Pinsak Named Teaneck Schools Superintendent

Barbara Pinsak has been selected as the next superintendent of the Teaneck Public School district, the Board of Education announced at its Wednesday night workshop meeting.

“We’re very happy she agreed to take the mantle,” said BOE President Ardie Walser, who noted the vote for Pinsak was made unanimously.

At Wednesday's meeting, Walser praised Pinsak for leading the school through $6.1 million in budget cuts.

Pinsak had been serving as interim superintendent after Constance Clark-Snead, the BOE's first pick to lead the district, resigned before a single day on the job.    the district was continuing to work with an outside search firm to find a permanent schools superintendent.

Pinsak was assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction before being named to the interim post.  She began her career in Teaneck as a teacher in 1975 and also served as supervisor of instruction for technology K-8, and principal of  and .

Business Administrator Robert Finger did not immediately respond to requests for details on Pinsak's contract Thursday.

Personnel, Curriculum and Instruction Budget Detailed:

When the bulk of the night's budget presentation began, Interim Assistant Superintendent Harvey Schnall discussed what the proposed 2011-12 budget would mean to Curriculum and Instruction at Teaneck schools.

According to a handout from the district, the proposed budget will:

• Maintain current average class sizes in primary and lower elementary grades
• Support improved articulation and transition between all the schools (elementary to middle to high school)
• Continue the development of common syllabi and common assessments completed at the high school, as well as begin the implementation of common syllabi and common assessments in the middle and elementary schools
• Allow for reinstitution of electives in the middle schools and high school
• Provide for a restructured Freshman Seminar, which was eliminated in last year’s budget

After Schnall's presentation, the meeting opened up to questions.

BOE Trustee Herbert Burack asked Schnall if there's a process or an individual or department that reviews textbooks before they're approved.

Schnall said there's a committee that reviews the books before a final selection is made. 

BOE Trustee Sebastian Rodriguez wanted to know about the expected outcomes of the new initiatives -- "is it to increase test scores, graduation rates, increase the number of students into participating in honor courses," he asked. Rodriguez also wanted to know about a timeline for accomplishing it all. 

Schnall responded that the initiatives are meant to identify students' strengths and areas of weakness that need addressing.

In regards to the timeline, Schnall said there is an extended timeline. "First of all you have to create it, then you have to analyze it, then you have to revise it, and until it becomes embedded in terms of what we're doing is a three to five year process," he said. 

In an overview of the proposed personnel budget that was provided in the handout, there will be a negotiated salary increase of 1.5 percent for TAAS (Teaneck Association of Administrators and Supervisors) and 1.5 percent for non-guide staff. There will be no layoffs, and six new positions will be added throughout the school district to reduce class size and restore programs.

Finger, the district business administrator, said the estimated savings of $250,000 from attrition and retirements, as well as salary concessions by the Teamsters Union at $149,120 allowed for money to be placed in other areas of need.

In the benefits analysis, employee contribution toward health benefits increased from $50,000 in the 2010-11 school year to a proposed contribution of $698,251 in the 2011-12 school year.

Finger explained that the nearly $650,000 increase in employee contribution is a result of the teacher’s union making up the largest component of the district’s staff.

Finger said the topic of employee contributions may come up in negotions next year.