BOE Says Madison Lucky to have Dwyer as Interim Super

The Madison Board of Education has announced the hiring Dr. James Dwyer as the district's interim superintendent. He will replace the departing Dr. Richard Noonan during the 2010-11 school year while the BOE searches for a permanent replacement with the help of New Jersey School Boards.

The group is the one which helped the district find Noonan in 2004.

Dwyer has been involved with education in New Jersey for 40 years, and most recently was the interim superintendent in the Wayne Public Schools district.

"All of his references came back absolutely glowing," BOE President Lisa Ellis said. "Everyone who has worked with him enjoyed working with him. We look forward to that, as well."

Ellis said Dwyer's personality stuck out to her, something echoed by the BOE's newest member, Sam Cavaliere.

"What it was about him that struck me, and not just me but through various recommendations, is he is a straight shooter," Cavaliere said. "He struck me as a regular guy. For me, that's the kind of guy I like dealing with."

Ellis said now that Dwyer is in place as interim, New Jersey School Boards will begin the search for a permanent replacement in earnest come fall. She said focus groups will be set up with the community, staff, and administration. She believes the position will be posted sometime in November, and that New Jersey School Boards will help walk the BOE through the interview process after that.

Dwyer has served in multiple interim positions over the past 16 years, including eight previously as interim superintendent. He also served another Morris County district in the same capacity in Parsippany.

Madison Public Schools say Dwyer had a 25-year career in education before beginning his current era in interim positions. He served as superintendent for the Somerville School District for 19 years before retiring from full-time positions.

Cavaliere says that experience will help the district through what is expected to be an even tougher budget than what the BOE dealt with this past year.

"I think his experience goes through a lot of tough times, and it includes a lot of budget challenges in the past," Cavaliere said. "I think it works well for us. I also think his fresh perspective coming in helps while working through all the challenges, on top of finding a new superintendent."

Ellis also said that Dwyer has already shown through interviews that he is willing to take on challenges, and if the BOE seeks his help in the permanent superintendent search, his experience will prove a valuable asset.

"We will sit down with Jim early in the fall and get a feel for each other and the expectation as far as that is concerned," Ellis said. "He is more than capable being a help in that process, but the board hasn't sat down and set that as an expectation yet. We're going to rely on him to a certain extent just taking advantage of that experience and that he has worked with these people. Exactly what that role will be, I don't know that yet."

Dwyer completed his undergraduate work at Notre Dame and went on to earn his Masters in educational administration and supervision at Kean University. He received a doctorate in educational leadership, policy and planning at Rutgers University.

The district says Dwyer has served as President of the NJ Association of School Administrators, Somerset County Educational Services, and served as Vice- Chairman of the NJ Commission on Business Efficiency in Public Schools. He has also served as an adjunct professor at both Kean and Rutgers.

"We're lucky to have found someone of this caliber to get through the next year," Ellis said. "I look forward to working with him."