MATAWAN-ABERDEEN, NJ — Nelyda Perez has been appointed as the next superintendent of the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District.
She will take over the job formerly held by Joseph "Jay" Majka, who was MARSD superintendent for the past eight years.
Majka "has transitioned to the role of director of human resources," said the school district in a press release sent to all Monmouth County media outlets on Tuesday afternoon. This is despite the fact that he still had four years left in his contract to be superintendent. Majka's contract, which you can view here, was from 2022 to 2027.
Majka initiated this change and he said publicly at the most recent school board meeting he wanted to spend more time with his family, according to David Rubin, the MARSD school board attorney. He will no longer be paid the superintendent salary.
"I have some growing family obligations," Majka told Patch Tuesday. "The answer was right in front of us in Nelly. This is a great thing that happened and the Board was so, so supportive of all of this. I am very excited for her. I am not going anywhere; I am still in the district and Matawan-Aberdeen is a great community, the best."
The board voted to approve Perez as the new superintendent at their August 24 meeting, effective September 1.
Perez used to be the assistant superintendent.
Perez did her graduate work at Rutgers University and began her career as a bilingual social worker and child study team member for the Long Branch school district, where she worked for 15 years. She rose to become principal of Long Branch's STEM Academy and director of pupil personnel. She co-founded Matawan Aberdeen’s K.E.Y.S Academy, the second recovery high school in the state. Read about that school here: Monmouth County's 'Recovery High School' Helps Teens Get Sober
In the Matawan-Aberdeen school district, she was most recently chiefly responsible for implementing pre-school expansion, offering universal preschool to all three- and four-year-old children in Aberdeen Township.
Perez is first female superintendent in the district’s history, and the first Latina PreK-12 superintendent in Monmouth County.
She lives in Hazlet with her husband and children.
Michael Liebmann, who was head of the Human Resources Department, has been named assistant superintendent.
“Mrs. Perez’s many accomplishments, years of experience and knowledge of our district make her the right fit to lead our district to great success in the future," said Board of Education President Annette Ascolisaid. "She is a dedicated and committed advocate for children and ensuring their success academically, emotionally and socially. We are very honored to have Mrs. Perez be the next superintendent of the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District.”
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