Wayne Valley Assistant Principal Wins Prestigious NJ Award

WAYNE, NJ — Every year, the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association honors the work of school leaders and students across the state. Wayne Valley High School Assistant Principal Scott Wisniewski recently became an awardee, becoming Visionary Leader of the Year.

Wayne officials cited several accomplishments at the high school, including a 56 percent reduction in disciplinary referrals from the 2016-17 to 2019-20 school years.

"Traditionally, assistant principals focus their work on school rules and enforcement," said Superintendent Dr. Mark Toback. "Mr. Wisniewski has redefined the work of the assistant principal by focusing on factors that influence the overall school climate. The guiding principle at Wayne Valley is that when students love attending school, develop positive connections with other students and teachers, and have a strong sense of belonging, almost all other discipline issues fade away."

Wayne Valley Principal Ken Palczewski added the following: "Mr. Wisniewski’s ability to connect with others made him the ideal person to take the primary leadership role in our initiatives to promote school culture, thereby positively impacting our school in many ways."

As part of the award, Wisniewski received $7,000 for the charity of his choice. He donated the money to the high school, which will use it to establish a zen garden for students, Toback said at Dec. 2's Board of Education meeting.

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