As school districts craft plans to reopen for the 2020-21 school year, the New Jersey Association of School Business Officials (NJASBO) has announced that Robert Colavita Jr. will serve as president-elect for the next year.
Colavita is assistant superintendent for business and board secretary for the Hopewell Valley Regional School District (HVRSD), which serves the communities of Hopewell, Pennington and Titusville. He joined HVRSD in 2002 as the assistant business administrator; he was promoted to business administrator/board secretary in 2007, according to information provided by Laura Bishop Communications.
School business administrators (BA) work with their administrative teams and boards of education to provide students with a quality education while also helping to create guidelines that protect the health and safety of students, staff and the community, according to the statement.
“It is critical that BAs are part of their district’s reopening teams because we are responsible for many of the essential areas that will enable us to bring our students and staff back, such as finances, transportation, facilities, and food service,” Colavita said in the statement. “We must also provide guidance to ensure proper guidelines are met as our districts implement unique solutions for providing the best educational experience possible to support our communities at this time.”
Colavita began his career in education as a teacher. He taught second grade in the Flemington-Raritan Regional School District, then fourth grade in the Bernards Township School District. As is often the case with school business administrators, Colavita also worked in the private sector as a corporate accountant for the Amerada Hess Corporation, then as a plant controller for Haagen-Dazs Corporation, according to the statement.
A member of NJASBO for nearly 20 years, Colavita has served in many leadership roles, including president of Mercer County ASBO, and as an NJASBO trustee and a member of the Conference and Budget committees, according to the statement. He has been a frequent presenter and panelist at NJASBO and New Jersey School Boards Association workshops and conferences.
ASBO International has awarded Colavita its Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting seven times. The Recreation Foundation of Hopewell Valley recognized Colavita for his efforts in support of its mission to ensure a positive experience for everyone participating in youth sports in Hopewell Valley, according to the statement.
Colavita earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a master’s degree in Educational Administration/School Business Administration from Rider University, as well as a Master of Arts in Teaching from The College of New Jersey, according to the statement.
A resident of Yardley, Pennsylvania, Colavita enjoys spending time with his family, including watching his children compete in sports and assisting his father in managing the family’s Christmas tree farm, according to the statement.