LAKEWOOD — Going into a new school year that saw the district receive extra money from both the state and the township to cover a significant budget gap, the Lakewood Board of Education approved a new contract for Superintendent Laura Winters.

According to the Asbury Park Press, the board approved a three-year deal for Winters that will see her salary rise from $167,500 to $196,547. The Press reported that the new deal makes Winters the second-highest paid school administrator in the area behind Toms River, but well behind Passaic County Technical Institute's Diana Lobosco's salary of $297,625.

Last school year the district was facing a budget shortfall of close to $15 million before the state approved an additional $8.5 million in aid. Without that money, more than 100 teachers could have lost their jobs and class sizes could have approached close to 50 students.

Winters was at Lakewood High School in May when close to 300 students were supposed to leave for a rally on the steps of the Statehouse in Trenton. Those plans were scuttled by the state and the students ended up holding their rally in the parking lot of the Trenton Thunder ballpark.

Still facing a budget shortfall, the township agreed to give the schools more than $1 million to help maintain the football program and allow district librarians to keep their jobs. It was an unusual move. Municipalities hardly ever provide school districts with money out of their own coffers because school districts have their separate tax rates.

Along with the school funding crisis, the town has also been rocked by the recent arrests of  26 residents facing charges of welfare fraud after police conducted several high-profile raids in the town.

More From New Jersey 101.5

Contact reporter Adam Hochron at 609-359-5326 or Adam.Hochron@townsquaremedia.com

More From New Jersey 101.5 FM