School Principals Move to Boost Test Scores

The administrative changes approved by the Bloomfield school board last week were made in an attempt to improve elementary school test scores and reduce some staff salaries, according to new Superintendent Jason Bing.

Carteret, Watsessing and Oak View elementary schools will have new leaders as of July with two principals transferring to different buildings and another principal retiring.

The restructuring plan, which was approved last Tuesday, would create a new position: coordinator of professional development and No Child Left Behind programs. The plan also eliminated the director of personnel job and consolidated the supervisor positions for science and world languages/English as a Second Language. 

In an interview last Thursday, Bing said he wanted to move principals around to bring in new ideas and perspectives to boast test scores and meet annual yearly progress for all students.

"Obviously the NJ ASK is important, but also the important thing to keep in mind is staff," Bing said. "I'm a firm believer (in my staff). I think new blood is great for the buildings that are underachieving."

Gina M. Rosamilia will move from Carteret to Watsessing Elementary  School and Mary DiTrani will move from Watsessing to Oak View Elementary  School. The current Oak View Elementary School Principal, Julie R. Andriolo, will retire at the end of June. The school district is looking for a new principal to work at Carteret Elementary School.

Rosamelia and DiTrani declined to comment on the change last week when their staff was contacted by telephone.

Bing added the money saved from consolidating the administrative supervisors will be “funneled back into the classrooms” and used to improve technology.

"They were running a 12-supervisor model for every subject area, which can be antiquated, especially in these economic times," he said.

Bing said the “bottom line is to find more ways to get the money directly to the kids.”

Diana Fortkiewicz, the supervisor of science, and Jean Zimmerman, the supervisor of world languages and ESL, will retire at the end of June. Their positions could be combined into one job along with the supervisor of social studies and enrichment, which is currently held by  Jacqueline Storts, Bing said.

The academic supervisors made $109,198 for 10 months and the director of personnel made $140,867 a year, according to Heather Carr, the director of personnel.

The new elementary school principal salary could range from $115,719 to $140,867 a year depending on the salary step, Carr wrote in an e-mail. The salary guide for the No Child Left Behind position has not been set yet.
 
Carr declined to comment on the administrative changes as well, writing in an e-mail that "reorganization information is still being presented to the (school) board."

Joanne Decker, the district's technology supervisor and president of the Bloomfield Supervisors Association, said on Friday she was unable to comment on the administrative changes. She noted the association will meeting with district administrators about the topic on Thursday.

Salvatore Goncalves, the Bloomfield Middle School principal and head of the principals’ association, did not return a phone call and e-mail seeking comment on Friday.