Westfield School Board Taps Westwood Superintendent For $231K

WESTFIELD, NJ — At its virtual meeting on Tuesday evening, the Westfield Board of Education voted to choose Dr. Raymond González as its new superintendent of schools starting in August. His salary will be $231,540 for the 2021-2022 school year.

(See the district's release announcing González's hiring at the end of this story.)

González, currently the superintendent for the Westwood schools, will initially serve for the period from Aug. 1 through June 30, 2022.

He will succeed Dr. Margaret Dolan, who is retiring after 14 years as superintendent of Westfield Public Schools.

The vote was 8-0 with one abstention.

González said at the virtual meeting, "I can't tell you how thrilled I am," and said he was also "humbled" and "honored" to lead the district.

González has previously worked in Hackensack and Paterson school districts and has a doctorate from Rutgers. Read more about his experience here and at the end of the story.

"After a thorough search and interview process, Dr. González was the clear top choice among the board members,” said Board President Amy Root on Tuesday. “His background as a teacher, principal and administrator in a variety of districts has provided him with a wealth of experience."

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The board was only told Tuesday morning that the Interim Executive Union County Superintendent of Schools has approved the candidate’s contract, a required part of the hiring process, said a district spokesperson.

Board members reviewed applications of 33 candidates (28 of them from New Jersey), then held a series of virtual private meetings to interview the top contenders, according to the district.

Release from Westfield schools

The district issued this press release after the vote Tuesday night:

<blockquote>

<p>At its virtual meeting on May 4, the Westfield Board of Education unanimously appointed Dr. Raymond A. González as the new superintendent of the Westfield Public School District, effective August 1, 2021. González – who began his career in education more than 20 years ago – currently is the Superintendent of Schools for the Westwood Regional School District, serving the Borough of Westwood and Washington Township.

“I am thrilled and humbled to be joining the school district as the Superintendent of Schools and to become a part of the Westfield Public School District’s tradition of excellence,” says González. “Upon my entry into the district, I look forward to working closely with the Board of Education, administration, and staff as well as getting a chance to meet our students and community to get to know more about what makes Westfield schools special.”

As chief school administrator of the Westwood Regional School District since August 2014, González oversees 6 schools (4 elementary, one intermediate, and one high school), more than 2,800 students and 400 staff members, and an operating budget of approximately $64 million. Key initiatives during his tenure include:

• Future Ready Education to integrate Chromebooks, Google for Education, and associated professional development in 21st Century Learning;
• a five-year strategic plan to outline the district’s priorities;
• a successful bond referendum to expand and renovate Westwood Regional Middle School,
• expanded in-district programming opportunities to support all students, including co-teaching and inclusion at all levels, creating in-house programs for students with autism, and launching a therapeutic suite of services to support student social-emotional needs,
• a multi-faceted communications plan to improve community engagement and disseminate information.

"After a thorough search and interview process, Dr. González was the clear top choice among the board members,” says Board President Amy Root. “His background as a teacher, principal and administrator in a variety of districts has provided him with a wealth of experience which will serve him well in Westfield. We look forward to introducing him to our community and to working together to improve upon our tradition of excellence and provide the best educational opportunities for our students.”

González served as Superintendent of Wayne Township Public Schools from December 2011 to July 2014, where he and his team successfully aligned all grade level curriculum to State standards; established an eco-friendly paperless communication system to leverage web-based, digital, and social media resources; and maximized use of underutilized technology systems.

The seasoned administrator graduated cum laude from Princeton University in 1996 with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. He received a Master of Arts in Urban Education from the New Jersey City University in January 2002 and a Master of Arts in Educational Administration and Supervision in January 2005 from Rutgers University. In January 2012, he earned a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Administration and Supervision from Rutgers.

González began his career in education in 1998 as a Bilingual Education/English as a Second Language teacher in the Paterson Public School District, where he also was a computer teacher, technology coordinator, and test coordinator two years later. He was appointed as Director of Assessment, Planning, and Evaluation for the Paterson school district in 2003.

From 2006-2009, González moved to the Westwood Regional School District as an elementary school principal before returning to the Paterson Public School District in 2009 as Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction and Special Education. He served as Assistant Superintendent of Schools, then Interim Superintendent in the Hackensack Public Schools from July 2010 to December 2011.

“I am committed to my life’s work as an educator and I look forward to working in a school district that shares a passion for making a difference in the lives of all children,” adds González. “My diverse education experiences, as applied in a variety of contexts, have equipped me with the knowledge and skills to lead the Westfield Public School District. I look forward to partnering with the Board of Education and the entire school community in our journey together.”

González succeeds Dr. Margaret Dolan who is retiring after 25 years in the Westfield Public Schools, 14 years as superintendent.

</blockquote>

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