Franklin Lakes November 7, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 5 District seeking Woodside Avenue School principal by Frank J. McMahon The search for a new principal for Woodside Avenue School in Franklin Lakes has begun. Two community forums were held last week for the purpose of creating a school profile and a principal profile that will shape and inform the search process. Woodside Avenue School has a professional staff of 65 and serves approximately 300 students in kindergarten through grade five, including two special education classes. The school’s previous principal, Dominick Rotante, took a 10-month a leave of absence in August to tend to family matters and resigned his position as of June 30, 2013. Helen Attenello, who retired as principal of High Mountain Road School in June, extended her retirement date by one month to help with the transition of that school to a new principal. Attenello has now has agreed to be the acting principal of Woodside Avenue School through July 31, 2013 to help with that transition to a new permanent principal. Franklin Lakes Superintendent of Schools Frank Romano advised the parents and guardians of the children attending Woodside Avenue School of the search protocol. In his letter, Romano pointed out that the protocol provides a selection process that ensures both the adherence to fact and/or detail and the adherence to ethical principles. He said the protocol will protect the board of education and the taxpayers from legal challenges by unsuccessful candidates and it promotes non-bias and advantageous outcomes through multiple measures. The protocol also preserves the superintendent’s responsibility to recommend administrators while ensuring structured participation and perceptions of board members, administrators, teachers, and parents. In addition, scoring scales promote objectivity at the screening and the interviewing levels. Romano explained that first the position will be advertised externally to provide external candidates with the opportunity to apply and to ensure a healthy candidate pool. The position will also be posted internally to encourage internal professionals to apply. The superintendent or his designee will then hold a faculty staff meeting for the purpose of gathering input and forming a school profile and a principal profile. Romano said both will inform and guide the work of the screeners and interviewers and both will inform and guide his final selection and recommendation to the full board of education. Following the community forum, the next step will be the preliminary screening of applicant packets. Each of the reviewers will evaluate candidates based on predetermined profiles, job requirements, and district needs, using a 0 to 3 rating scale. The ratings from each evaluator will be combined into a composite rating. “Typically and hopefully, seven to 10 candidates will emerge from that process,” Romano said. The next step will be informal interviews for further screening and, when necessary, the superintendent and/or his designee may informally interview each of the persons judged to be the best match for the district’s needs in order to clarify and/or narrow the screenings. Formal interviews will then be held by the Interview Committee (which will not be a selection committee), typically consisting of three administrators, three teachers, three parents, and one school trustee, who will interview the top candidates who have previously been identified with the superintendent or his designee serving as a facilitator. The members of the Interview Committee are parents Michael Cardaci, Victoria Holst, and Rebecca Rund; teachers Chris- tine Higgins, Jaime Preziosi, and Kristen Kline; administrators Helen Attenello, Jaclyn Bajzath, and John Caliso; school board member James Martino; Cheryl Best, the director of curriculum and instruction; Christine Gagliardo, the Colonial Road School principal; Joseph Keiser, the middle school principal; the superintendent; and Michael Solokas, the district’s business administrator. The formal interview will include a timed (continued on page 10) Beautification boost Wyckoff Lions Club President William Luyke (right) presents a check for $1,000 to Franklin Lakes Mayor Frank Bivona (center) as Franklin Lakes Lions Club President Dr. Robert Warsak looks on. The donation will benefit the Franklin Lakes Beautification Fund.