Meet West Morris Regional's New District Superintendent

MENDHAM, NJ — A new Superintendent of Schools will be taking over the West Morris Regional High School District next year after the departure of Michael Ben-David this past year.

During the July 24 Board of Education meeting, Barbara Sargent, who’s been with the Parsippany Troy Hills school district since 2017, officially took over as superintendent for the upcoming year.

West Morris Regional serves students from Mendham Borough and Township, Chester Borough and Township, and Washington Township. According to state data, the district served approximately 2,300 students during the previous academic year.

Ben-David, who had been working within the West Morris Regional High School District since 2015, accepted a similar position at the grades K–12 Tenafly School District, which became effective at the end of this past school year.

Sargent comes to West Morris as an experienced educational leader, having previously served as Superintendent for the Readington Township (PreK–8) School District and the Parsippany–Troy Hills Township (PreK–12) School District.

She has also published work on women's leadership, literacy instruction, and effective leadership practices in state and national educational journals.

Prior to the new school year, Patch spoke to the new superintendent to learn more about her plans for the West Morris Regional community in 2023 and beyond.

When discussing her transition to West Morris, Sargent stated that her previous experiences have helped her adapt quickly.

"I’ve had the good fortune to work in several Morris County school districts over the years. I was the principal of Dickerson School in Chester many years ago, led numerous curriculum initiatives as Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction for the Madison School District, and –most recently – was the Superintendent for the Parsippany-Troy Hills Township School District," Sargent said.

"Morris County has some incredible educational leaders and I enjoy positive working relationships with all of them. The Superintendents of the West Morris PreK-8 districts are an amazing group and I’m excited to partner with them to support all of our students," she continued.

Prior to his departure, Sargent stated that she met with Ben-David to better understand district goals, critical issues, and organizational matters. "The Board of Education members have been very gracious in sharing feedback with me about the community and assisting with a smooth transition," she added.

When asked what most excites her about joining the West Morris school community, Sargent stated that the impressive reputations of both West Morris high schools drew her in.

"The faculty are exemplary and care deeply about engaging students in thoughtful learning. Any leader would be pinching herself at the prospect of working and learning alongside folks like these," Sargent said. "This will also be the first time in my career where my focus will be exclusively on a high school setting, and I’m excited to understand the successes we’ve had and explore new opportunities to further enrich our students’ experiences."

During the school year, Sargent said she hopes to shadow a high school student at each school in the fall so she can better understand their schedules and get to know the teachers in the district.

"Each day has been a chance to meet someone new, talk with students, and learn about West Morris – and that’s super rewarding. I also know that school communities benefit from clear and consistent communication, and I’m planning regular methods of sharing the great happenings in the high schools with our parents, staff and residents," Sargent said.