Superintendent Search Subject of Special Meeting

The board of education is planning a special meeting Thursday evening to discuss procedures for gathering input from the public as it begins the search for a new superintendent.

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Now, the board is preparing its plans for hiring an interim superintendent, as well as a full time replacement for Schilder.

According to board member and personnel committee chairwoman, Ann Marie Mead, the board is planning to work with the NJ School Boards Association, at a cost of $6,400, to move forward with the search.

At Thursday’s special meeting, Mead said, a representative will be in attendance to discuss the transparency of the process.

“We will discuss what the calendar is going to look like, how we will get input from the community and what the plans are if we have challenges doing that,” she said. “We want to get a significant amount of community input, and the time to do that is when school is in session.”

Mead said the representative will discuss the timeline and process at this point.

Resident Howard Teichman said he is concerned about the timing, particularly with regard to hearing from residents before the school year ends. Although he said he understands it is no fault of the board, he believes they will have to extend discussions into the summer.

“Part of the consideration is to have input from the community before the end of the school year,” he said. “But after graduations, the year is over. I think, unfortunately, we have lost this school year.”

The middle school graduation is June 19 and the high school graduation is June 20.

“I don’t think we have enough time before the end of the school year to have public input,” he said. “I think that what’s necessary for public input in particular is to have at least one meeting at night and probably one during the day to catch as many people as possible.”

“The first thing we need to do is let them know what they are being asked to give input on,” he added. “Let them think about it, it takes a little while.”

At this point, Mead said, they have placed an ad for an interim superintendent, and received 15 applications. She said they have selected six to meet and interview.

“The committee will try to schedule two to three days to do that as soon as possible,” she said. “The intent would be to present the board with no more than three candidates to interview.”

“Timing is tight, and it requires a lot of coordination,” she added.

The special meeting will be held at 8 p.m. in the Harmon V. Wade Administration Building on Newmans Lane.