School Board May Select Interim Super on Monday

The Wyckoff Board of Education has interviewed three candidates for the interim superintendent position and may appoint someone to the post at its Monday meeting.

Board President Anthony Robert Francin said the full board interviewed three people who have submitted applications for the top district role at a private meeting Thursday. The three, whose names were not released, were selected from among more than 20 who responded to a Web posting advertising the vacancy in the wake of Dr. Janet Razze's retirement.

"We did thorough interviews," Francin said, but did not have the opportunity to discuss the candidates at length following the interview process. The board will convene at 6 p.m. Monday for a private session to discuss the candidates, with the possibility of a vote at the public meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. at Eisenhower Middle School.

"My hope is we will be able to come to a decision on Monday," Francin said. 

If not, the board would have to hold a special meeting before July 1, when acting Superintendent Richard Kuder's appointment expires.

Francin expects the appointment of an interim superintendent would be for the 2010-11 school year, although such a move "doesn't preclude the board" from shortening the successful candidate's term should a permanent superintendent be hired.

The board has not yet decided how to handle the search for a permanent superintendent, although it has several options. It can utilize the New Jersey School Boards Association, which will filter candidates and recommend people to be interviewed, for a $6,500 fee, hire an outside (and likely more expensive) search firm or take on the task itself.

"We'll look at firms and select which one we'll use," Francin said.

The school boards association has estimated their search, should they be contracted, would likely last into the fall, with a superintendent in place by December.

The interviews follow a failed motion June 7 to appoint Kuder to the post he's held since Razze went on indefinite medical leave in early April. The board voted 4-3 to deny the appointment after an impassioned hearing marked by an overwhelming display of support for Kuder by parents, teachers, administrators and former school board members.

The members voting in the majority—Thomas Giamanco, Jill Mortimer, Diane Sobin and Catherine Runge—said their vote wasn't necessarily against Kuder, but in favor of doing their "due diligence" by interviewing candidates who sought the position. At the time of the hearing, applications had been received but candidates had not been interviewed.

Francin, Vice President Lisa Martone and Elizabeth DeGregorio, who made the motion, voted to name Kuder interim superintendent, with Francin and Martone later voting against authorizing the job posting, which had been initially posted without official board action.

Board members have said that Kuder remains a candidate, although it is not known if he was interviewed Thursday.

Francin expects the board will entertain comments from the public on the search process at the public meeting Monday, saying the board's actions must be done with "complete visibility.

"This is obviously an important issue for the public," he said. "We're certainly not going to send anyone away."