Pedroza Named Manchester Superintendent

MANCHESTER, NJ — The Manchester Township Board of Education has named Diane Pedroza as the district's first female superintendent of schools, four months after being named as its interim leader.

Pedroza, who has nearly 25 years of service in the district, is set to receive a five-year contract that begins July 1 and ends June 30, 2029. Salary terms were not included in the resolution Wednesday night approving her hiring.

Pedroza was named the district's interim superintendent on Nov. 7, when the school board fired former superintendent John Berenato in the wake of a public outcry following a Patch report on a lawsuit filed by Whiting Elementary School Principal Evelyn Swift.

Swift's lawsuit alleged Berenato engaged in a pattern of age, gender and racial discrimination and tried to pressure her into retiring.

When she was appointed the interim superintendent, Pedroza said she wanted to foster a community in the district that kept its motto, "Excellence by Example," at the forefront of what it did. Read more: 'A Village': Manchester Interim Superintendent Looks Toward Future

On Wednesday night, Board President Gayle Mount said Pedroza had achieved that, earning respect as while proving she could lead under pressure.

"Diane's leadership has shown us how to lead with our heart," one member of the district told Mount in comments the board president gathered from staff and shared with the board meeting.

Mount's full remarks can be heard in the board meeting video.