Leigh Byron’s contract was not renewed in Princeton.
By: Rebecca Tokarz
SOUTH BRUNSWICK A former principal of Princeton High School is the South Brunswick School District’s top choice for superintendent, the school board announced last week.
Leigh Byron, who served as Holmdel’s superintendent from April 2000 to July 2002, visited the district Tuesday. School board members said last week they are checking his references and expect the board to make the appointment at its April 28 school board reorganization meeting.
Dr. Byron was the principal at Princeton High School during the early and mid-1990s before taking over as superintendent in Bound Brook and later moving on to Holmdel. He served two years as Holmdel superintendent before agreeing to be reassigned as "director of special projects, on leave." As part of the agreement, the district agreed to pay him $300,000 over a four-year period ending in 2006. His contract would have expired in 2005.
Dr. Byron was met by mixed reactions from members of the community, with some expressing concern that his past which included controversy over imposition of a merit pay system in Holmdel could be an impediment to working with staff. Supporters of Dr. Byron said he appeared qualified, had significant experience at different administrative levels and was up-front about his past employment.
The district has been working since September to find a replacement for Superintendent Sam Stewart, who announced last year that he would retire effective July 1 after 11 years in the district.
Board members said Dr. Byron’s honesty, integrity, sincerity and intelligence were some of the qualities that made him their top choice.
"There was no secrecy in terms of his past," said school board President Harry Delgado. "His explanations seemed reasonable and sincere."
Former school board member Gail Barcelo said Dr. Byron had interviewed for the principal’s position at South Brunswick High School in 1996, but had been passed over because of controversy concerning his tenure as principal at Princeton High School.
Dr. Byron left Princeton in 1996 after two years in the district. The school board opted not to renew his contract, based on recommendations by then-Superintendent Marcia Bossart. This resulted in protests by students, parents and staff.
According to an article in a March 1996 issue of The Packet, "Students at the rally commended the principal for his supportive involvement in student activities, his willingness to include students in decision-making and his firmness in enforcing rules at the schools."
David Meadow, who was president of the Princeton school board in 1996, said Dr. Byron was a good fit for the district as high school principal.
"We were sorry to see him go," he said.
However, Mr. Meadow said Dr. Byron was caught in the middle of a great deal of controversy that was going on within the district at the time.
He said Dr. Byron was given "some difficult charges in terms of changes that needed to be made at the high school."