Dr. Patrick Ketch was officially appointed North Warren Regional High School’s new superintendent this past May. Now, if the logistical gears turn smoothly, he will act as the superintendent for both NWR and the school he previously led, Blairstown Elementary School, in a Shared Services Agreement.
NWR originally made the agreement public at a special meeting of the Board of Education on Sept. 14. BES did likewise on Sept. 16.
According to the Mutual Shared Service Report distributed at NWR’s Sept. 28 regular board meeting, the community’s response at the two mid-September meetings was “generally positive” with no “objections or negative comments” noted. After reviewing the report, North Warren’s board agreed to submit it for approval.
The Blairstown Elementary School Board of Education will also vote on the shared services report during their Sept. 30 meeting, with one last opportunity for public comment.
The agreement has an estimated start date of Oct. 1, 2026, pending county and state approval, and will remain in effect through June 2030.
Timing: A 60/40 Split Between North Warren and Blairstown
North Warren’s BOE distributed the five-page report describing the logistics and rationale for the shared services partnership, alongside the 28-page Superintendent Employment Contract.
The report explains the districts’ vision for the shared partnership. By the terms of the agreement, Ketch will retain the superintendent responsibilities for both schools. The general framework is that he’ll spend 60% of his time at North Warren, including three days on site, and 40% of his time at Blairstown Elementary, entailing two days on site. That general plan includes flexibility for special events, emergent needs and urgent updates.
When Ketch is off-site, daily responsibilities will fall to the school principals, Interim Principal Chris Carruba at North Warren and Principal Silverstri at Blairstown. The document also emphasizes the role of communication technologies and the close proximity of the schools, which are 2.5 miles apart—an easy commute if duty suddenly calls Ketch to switch sites.
Each school would conduct its own annual superintendent evaluation. The report also indicates that North Warren’s other sending districts, Knowlton and Frelinghuysen, were consulted in the process and expressed no opposition.
Ketch is a strong candidate to lead both districts, the report argues, as someone already familiar with both schools. He previously led Blairstown as the superintendent for five years before his appointment at North Warren this year.
The report argues that the agreement “will enhance educational opportunities, strengthen operational efficiency and maximize fiscal resources for both communities,” vs. each school having a full-time superintendent.
Dollars and Fiscal Sense: Plan To Save Over $543K Over Four Years
In an increasingly tough budgeting environment, the last reason may be the most compelling—especially for Blairstown and Hardwick residents, who pay taxes for both schools.
As the superintendent for both schools, Ketch will be paid an annual salary of $215,000 to start. This number will rise 3% every year, with a final amount of $234,936.30 at the end of the four-year contract.
The 60/40 split in timing applies to cost allocations, too: North Warren will pay 60% of Ketch’s salary, employed-paid benefit costs and any other approved compensation, amounting to $129,000 in the first year. Meanwhile, Blairstown will pay 40%, amounting to $86,000 in year one.
On the one hand, Ketch’s salary will be higher than the average full-time superintendent salary in NJ: $203,728 last school year, according to the NJ Department of Education’s Certificated Staff Database. Probably more important to taxpayers, though, are the cost savings from splitting that salary vs. each school compensating its own separate full-time superintendent.
To calculate the total savings projected for the four-year partnership, the school added Ketch’s previous contract at BES to the original full-time version of his North Warren contract from this summer and calculated the cost over four years. They then compared that total to the cost of the proposed shared partnership.
The final result was a combined savings of $543,424 for both districts over four years. That’s about $223,804 savings for North Warren and $319,620 for Blairstown. Those amounts include the cost of benefits, which Ketch said he does not take, but is required in cost-of-contract calculations.
Blairstown in particular benefits from the arrangement, as the partner covering only 40% of the superintendent role. Its cost share of $86,000 is much lower than any full-time superintendent would make. In fact, that’s 54% of the salary Ketch made there in the 25-26 school year.
The End of a Long Road
Assuming Blairstown Elementary’s confirmation and county and state approval, the partnership represents the culmination of a months-long process.
“This was uncharted territory for both districts, and there were a lot of questions and uncertainties that had to be worked through,” Ketch wrote in a follow-up email. “There were also several different roads we had to cross, including contractual, legal, state, county and board considerations.”
He continued: “Ultimately, both districts worked through the issues collaboratively, and I believe the final agreement provides an opportunity for the districts to share resources while maintaining strong leadership and services for both school communities.”
The Mutual Shared Service Report will go before Blairstown Elementary School’s Board of Education on Sept. 30 for approval and submission to the county and state.
Chip O'Chang is an educator, fiction writer, and lifelong resident of New Jersey. He has also written for My Life Publications and NJ Indy. He lives in the NJ Skylands with his partner, two cats, and and a bearded dragon.
- Chip O'Chang, Contributing Writerhttps://ridgeviewecho.com/author/chip-ochang-contributing-writer/
- Chip O'Chang, Contributing Writerhttps://ridgeviewecho.com/author/chip-ochang-contributing-writer/
- Chip O'Chang, Contributing Writerhttps://ridgeviewecho.com/author/chip-ochang-contributing-writer/
- Chip O'Chang, Contributing Writerhttps://ridgeviewecho.com/author/chip-ochang-contributing-writer/
