Vacancies Remain In Wall Schools After Five Announced Departures

Vacancies remain in the Wall School Disitrict now that three Board of Education members and two administrators have announced their departures within the past two months.

Joe Tonzola, who previously served as the panel's vice president, has resigned; John Tavis, who previously served as president, quit in March. Mary Jane Garibay, director of curriculum and instruction, and board member Donald Herbert, announced their departures this past week.

Last week, by a unanimous vote of the Freehold Regional High School District Board of Education, Wall Superintendent Daniel Simon was appointed the new principal of Colts Neck High School.

Tonzola served on the board for about a year. On the district's website, empty profile photos replaced the pictures of Tonzola and Tavis.

The Wall School District has been coming to grips with a series of events that could scar the district's reputation.

Sandra Brower, a former assistant superintendent of Wall Township Schools, was indicted recently on charges she failed to immediately report a possible sexual assault of a 4-year-old special needs student by a teacher and then lied to police and tried to cover up her inaction, according to the indictment.

Brower was the assistant superintendent of Wall Township schools until November 2011. She is currently the superintendent of Lacey Township Schools in Ocean County. The Lacey school board last week abruptly put Brower on unpaid administrative leave at an emergency session, citing a personnel matter.

It was unclear whether Brower’s indictment was related to the raid of former Wall Township schools superintendent James Habel’s Point Pleasant home in September.

Simon was adamant that the recent troubles in the Wall School district were not a part of his decision to leave.

“The truth is, for me, I’ve gotten away from my first love, which is being with kids,” he said.

Tavis, who in November was elected in an uncontested race to a three-year term, quit the board after saying he simply did not have the time to dedicate to the position that he feels it deserves.

In a short prepared speech during the board's March meeting, Tavis thanked the board members for their support during his 23 months on the 9-member panel. Tavis was first elected to a one-year unexpired term in 2011.

“Unless you’re a board member, you do not realize how much work is involved,’’ Tavis said. “They do not do it for the money, because there is none. They do not do it for the praise, as that is very rare.”

Tavis was praised by his fellow board members.

“John you have been an absolute pleasure to work with,’’ board President Eva Applegate said.

“I’m heartbroken,” board member Robin Cervantes, a former election running mate, said. “You are still quite the teacher who has taught me for the last two years. Every question I’ve ever asked, you’ve always had an answer and you’ve always done it with kindness and compassion. I thank you again for everything, John. It’s been an amazing two years.”

Tavis was first elected to the board in April 2011 -- a year when no incumbent won re-election to the Board of Education following the disclosure in Wall Patch that an incumbent member heading up the finance committee was under a lifetime federal ban from having dealings with credit unions.

Tavis, – the third president of that year.