New Montgomery High principal approved by board

Selection process criticized by over 100 residents.

By: Paul Sisolak
   MONTGOMERY — Monroe High School Principal James Misek was unanimously approved as the new principal of Montgomery High School by the Board of Education at a tense meeting Tuesday attended by over 100 dissenting residents.
   The decision came after nearly two hours of heated debate between the board and the public. Many parents contended they were never notified of the selection process and charged that a short-ranged, virtually silent search campaign excluding public input was conducted merely as a formality, with Mr. Misek the only candidate properly interviewed.
   Calling it a "hurried process," resident Andrea Bradley urged the board to begin a more comprehensive search.
   "This candidate may be a very good principal," she said. "But I have never heard of a process where you interview just one person. It just seems very suspicious."
   One woman in the audience asked if any candidates within the district were considered.
   Superintendent Stuart Schnur said Montgomery Middle School Principal Bill Robbins was nominated, but then reconsidered.
   "I accepted his application and told him he would be a finalist," Dr. Schnur noted. "He said, ‘I changed my mind,’ and decided to stay at MMS."
   Dr. Schnur admitted a formal letter announcing the search for a new principal was delayed. He said the job was widely advertised on the district Web site, in The Star-Ledger and through the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association.
   After attracting 28 candidates, Dr. Schnur said eight finalists were reviewed. Screening cut the number down to five, but two withdrew at the last minute.
   According to Dr. Schnur, an accelerated search was necessary to allow the new principal to begin in September, when current principal Anne Marie Weber will move to a position as an assistant to the superintendent.
   Out of three finalists, Mr. Misek was interviewed by members of parent and booster clubs, Ms. Weber and committees made up of faculty and students, according to Dr. Schnur. After a recommendation from those groups, board members James Logothetis and Richard Specht headed a site visit to Monroe High School early this month to evaluate Mr. Misek.
   "He had good decision and problem-solving skills," said Mr. Specht. "When presented with a contentious issue, he would try to analyze the competing effects."
   Dr. Logothetis said Mr. Misek was highly motivated to push the district forward and raise SAT scores.
   "From top to bottom, the message we got was very consistent," he said. "This was a fellow who had high ambitions. I don’t think you could ask for anything more."
   But parent Nina Singh was skeptical of Mr. Misek’s qualifications because the Monroe school district is ranked considerably lower than Montgomery. She asked the board to provide statistical data Tuesday evening. The board did not.
   Board President Linda Romano said Wednesday the contributions an individual makes to a school system, rather than the district’s rank, count most.
   Residents also claimed personal acquaintance took precedence over professional decision-making on the part of Dr. Schnur, maintaining Mr. Misek was hand-picked for the job. Dr. Schnur was Mr. Misek’s boss for four years while he was superintendent of the Monroe district.
   Responding to accusations of cronyism, Dr. Logothetis said, "(Dr. Schnur) would be a fool if we believed, ‘This is my buddy,’" he said. "We’ve spent too much time and money on the new high school to overlook this. I certainly would not jeopardize that."
   Mr. Misek was not present at the meeting.
   On Wednesday, Ms. Romano described the Tuesday meeting as the most "distasteful and destructive" in her eight years on the board.
   "I’m very saddened that a segment of the public feels that way about the Board of Education," she said. "I’d hate to think they believe we’re treating this thing so lightly when we’ve invested so much time in it."
   She said the board will hold a public forum with Mr. Misek in the near future before he takes the helm of the high school for the 2003-2004 school year.