Unanimous vote puts Allentown High’s
Dr. Rodney Logan in charge of school
By:Sally Goldenberg
The Manville Board of Education selected its first and only candidate for the recently vacated position of high school principal at its work session in the Alexander Batcho Intermediate School on Tuesday night.
Rodney J. Logan, the current vice principal of Allentown High School in Monmouth County, will serve as Manville High School’s sixth principal in as many years.
Although the departure of principals from Manville High School has become commonplace, Dr. Logan said he plans to alter the pattern. He said he would not have accepted the position without intending to remain.
"I think I’m going to break that trend and stay in the district," Dr. Logan said. "At the very minimum, I would want to be there as long as (the Board of Education) wants me."
The nine-member board voted unanimously to hire Dr. Logan, who taught military science and physical education in Rahway High School for five years prior to his two years in Allentown. During that stint, the high school’s ROTC program, under Dr. Logan’s direction, received three awards for the "most outstanding unit in the Northeast United States."
The 49-year-old Hamilton Township resident, a recent graduate of Seton Hall University’s doctoral educational administration program, is a former captain in the United States Marine Corps. Dr. Logan said his military experience taught him tenacity in reaching his goals a trait he plans to bring to his new job in the borough.
"I don’t quit and I keep going until the objective or goal we’ve identified is completed," he said.
When he begins his new position in Manville on a yet-to-be-determined date he said he plans to identify concerns and needs that parents and educators have in order to set his goals for the academic year.
And though the district has had a high turnover rate for his job, Dr. Logan said he is confident he will accomplish those goals through consensus-building. "I’ve steadily progressed up a leadership chain to various positions and I’ve always accomplished what I’ve been assigned to do," he said.
He will preside over nearly 400 students in the 1,320-student district, which basically equals the number of students under his authority in Allentown, he said.
Outgoing Superintendent of Schools Francis X. Heelan, who recommended Dr. Logan to the board, said he is confident Dr. Logan will stay in the job and make positive changes in Manville High School.
"I think he will be committed to a good five years. He said it. What else can I go on but people’s word?" said Dr. Heelan, 63, who is leaving the district after nearly 18 years of work.
Dr. Heelan said Dr. Logan is a well-rounded administrator. "He has excellent expertise with technology," Dr. Heelan said. "This person looks like he has excellent background."
During the board meeting, prior to the closed session in which Dr. Logan was interviewed, several members of the public expressed concern over the prospect of a hasty interviewing process for a position that has been difficult to fill with a steady candidate.
"My concern is that we don’t rush into hiring a new principal," said a retired Manville educator and vice principal, Ned Panfile, 65, of Louis Street. "We need a person that’s going to stay here."
Other board members voiced concern that Dr. Heelan presented only one candidate when he initially agreed to present three to the board.
Dr. Heelan said he found only one viable candidate and if the board was not happy with his choice, then the acceptance vote would not have been unanimous.
"Ordinarily, if there are three viable candidates to be recommended, we would do that," Dr. Heelan said. "(The three-member search committee) felt strongly that he was the only one that we were going to recommend. I agree and it’s really my choice."
Dr. Logan replaces Terrance Fitzpatrick, who left the district after one year as principal.