Crisfield Plans to Spend Summer Listening

New Schools Supt. James Crisfield plans to do a lot of listening this summer.

"There's a lot of listening to be done here," he said during an interview on Friday. "If you listen carefully to people you can really get not only what they're saying but what they're not saying and, that's key... If you listen carefully you can get some more information."

Crisfield took over the Millburn School District's top job last Thursday from Richard Brodow, who retired last week after eight years in the job. Crisfield kicked off his tenure with a welcome reception where he got to meet many members of the school staff. He toured the Education Center and met most of the staff there.

And it's something he wants to continue through the summer—meeting the staff and learning about the schools and the issues the district faces.

He plans to go to a school per day. He was to visit Glenwood Elementary School on Friday and would visit each remaining school based on when the principals were available to give him a tour. It's not something he wants to rush because he wants the staff to show off the school of which they are proud.

But there are other people he needs to meet and learn about, including Robert Zeglarski, the district's business administrator. Crisfield said they need to be on the same page.

He also wants to make sure he knows those staffers who are around all year, such as custodians and school secretaries. They know the schools well, and when he walks in the door in September he won't need to introduce himself.

Coming during the summer also allows him to casually orient himself with the district because everyone is in planning mode. He doesn't need to worry about taking someone's time away from students.

Crisfield takes over the reins after a year of several contentious issues, including redistricting for three elementary schools.

"I'm aware of some of those issues," he said of the things the district has faced in the last year. "I want to learn about all of the facts myself rather than hearing them from people... That's another thing that's nice about coming in July. I can learn about the facts in a relaxed, comprehensive way. I don't have to make a decision about X or Y tomorrow. It would be disingenuous for someone new to come in here and make decisions without talking to people and learning about things."

Crisfield also has has some hiring to do, specifically a new business administrator to replace Zeglarski, who is serving in an interim role, and a new assistant superintendent to replace Elaine Vislocky, who left the district at the end of June. District officials already have applications, which have been screened. Crisfield said he's planning on when to hold interviews for the two positions. He views filling the two vacancies as one of the two biggest things he can do.

But he wants parents and students across the district to know he is planning to keep the focus on kids. "Sometimes adults get in the way and don't let that happen," Crisfield said, "and we're going to try to just make sure the focus is on kids."

Crisfield, a Summit resident, comes to Millburn after serving as superintendent in Warren, which is a K-8 school district. He had been with the Warren School District for nine years. The Board of Education officially appointed Crisfield to the Millburn job in April, although the board had introduced him as its choice in February.

Crisfield and the board agreed on a five-year contract, and he will earn $219,500 in the first year with the district. The contract requires Crisfield to contribute 2 percent to his health plan at the family level of coverage and 1.5 percent of his salary for any other level of coverage.

He started his teaching career at Summit High School before serving as a business administrator with the East Hanover Board of Education. He served as assistant superintendent in Warren before becoming superintendent in 2004.

Crisfield is a Stanford University graduate and served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force after college. He earned his masters of arts in teaching from Boston College and his doctor of education and master of education from Rutgers University.