School Board Approves New Principal for Mill Pond Elementary School

Lacey’s Board of Education voted unanimously Monday to hire Dr. Peter Kopack as the new principal of .

Kopack is currently the assistant principal at Asher Holmes Elementary School in Morganville, which is a part of the Marlboro Township School District. He will replace Principal Susan Gallagher, who retires in June.

“He’ll bring a lot of energy along with a solid technology and curriculum background,” Board of Education President Jack Martenak said.

The motion to hire Kopack was made after the Board of Education entered a private session during Monday's school board meeting.

The Lacey school board is still negotiating Kopack’s release date with the Marlboro Township School District.

Gallagher’s retirement was approved during the January school board meeting, and her last day is set at June 30.

Kopack, whose salary is set at $114,000 prorated with an education stipend of $1,000 prorated, may begin as early as June 15, Martenak said. An earlier start date would allow for a transition period, he said.

Kopack generates a monthly newsletter for the Asher Holmes Elementary School. His latest post reflects on a study that reveals that listening is vital to school learning and is essential to interacting with people. He later goes on to suggest ways to model good listening behavior for children.

Visit Kopack’s page here: http://www.marlboro.k12.nj.us/webpages/pkopack/

More details will be provided on Kopack’s employment and background as it becomes available. Continue to follow this story on Lacey Patch.

Gallagher has not returned calls to Lacey Patch to comment on her retirement.