Livingston Schools Will Get New Superintendent: Daniel Fishbein

LIVINGSTON, NJ — A temporary replacement has been chosen for Livingston school superintendent Matthew Block.

On Monday, administrators in the Livingston Public School District announced that Daniel Fishbein will serve as interim superintendent for the district for the 2024-2025 school year. The board of education is expected to approve his appointment at their meeting on Tuesday.

Prior to the meeting, a “meet and greet” event with Fishbein open to the public will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the district’s central office, 11 Foxcroft Drive.

Fishbein will begin his tenure at the head of the district on July 1.

Block previously announced that he would be retiring from public education in New Jersey effective July 1. He will be taking over a new post as the superintendent of schools in Ardsley, New York.

Board of education president Pam Chirls previously said that the board will be hiring an interim superintendent to allow sufficient time for the district to “seek stakeholder input and conduct a thorough search” for a permanent superintendent.

Departing superintendent Block said that his interim successor’s reputation as an educational leader is “second to none.”

“I am confident he will quickly discover what an amazing professional team we have here in Livingston, and together with the LPS team, will take the district to the next level,” Block said.

“I look forward to working closely with Dr. Fishbein during the upcoming transition period,” he added.

Fishbein agreed with this sentiment.

“I am honored to be appointed as the interim superintendent for Livingston Public Schools,” he said. “I look forward to working with the board, the administration, the staff and the community for the smooth transition to a permanent superintendent.”

The Livingston Public School District provided the following background information about Fishbein:

“Dr. Fishbein holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geology from the University of Maine, Orono; a Master of Education - Secondary Science Education from St. Michael’s College; and a Master of Education - Educational Administration from Teachers College, Columbia University. He earned his Doctor of Education - Educational Administration degree from Columbia University in 1992.

“In 2020, Dr. Fishbein retired as Superintendent of Ridgewood Public Schools, a position he held for over a decade. There he served as the chief school administrator for 5,800 K -12 students and 800 professional and non-professional staff members. As superintendent, he was responsible for the leadership and management of the educational program, financial and technology operations, and all parts of the physical plant, as well as for leading, inspiring, guiding, and directing each administrative, instructional, and support services staff member. In addition, he oversaw a $115,000,000 budget. Highlights of his tenure in Ridgewood include a successful $48,000,000 bond referendum on the facilities that was approved in December 2009 and completed in 2012.

“Prior to joining Ridgewood Public Schools, Dr. Fishbein served as Superintendent of Schools in Glen Ridge for seven years.

“Since his retirement, he has served in various interim positions in Glen Rock, Hillsborough Township, and Pascack Valley.

“Dr. Fishbein has served as an adjunct professor at Ramapo College in Mahwah, NJ since 2018. Over the years, he has served in various leadership roles with Bergen County Superintendents’ Association, Essex County Superintendents’ Association, Northern NJ Superintendents’ Study Council, and the Garden State Coalition of Schools. He has also served as a trainer and mentor for new superintendents and administrators who aspire to be superintendents. He is a founding member of the National Superintendents Roundtable and the New Jersey Superintendent Study Council. He has traveled to Japan, China, and South Korea as an education ambassador and guest of their governmental education agencies.”

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site. Don’t forget to visit the Patch Livingston Facebook page.