Schools’ new chief could be outsider

By Linda Seida, Staff Writer
   Two local elementary school districts likely will find their next shared superintendent outside of their ranks, officials said.
   The person who will replace outgoing Superintendent Todd Fay will come “probably not from within the districts” because no one there has a superintendent’s certification, according to Lambertville Public School Board of Education President Steven Wolock.
   The position will be advertised, but Mr. Wolock said he was unsure when the advertisement would start.
   West Amwell Elementary School Board President Robert Tomenchok Jr. said, “Regarding the search, we are just getting started in the process, so I really don’t have much to say at this point other than it will be a joint effort between LPS and WAES.”
   LPS shares Dr. Fay with West Amwell, an arrangement that began July 1, 2007, with the districts sharing the cost of his salary while he split his time between the two of them. At that time, he already had been employed by West Amwell as that district’s top administrator for four and a half years.
   Although his contract with the local districts expires June 2012, he has resigned effective the end of the current school year to become director of pupil services in the Methacton School District, in Eagleville.
   After a meeting of board members March 3, Mr. Tomenchok said, “We had a frank discussion about the pros and cons of sharing a superintendent. Without exception, everyone present wanted to continue with the sharing model.”
   He said, “A few years ago the boards got a directive from the county to conduct ourselves as if we were already K-12 district. We were way ahead of the curve in that respect, so to me it seems counterintuitive to move away from that model.”
   Mr. Tomenchok said there has been a financial benefit to the arrangement, but there are other advantages as well.
   He said, “The students and staff benefited by the alignment of the curriculum and cooperative professional development. Dr. Fay’s mission was to take our schools from admirable to exemplary. In my observation he succeeded and we recognize that at the board level and wish to continue in that direction.”
   Despite the positive feelings over sharing an administrator, Dr. Fay’s resignation will leave a gap to fill and a measure of loss in its wake. In the current political climate in New Jersey, it also may make finding a new superintendent a bit more difficult. The governor has set limits on school superintendents’ salaries, tying them to enrollment and other factors.
   ”Speaking from experience, it is a difficult and time-consuming task to hire a superintendent,” Mr. Tomenchok said. “Most certainly the salary cap will come into play.”
   He said he understands the decision to leave. “I think it is very difficult for Dr. Fay to leave, but I understand and support his decision. It is not easy to have 18 bosses, even if they are all on the same page, let alone be in the crosshairs of the media.
   ”It is unfortunate that the relationship of the public and public servant has degenerated to where it is. For many people the actions of irresponsible public servants have cast a shadow on public service. It is unfortunate that the government has to take such actions as a salary cap and other draconian measures. I think that Dr Fay has done a marvelous job and exemplifies educational leadership. He will be missed, but we will continue on our path to providing the children with the skills to thrive in the 21st century,” Mr. Tomenchok said.