PENNS GROVE — The man who was named interim principal of Penns Grove Middle School has been removed by the district, officials confirmed, declining to say whether the removal relates to an email in which he allegedly referred to students at the school as "savage."

“The board is aware of concerns in the community regarding the former interim principal at Penns Grove Middle School in connection with an email message,” Interim Superintendent Zenaida Cobian said recently in a statement. “The district administration immediately addressed those issues, and the individual is no longer working with the district.”

Cobian would not comment further on whether the email was the main factor in last week's release of Joseph Sottosanti from the school district. The board solicitor for the Penns Grove-Carneys Point Regional School District, Mark Toscano, is currently handling the situation.

Sottosanti, of Williamstown, could not be reached for comment.

“The individual did work with the district as an interim principal for several years — both in the high school and middle school — and made many positive impacts on both schools,” Cobian’s statement read.

Through an Open Public Records Act request filed by the South Jersey Times, an email sent to staff at the middle school from Sottosanti's account, dated Monday, Dec. 2, at 11:22 a.m., stated: "Glen won't be in today....Send your extreme criminal cases to my office, otherwise be creative and calm the savage juveniles the best you can....thanks."

"Glen" is an apparent reference to assistant principal Glen Asch.

Sottosanti served as the interim principal for the middle school after Jean Spinelli announced her retirement in August after 17 years in the school district. The interim principal received a salary of $425 per day.

A few days after the initial message, an email was sent from Sottosanti’s account to staff in the district, dated Dec. 9, that gives reasons for his alleged actions, according to information obtained from the OPRA request.

“... If you aren’t aware, you soon will be, no real secrets in schools, my position has been terminated with the Penns Grove school district,” the email stated. “Though I was not allowed due process in all this, I had two choices: silently fade away or provide my version to you all instead of letting others do so.”

It goes on to say that his comment was a “play on words” of the phrase “soothe the savage beast,” by William Congreve.

CONNECT WITH US!

“Last week Monday, I rushed out an email to the staff, that I would be working alone. Though I had just recently experienced the loss of my mother, I knew I didn’t want the building to be without an administrator, nor burden any other administrators in the district who would be pulled, interrupting their work load, to cover,” the email dated Dec. 9 states.

“In hindsight, guess I should have taken a few days off. The purpose of my email was to make you aware of being short handed. With all I was dealing with, I hoped I would not have to also deal with a lot of discipline. Usually you folks are more then accommodating in containing any minor problem when asked.

“My email again was a quick request which I did a play on words of a familiar quote ("calm the savage beast"). To keep my request of you, it was to keep it light, so I attempted to paraphrase that quote. Nothing sinister, not a social comment, definitely not intended to offend, maybe naive on my part, but innocent enough, at least I thought so,” the email stated.

“Well unfortunately someone was and chose to share with someone outside of the staff. It was shared with the press and someone chose to put on Facebook, all very unfair, as I said, I hadn’t even been spoken to yet...guilty till proven innocent.”

The email goes on to say that almost anything can be slanted, misinterpreted or taken out of context and come off as negative.

“Not sure the true purpose or nature of why this turned out the way it did, or what someone’s true intent was, but I need you all to know that it has caused sleepless nights, possible tarnish to my nearly 40 years in a profession I have always been passionate about and a concern it may deny me future employment and loss of income,” the email states.

He concludes the email by saying he enjoyed his time in the district and hopes that the incident does not distract his colleagues from their real focus, the students’ education and their love for what they do.

The district is working on finding a permanent principal for the middle school. They recently reviewed more than a dozen applications submitted for the position, according to the superintendent.

After Spinelli’s retirement, the board was unable to reach a consensus on candidates that were recommended by former superintendent Dr. Joseph Massare. Then, in early August, the board approved Sottosanti as the temporary leader after more than one vote attempt.

“The board of education and district is striving to hire the best instructional leader for our school who will complement and enhance the administrative team at the building level,” the interim superintendent said.

Currently, assistant principal of the middle school, Glen Asch, is acting principal.

Contact staff writer Brittany M. Wehner at 856-935-1500 or email bwehner@southjerseymedia.com