New Leadership Ahead: Long Valley Schools To Name Superintendent

LONG VALLEY, NJ — After months of searching, a new superintendent will be appointed during a special Washington Township Board of Education meeting later this month.

The meeting, scheduled for Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Long Valley Middle School, 51 West Mill Road, will be dedicated solely to the appointment of a new superintendent, according to Board Secretary Katie DeRiso.

Interim Superintendent Marybeth Kopacz is currently overseeing the Washington Township School District, which serves over 1,900 students. She stepped in this past May to lead the district during the search for a new superintendent.

Kopacz took over after Peter Turnamian, who had been superintendent since 2021, announced his departure to take a position with the Cedar Grove Board of Education.

Before her appointment as Interim Superintendent, Kopacz served as the Assistant Superintendent for Berkeley Heights Public Schools and the Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Professional Development for Livingston Public Schools.

Throughout her career, Kopacz has taught every grade level from pre-K to grade 5 and has held various roles, including Principal, English Language Arts Supervisor, Literacy/Reading Specialist, and Gifted and Talented teacher. Since retiring from Berkeley Heights Schools in June 2023, she has been actively supporting multiple districts in New Jersey by taking on interim positions.

The board, which has been conducting the search for a new superintendent since this summer, will hold one final executive session later this week in the Special Services Conference Room at Long Valley Middle School, DeRiso said.

Candidates are comprised of current superintendents, assistant superintendents, directors of special services, principals, assistant principals and other public educators.