Plan involves Ida Marie Chiaradia and Dennis Vinson
By Ruth Luse, Managing Editor
Valley schools Superintendent Judith A. Ferguson is expected to recommend a restructuring plan that would move Ida Marie Chiaradia — a district vice principal who supervises wellness and Gifted & Talented programs and is based at Hopewell Elementary — to Central High School and reassign CHS Vice Principal Dennis Vinson to the position of vice principal in charge of special projects.
According to JoAnn Meyer, district director of communications and development, the superintendent will ask the school board to approve the plan at its Dec. 10 special meeting.
On Wednesday, Dr. Ferguson called the job exchange “the final piece of restructuring that maximizes our capacity as district administrators, plays to everyone’s strengths and puts the right people in the right seats on the bus.”
Included in Mr. Vinson’s new duties would be the responsibility for coordinating the implementation of a new district-wide student information system. The system, which officials expect to phase in next year, would overhaul internal functions, including student records and scheduling, and provide parents with online access to selective data, such as student grades. The system also includes features that carry massive planning implications, expected to help teachers and administrators better target instruction based on testing data.
”I’m optimistic that we’ll be able to implement our new student information system smoothly and efficiently with Dennis’s skills and that the high school will enjoy the benefits of Ida’s experience and talents,” Dr. Ferguson said.
A 30-year Hopewell Valley veteran, Dr. Chiaradia has held numerous positions in the district. A former elementary and secondary strings teacher, she served as vice principal at Timberlane for 15 years. She also supervised the district’s fine arts, wellness, science and social studies programs. She also was involved in plans to transform Timberlane from a junior school to a middle school, a Middle States Association accreditation process and reviews of the elementary science and K-12 math programs. In 2006 she was part of an administrative restructuring that eliminated the position of vice principal in the elementary schools. She provided support to elementary principals and their staffs, serving as building leader when principals were absent due to illness or job responsibilities. She also helped perform mandated teacher evaluations.
Dr. Chiaradia holds a master’s degree in conducting from Trenton State College and a doctorate in educational leadership from Nova Southeastern University.
Mr. Vinson, a former high school social studies teacher, has served as vice principal at CHS since 2003. He has directed a number of student and staff initiatives, including “Reflective Teaching,” the high school’s teacher mentor program. He has been a regular presenter at the district’s New Teachers Summer Academy, a mandated training program for K-12 teachers new to the district.
He has been involved in the school’s ongoing redesign study, which is evaluating alternative daily schedules, and has worked with curriculum supervisors in periodic program reviews. He was a track and cross-country coach and athletic coordinator at West Windsor-Plainsboro South. He has served as CHS’ point person for major operations issues, such as facility renovations, security, commencement ceremonies and the Performing Arts Center.
Mr. Vinson holds a master’s degree in educational administration from Rider University and a bachelor’s degree in secondary education, also from Rider.
If the board OKs the plan, Mr. Vinson would be responsible for the elementary wellness program, Gifted & Talented and student testing, as well as the new student information system. He would also conduct teacher evaluations and assist with central office projects as needed.

