School Board Digs In To Superintendent Search With Slew of Special Meetings

What is often referred to as a Board of Education’s most important decision, the West Morris Regional School district’s governing body is not taking that lightly.

In a race to find the best fit for its new schools chief, the board is meeting a total of four times in 9 days with three special sessions to interview and possibly decide upon the best candidate for superintendent.

The board will meet in closed session with candidates on Tuesday, May 19; Wednesday, May 20; and Wednesday, May 27. All meetings will begin at 7 p.m. and are being held at West Morris Central High School.

The nine-member body is looking to replace Mackey Pendergrast, who was hired in March 2012 and is taking over the same role in the Morris School District. Pendergrast’s last day in West Morris Regional is May 31.

At an open forum to the community in April, administrative recruiter Dr. William Librera said there’s a possibility a new superintendent could be in place by the end of the summer, but that timeline comes with a lot of “ifs.”

At the meeting, Librera noted time was as much a factor as candidate qualifications, saying that leaving the role unfilled going into the school year causes many issues, including a smaller applicant pool.

Librera also said the board would likely be interviewing as a full group, and not using a subcommittee.