By Joanne Degnan, Managing Editor
ALLENTOWN — The Upper Freehold Regional Board of Education voted unanimously last week to approve hiring David Oliver as the district’s interim director of guidance.
A former Hopewell Valley High School principal and longtime guidance director in the West Windsor-Plainsboro School District, Mr. Oliver most recently worked at Rider University, Superintendent Richard Fitzpatrick said.
Mr. Oliver will begin working immediately with students and administrators on high school class scheduling for the 2013-2014 school year, Dr. Fitzpatrick said.
”We need someone to come in right away to do that and he’s a pro at it,” Dr. Fitzpatrick told the school board at its Dec. 12 meeting.
Mr. Oliver will be paid $500 a day, without benefits, in the interim position that is expected to last until the spring, when the district hopes to find a permanent replacement for the district’s former guidance director, Patrick Leary.
Dr. Fitzpatrick said the district recently conducted interviews for the permanent guidance director position, but felt it was best to wait to do another round of interviews in the spring when the applicant pool would likely be larger.
Mr. Leary, who had been the district’s K-12 guidance director since 1995, was promoted in October to lead the district’s Department of Special Services, which is responsible for special education services and individual education plans (IEPs) for classified students. Mr. Leary replaced former Special Services Director Judith Chevalier, who retired in October.
In order to ensure continuity in the college application process for students that had Mr. Leary as their guidance counselor, the district hired retired Princeton High School guidance counselor Jennifer Cusick on Oct. 24 to assume Mr. Leary’s caseload. As an interim guidance counselor, Ms. Cusick is paid a pro-rated salary of $63,830 a year.
”We will leave her in through January so that we don’t jeopardize anyone’s college applications,” Dr. Fitzpatrick told the board, referring to Ms. Cusick. “Dave (Oliver) will take care of the scheduling piece,” he said.
Board member Gregg Barkley asked how many days a week the per diem guidance director would be working. Dr. Fitzgerald said he expected Mr. Oliver would be working full time.

