Gail Verona ready for first school year as Jamesburg superintendent.
By: Bill Greenwood
JAMESBURG For many district students, Sept. 5 simply marks the beginning of another school year, but not for new Superintendent Gail Verona.
For her, that day will mark the culmination of a long and varied career in education that began in the 1970s and has included time spent as a teacher, principal, assistant superintendent and special services director for various districts. Now, she is ready to put all of that knowledge to good use in Jamesburg.
"I feel that it really is all coming together for me now," she said. "I’m going to be using all of these experiences to move the district forward."
Dr. Verona, a Plainsboro resident, took over as superintendent July 17 after former Superintendent Shirley Bzdewka retired. She has taught at the Middlesex County Vocational School and at Crossroads Middle School in South Brunswick and has served as principal of Woodcrest Elementary School in Cherry Hill, director of special services in Spotswood, and assistant superintendent in Old Bridge and Elmwood Park.
Dr. Verona said she was drawn to Jamesburg since moving into East Brunswick 31 years ago. She said she enjoys the borough’s "close-knit, warm" atmosphere.
"Jamesburg was always a neighbor, and I watched it grow in many ways," she said. "This whole area, when I first moved into East Brunswick, was all farmland, but what’s nice about Jamesburg is they kept the small-town flavor. I like that very much about it."
Now, she is looking to put her own stamp on the borough through her position with the district. Using a combination of administrative skills and personal experience, she has created a list of goals for the district that she hopes to reach this year. They include improving standardized test scores through targeted classroom instruction, improving the district’s fine arts program and integrating herself into the Jamesburg community as a leader.
While Dr. Verona is passionate about all three, improving the fine arts program appears to be the most personal goal for her, as music has always been a big part of her life. She began playing classical piano when she was 8 years old and has performed publicly at the Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum in New Brunswick. She said she hopes to pass on the joy music has brought her to a new generation of Jamesburg students.
"As a child, actually, I was not an athlete, and that’s the thing that interests me about the arts," she said. "Children that aren’t necessarily athletes need to have something that they can excel in, and that’s really what happened to me."
To achieve that goal, Dr. Verona has hired a new music teacher for the district whose task is to "re-energize the concert band," she said. She also hopes to perform for and with the children every once in a while in order to increase interest.
"It’s a good learning experience for children seeing someone in my role doing that because it’s a really good model for them," she said.
However, music isn’t the only thing that will bring Dr. Verona into the classroom. She said one of her favorite parts of the job always has been interacting with students, and she is excited to do so in Jamesburg.
"When I was an assistant superintendent, I always said my favorite times were when I went into the buildings and did teacher observations," she said. "I really love to go into the classrooms and be with the children."
She said the setup in Jamesburg makes that interaction easier because she is both superintendent and principal of Grace M. Breckwedel School.
"Most superintendents are not principals of the school but the fact that I am will allow me to always be cognizant of the needs of the children, which is nice," she said.
Now, with her vision clear and preparatory work nearing completion, Dr. Verona is eagerly anticipating the students’ arrival Sept. 5. She said it will be difficult handling all of her responsibilities as superintendent and principal while also working closely with her students, but she is more than ready for the task.
"It’s going to be different, but very exciting," she said. "I think that’s what education’s all about. We need to remember that it’s all about the kids, and sometimes we forget that."

