according to The Sandpaper.

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