By CAROL GORGA WILLIAMS
Kelly Weldon, a hometown resident and graduate of Ocean Township High School, has been appointed by the Board of Education as school superintendent replacing James Stefankiewicz who leaves this summer to begin his retirement.
“These are exciting times,” said Board President Irene Gilman at the May 9 work meeting. “Our town is about to have a new superintendent.”
Weldon, a 1993 graduate of Ocean Township High School, was approved with one recusal and no opposition. The board hired a consultant to conduct an extensive search several months ago. Weldon was nominated by Board Member Denise Parlamas. After the vote, she was given a standing ovation from board members and people in the auditorium.
Weldon will be the first woman in charge of the district’s six school facilities. She was most recently assistant superintendent, a position she had occupied since July 2016. Before that, she was principal at her alma mater. She began that position in 2010.
In 1997, she was graduated with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education and English from The College of New Jersey. She returned to academia in 2001, earning a master’s degree from Monmouth University in educational leadership and administration, according to her online resume. She followed that with a second master’s degree from Monmouth in 2002 in School Personnel and Counseling.
On the May 9 agenda, her appointment was called “chief school administrator” but her contract, which has already been approved by the interim Monmouth County Superintendent ofSchools, refers to her as superintendent. The first contract goes from July 1 thru June 2026. Her starting salary will be $210,000. In the second year, it will be $215,250 and in the final year, it will be $220,631.25.
The 18-page contract prohibits any outside employment such as consulting or lecturing without prior board approval although she can do such work on her vacations and her time off. She has 20 days of vacation time, three personal days and 12 sick days. There are caps on how much time she can accumulate.
Weldon is the daughter of Terry Weldon, a former township mayor, retired Asbury Park firefighter and a former city manager of Asbury Park.
