Updated: Westwood Principal Leaving For Ridgewood

Thomas Gorman, the current principal of , was approved Monday night as the new principal of .

The Ridgewood Board of Education unanimously supported , who has spent the past five years as principal of Westwood Jr./Sr. High School.

Westwood Regional Superintendent Geoffrey Zoeller said he expects to find a replacement before the next school year, though he will be sorry to see Gorman leave. Zoeller described Gorman as both a colleague and friend.

"It's a tremendous loss to Westwood," Zoeller said. "I've always been proud that Westwood has been producing such quality administrators that they're attractive to other districts."

Other Westwood administrators that have been hired at other districts over the past few years include former Westwood Assistant Superintendent Matthew Murphy, who is now the superintendent in River Vale and former Principal Raymond Gonzalez, the new superintendent in Wayne. Zoeller said Westwood administrators are attractive to other districts because of Westwood's progressive projects and administrative techniques

Gorman, who holds a Doctorate in education from Rutgers University, has 14 years of experience as a teacher and principal.

Gorman will earn $168,000. His contract expires in June 2013.

"I'm honored and privileged," Gorman, who attended the vote, said Monday night, adding he's "looking forward" to working with the RHS and RPS community when he starts on July 1.

"I've lived in the community most of my life," Gorman previously told Patch. "It's an opportunity for me to give back to a community which has given me so much. I'm very excited."

Gorman also holds a Masters from Montclair State University and undergraduate degrees from Muhlenberg College.