On Track to Lead District, Markarian Prepares for Role

When Schools Business Administrator Nick Markarian is up on the dais for meetings during the next few months—including Monday's scheduled meeting at 7 p.m.—he likely will be sitting in his same spot as usual. He will be addressing many of the same issues he has for the past few years—the school budget, state aid, and budgeting for facilities planning among them.

But Markarian, named for schools superintendent after Valerie Goger retires June 30, also expects to be working even more closely with the superintendent as he is groomed for his new position. 

"I anticipate working with Valerie more and more to transition to the new role," Markarian said in an email asking him what he forsees for the rest of the school year. 

Markarian, who has been the district's business administrator since July 2008, cannot be approved officially as superintendent until the Board of Education votes again after the April election, and the county superintendent approves his appointment.

Markarian also will be looking beyond the financial management of the district. For example, the school administration will be working this spring on a new policy that addresses student stressors and whether students receive too much homework. A report on a survey on student homework is scheduled to be presented by Curriculum Director Sean Siet at Monday's meeting at the

"Our challenges will be to deal with our budget and to find ways to improve an already excellent district," Markarian added in response to a question about the challenges that lie ahead.

"The greatest strength of the district in my opinion is the quality of the people—both the community and the district staff," he added in the email.

As business administrator, Markarian already has dealt closely with what could arguably be the toughest budget year the district has weathered—after a spring 2010 decision by then-new Gov. Chris Christie to cut state aid throughout New Jersey.

At that point, the district had to absorb a reduction to less than $850,000 in state aid for 2010-11 from what had been fairly flat aid at a level of about $3 million, with a blip to over $4 million one year because Bernards Township was paying less on a per pupil basis than what the state considers necessary for a "thorough and efficient" education.

The business administrator, working with the superintendent and other administrators, combed the budget seeking places to cut. The following year's budget was initially due to reduce full-day kindergarten to a part day and to eliminate one academic period at .

However, parents raised money to supplement the kindergarten program—although those funds were never tapped after the state restored sufficient aid to again fully fund the kindergarten program and save a nine-period day at the high school for the current school year.

Markarian's resume says he "collaborated with district administration and board to develop, advertise, and present the annual budget for board and voter approval, prepared budget newsletter [and] accounted for all district finances, created and maintained all requisite financial reports including [the] board secretary’s report, transfer reports, Treasurer’s report, investment report, and bills list. He also listed a major responsibility as managing grants for the district.

Markarian was credited by authorities in noting discrepancies in billing versus work completed that led to the uncovering in 2010 of a fraud scheme by a  to bilk the district of $2.1 million. The money later was returned to the district.

Markarian was principal at the middle school between July 1, 2006 through July 15, 2008. He started in Bernards Township as assistant principal at the middle school, a role he said he filled from July 2001 through June 2006.

Previously, he had been a teacher at Hunterdon Central Regional High School and at Spotswood High School. His resume said he earned an master's degree in administration and supervision in January 1999 from Rutgers University, and a bachelor's of science in mathematics in May 1993 from Pennsylvania State University.

Under new state guidelines, he will begin his position at an annual starting salary of $167,500, although School Board President Susan Carlsson previously said that the new superintendent also could be eligible to earn bonuses. As business administrator, he is being paid just under $157,000 this year, according to a previously approved contract with the district.