Laura Morana Superintendent Laura Morana has retired from the Red Bank Public School District, but her role in public education may not be over.
The decision to take an early retirement came after several opportunities in the public education sector presented themselves, Morana said early last week.
“Sometime in the summer, I had to make the decision [to retire] simply because some amazing opportunities to do incredible work presented themselves,” Morana said in a Sept. 25 interview.
“I want to do something meaningful, and I have some options ahead of me. It is the most difficult decision I had to make.”
Morana expects to announce her decision on her future in education within a few weeks, but hinted that it is not another superintendent position.
“I would never leave Red Bank to go to another district,” she said.
“My goal is to reintegrate into the field of education in the way that will allow me to continue to be involved in public education in a meaningful way.”
Board President Ben Forest said the Board of Education is sorry to see Morana leave the district.
“She is definitely leaving the district better than when she found it,” Forest said.
“She was responsible for implementing a number of key programs for us, including the state-funded pre-K programs and a lot of innovative curriculum and practices, which have taken root here and are doing well for us.”
Until the board selects a new chief for the district, two interims will fill the role.
Harold Reid, who has previously served as the interim principal of the Red Bank Primary School, slid into place on Sept. 30, and will serve until October when Robert Mahon will take over as interim.
Mahon previously served as superintendent of Ocean Township for 19 years and is currently filling a temporary position in another district. “Both have experience in our district, so they will be able to come in fully ready to make decisions and implement our policies and keep us moving,” Forest said.
In the meantime, the Board of Education has hired a consulting agency to assist in the search for a new superintendent.
“We are doing exciting things in Red Bank, and this is a good opportunity for someone coming in,” Forest said.
Morana has served as superintendent of the Red Bank Public School District since 2006, after leaving her previous role as assistant superintendent in Piscataway. During her tenure, enrollment has increased from 790 students at the primary and middle schools to the current number of 1,345.
Throughout her eight years, Morana said she has watched the district grow by developing an identity as a strong and diverse community.
She said the district has been able to define what best practices within education are all about, and embrace a number of Department of Education initiatives.
Most recently, Red Bank served as a pilot district for the new state-mandated teacher-evaluation model, currently being implemented in all school districts.
The preschool program has also grown to include all the children in the community, while the middle school has expanded music programs, she said.
Morana said she would miss stepping into a classroom to observe the teachers in action and the students responding to the work, as well as the interaction with the staff and administrators.
“I am going to miss everyone,” she said. “I am going to miss the community, but I am going to be a cheerleader for them because I want to stay connected to the district and support the district.”