Mount Hebron Middle School Leadership Update

Montclair school district officials confirmed last month that the Central Office is investigating Samantha Morra, assistant principal at Mount Hebron Middle School, to determine whether she enrolled her children in Montclair schools using a Montclair mailing address that is actually part of the Little Falls school district.

Interim Superintendent Dr. Clarence Hoover said Wednesday that he would make a recommendation to the Montclair Board of Education within the next 10 days regarding the allegation.

"As you know, personnel issues are not made public before the Board of Education has a chance to discuss my recommendation(s)," he said.

Hoover is acting as interim schools superintendent now that former Superintendent Frank Alvarez has stepped down.

Recently, that a legal process must be followed when it comes to Morra's situation.

"There is no official word from Central Office yet for the following reason: As an employee of the Montclair Public Schools and as a member of the Montclair Principals Association, Ms. Morra has the right to a hearing before the Superintendent of Schools or his designee to respond to the allegations that have been made against her," Kulwin said. "That hearing will take place very shortly in accordance with the timelines set forth in the union contract."

In other news related to Mount Hebron, the position of principal is currently being advertised—a process that will be closed on August 17.

 in May—to the surprise of many parents and teachers—that Mount Hebron Principal Guy Whitlock would be transferred to the district's Central Office this summer.

Whitlock, who taught Social Studies and Language Arts at Mount Hebron during the 1990s before serving as the assistant to Alvarez, took over as principal in July 2010.

Under Whitlock's direction, Mount Hebron has been undergoing a transformation in its curriculum, with plans to add several new electives in the fall of 2012.

Interim Principal Terry Triggs-Scales recently sent out a note to Mount Hebron families that reads as follows:

It is my honor and pleasure to serve as the Interim Principal at Mount Hebron for the next few months. Please rest assured that I am no stranger to Mount Hebron having served as the Director of Curriculum and Assistant Superintendent for Instruction for 9 years before retiring in 2010. I also served as Assistant Principal here twice and chose to send my own son to Mount Hebron during his middle school years. I also served as principal at Northeast School for 9 years and had a very close relationship with Mount Hebron as one of its primary feeder schools. Needless to say, Mount Hebron Middle School holds a very special place in my heart.

The professional staff here is second to none and the support that is provided by all staff for the welfare of the students cannot be rivaled. It is such a caring and nurturing environment that focuses on the development of the whole adolescent. I’ve always said that middle school teachers are the most adaptable and flexible in the district. They are teaching students who are changing, adapting and developing and they therefore must be up to the challenge of meeting these needs.

There is great excitement in the air given the curriculum changes that are underway. I think that it is important that I let you know what has been happening during July and what can be expected in August. The Department of Instruction has had oversight for the writing of the new curricula for the new electives. A group of our Mount Hebron teachers have been busily working with a team of experienced curriculum specialists. These new electives will be in place for the start of the new school year.

We are currently scheduling all of our students and have had the good fortune of working with an expert in ensuring that the master schedule accommodates the new electives. As you may know, we will have a master schedule this year that offers 80 minute classes as well as 40 minute classes.  Mount Hebron students will be afforded more opportunities for course selection than in years past. To see the planning from last year materialize is very rewarding for the staff. I am sure that the students will be equally enthusiastic.

We are also anticipating the arrival of new computers and equipment for our four new thematic Technology Learning Commons: Project Lead the Way in the Engineering Learning Commons, the Global Communications Learning Commons, the Design and Innovation Learning Commons and the Entrepreneurial Learning Commons.

This will be a banner year for Mount Hebron Middle School with the addition of many exciting courses and renewed vigor and rigor in its magnet theme. We want Mount Hebron to become a beacon for the country as a STEM middle school. With the collaborative efforts of the Mount Hebron School Community it is certainly possible.

I will be meeting with the parent and teacher leaders this week to review the priorities and plans for the year. I am so excited to be here. Please know that I am available from now until August 9th to answer any questions. We anticipate that NJASK scores will be mailed from Central Office the week of August 6th.  Schedules and homeroom assignments will be mailed home on August 31st as per Central Office.

Please enjoy a safe and fun filled remainder of your summer,

Yours truly,

Ms. Terry Trigg-Scales

Interim Principal