BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer
MILLSTONE – There’s a new assistant principal at the helm of the elementary school.
Karen Barry, who previously served for one year in the Millstone Township School District as a remedial reading teacher, has taken on her first administrative school post. She was unanimously appointed to her new position at the Millstone Township Elementary School at the Sept. 25 Board of Education meeting.
Barry will earn an annual salary of about $90,000.
Superintendent of Schools Mary Anne Donahue said that Barry was one of 10 candidates initially interviewed for the position by teachers and parents, and one of four interviewed during the second round by the administration.
“With her 13 years of teaching reading, English or remedial reading,” Donahue said, “she brings to the district extensive knowledge of strategies and best practices for teaching reading and language development.”
Donahue added that Barry has a bachelor’s degree in education along with a master’s degree in reading, and has also completed 30 credits of post-master’s work in educational administration.
“Karen [Barry] is a respected member of the elementary staff, and teachers and staff have enthusiastically received her appointment,” Donahue said.
Elementary school Principal Brandy Krueger said she is extremely excited to work with Barry as her assistant principal. According to Krueger, Barry brings to the position a sound knowledge of language arts curriculum and instruction, enthusiasm and a working knowledge of expectations of teachers and students.
“I am really looking forward to a great year,” she said.
Barry said she worked at Warwick Valley Central School in Orange County, N.Y., before relocating to New Jersey, first in Vernon Township and then in Belmar. She said Millstone is a great district to work in because the parents are so involved.
“I love to see all the events at night and parents showing up,” she said.
When asked about new programs she would like to pursue for the district, Barry said she’d like to expand last year’s reading raffle. The raffle was part of the “Read Across America” event, according to Barry. Children who were “caught reading” on their own by teachers and staff were given raffle tickets, she said, and winners received gift certificates to Barnes & Noble.
“Kids were walking down the hall reading books,” she recalled.
Barry said she would like to hold a reading raffle every month. She’d be involved with the school’s language arts program, she said, while Krueger works on the math program.
Calling the school’s teachers and the students’ test scores “phenomenal,” Barry said she can’t imagine changing a thing. However, because the new middle school is scheduled to open next year, she said there will be a lot of teachers moving around.
“It will be an eye-opener,” she said.