August 27, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 7 Midland Park Board hires assistant principal for high school Jason Cata, the athletic director at Wood-Ridge Junior-Senior High School for the past two years, was appointed the new assistant principal at Midland Park High School last week. He replaces Peter Galasso, who was named principal of High- land School last month. Cata will begin his duties on Oct. 20, or earlier if released from his present con- tract. His salary will be $96,000. “Mr. Cata comes to us from his cur- rent position at Wood-Ridge Junior-Senior High School where he has served as Ath- letic Director since 2012. Since March of 2014, he has also served as assistant prin- cipal, gaining experience in staff evalua- tion, lesson plan review, HIB, and student discipline. Mr. Cata has nine years of con- tent area teaching experience in sixth grade social studies, is well-versed in SID man- agement and technology applications, and was successful in articulating methods for utilizing data to inform instructional prac- tice during the interview process,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Marie Cira- sella. “We look forward to welcoming him to the district administrative team.” A graduate of Rutgers University with a BA in psychology, Cata received a mas- ter’s in elementary education from Rutgers Graduate School of Education. He taught in South River and supervised that district’s Jason Cata adult education program before moving to Wood-Ridge, where as supervisor of physi- cal education and director of athletics he implemented the high school soccer pro- gram, headed the Athletic Club and chaired the hall of fame. “I am honored and very excited. I can’t wait to help Midland Park to continue to move forward,” said Cata. He said he is par- ticularly looking forward to having Princi- pal Nick Capuano has his mentor. “He is well respected among the educa- tors I know. He knows how to lead, and I like his approach,” Cata added.