The passing of the torch between superintendents has officially occurred after Dr. Rosetta Treece was appointed superintendent by members of the Hopewell Valley Regional Board of Education.
The board unanimously voted on the appointment at a Board of Education meeting on July 20. She takes over the position that has been held by outgoing Superintendent Thomas Smith.
Board President Deborah Linthorst, Vice President Jessica Grillo, and board members Andrea Driver, William Herbert, Jenny Long, John Mason, Debra O’Reilly, Adam Sawicki and Anita Williams Galiano voted “yes” to on Treece’s appointment.
“Congratulations again. I feel so incredibly honored to get the opportunity to work with you in this capacity and I am so excited for what is to come for this district,” Linthorst said during the meeting. “Thank you for stepping up and taking this on.”
Adding to the praise, Galiano, who was the Superintendent Search Committee chair, said she was honored and thrilled.
“I definitely want to acknowledge the family, whoever is watching from Las Vegas, we love the human spirit and human being you have offered to us to usher our community and school district into the next decade,” she said.
Treece, who is the first African American and only the second woman to lead the Hopewell Valley Regional School District (HVRSD) as superintendent, assumes the position on Aug. 1.
Her contract is for five years, through June 30, 2026, according to contract documents.
Treece’s contract has a starting base salary of $190,000 (2021-22), and the base salary increases each consecutive year, $195,550 (2022-23), $ 201,267 (2023-24), $207,154 (2024-25) and $213,219 (2025-26).
“I just think back to just eight years ago. I pulled up to Timberlane Middle School (TMS) and came to this administration building to interview to be vice principal at Timberlane,” Treece said. “And I thought what a nice little community I hope I get a second interview. That is all that I was hoping for and then you hired me.”
At that moment, Treece said she made the decision to do the very best she could for the children and give families everything she would want her children to have or her nieces and nephews to have, she said.
“I plan on reading all of the qualitative information that came through the superintendent search that has been shared with me by the board. We are going to read all of those comments coming in now about your concerns about the reopening of school,” Treece said. “I want to commit myself to moving forward today to continue the great work Dr. Smith started years ago to keep that collaborative relationship we have as a community.”
Treece plans to hold her first Town Hall as superintendent on Aug. 4.