New Principal Chosen For Westfield's Wilson School

WESTFIELD, NJ —The Westfield Board of Education unanimously approved, at its virtual meeting Tuesday, the appointment of Crystal Marsh as principal of Wilson Elementary School effective Aug. 1. She will succeed Joseph Malanga, who is retiring on July 31.

Marsh will be leaving her current post at Edison Intermediate School, where she has been serving as assistant principal since 2017.

A graduate of Columbia University Teachers' College, where she received a Master of Education degree in Public School Building Leadership, Marsh also earned a Master of Science degree in Adolescent Education from Pace University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania in the Biological Basis of Behavior.

The interview committee for the Wilson School principal position included two Wilson parents, two Wilson teachers, a board member, two administrators/supervisors, Human Resources Specialist Barbara Ball, and Superintendent Dr. Margaret Dolan.

“In the few days since my name was listed on tonight’s agenda, my inbox has been flooded with stories of how wonderful Wilson School is," said Marsh to the board on Tuesday. "One teacher said the sense of community and family at Wilson rivals that which we have at Edison."

She added, "I look forward to building upon the foundation of excellence and sense of community that Mr. Malanga, the staff, students, and families at Wilson have already established so that our students will continue to reach their highest potential, academically, socially, and emotionally.”

Superintendent Dolan said, “Ms. Marsh is a knowledgeable, talented, and reflective leader who has a deep understanding of instructional strategies, an abundant knowledge of special education, and sophisticated skills in technology. What stands out the most, however, is her love of her profession and her focus on the whole child. She is committed to providing a safe, creative, and nurturing environment for all students.”

Marsh joined the Westfield Public School District in 2017 when she was hired for the position at Edison, working with Principal Dr. Matthew Bolton.

There, her responsibilities included helping to develop Edison’s master schedule for students and staff, working with special education teams on student action plans, ensuring accommodations, training, and test security for standardized testing, and planning and presenting professional development for Edison staff.

Marsh also supervises the Edison No Place for Hate Committee, which brings students, staff, and families together to reduce bias and promote respect. She supervises the district’s Gifted Education Program as well, working with Wilson students, teachers, and parents, along with others throughout the district.

Before arriving in Westfield, Marsh was a science teacher and grade team leader in the Salk School of Science Middle School in New York City, where she supervised the student transition from elementary to middle school. She worked for over five years with staff developers from the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project, examining how to apply the Common Core State Standards to science and humanities course work.

Marsh also worked with other educators and with publishers to create, differentiate, and evaluate curriculum. She has more than a decade of experience in the classroom, including as lead teacher at the Urban Advantage Middle School Science Initiative.

She is a National Board Certified Teacher in Science-Early Adolescence and is a member of the National Science Teachers Association. She has been named a Master Teacher of Science by Math for America and has been a science consultant for the Sesame Workshop.

“With my knowledge of the Westfield Public School District and its community," Marsh said, "I look forward to building upon the foundation of excellence that currently exists and safely and successfully leading Wilson School out of this time of pandemic pedagogy."

Other Leadership Changes

The change will be among several leadership changes in the near future. Among them, the district is getting a new superintendent, Raymond González. And Tiffanie Jacobson was recently appointed principal of the Lincoln Early Childhood Center.

• READ MORE: Westfield School Board Taps Westwood Superintendent For $231K
• READ MORE: Principal Chosen For Lincoln Early Childhood Center In Westfield

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