Board Hires Consulting Firm to Assist in Superintendent Search

The Board of Education has hired a consulting firm to assist in the search for a permanent superintendent. West Hudson Associates will be paid $12,000 to find the district's top school official, the board announced at a special meeting Thursday.

The district has been without a permanent superintendent since 2009, after John Sico Jr. retired after serving just nine months of his 3 1/2-year contract.

The search process has been made more difficult since Governor Chris Christie instituted a $175,000 cap on superintendent's salaries earlier this year. With 14 public schools and more than 9,000 students, Wayne is among the largest public school districts in North Jersey. Sico was hired at an annual salary of $190,000.

West Hudson is a consulting firm that specializes in executive services, including leadership searches, and conducting analytical studies of organizational effectiveness in education, according to the company’s Web site. 

Interim Superintendent Michael Roth said William Librera, West Hudson’s executive director, will meet with prospective candidates multiple times and, if he finds they are viable candidates, recommend the board interview them.

“He will make sure the candidate is of the quality and candor the board desires,” Roth said.

Librera was the former commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Education. He was also a superintendent in the state for more than 20 years.

Board President Donald Pavlak did not attend the meeting. First Vice President James Jimenez and Second Vice President Mitchell Badiner declined comment.