June 18, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 5 FLOW Area District begins search for new curriculum director by Frank J. McMahon The Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School District has begun its search for a new curriculum director to replace Beverly MacKay, who was recently con- firmed as the regional school district’s new superintendent. At the school board meeting on May 29, Interim Superintendent Ernest Pales- tis announced that the position would be posted the following day, with the goal of hiring a new curriculum director by Tues- day, July 1. Palestis also announced a new job description with a new job title, “director of curriculum, instruction, and articula- tion,” which will call for additional duties involving supervisory responsibility over various supervisors in the district. “Currently there is no oversight of supervisors,” Palestis said, adding that this new responsibility will tie together the dis- trict’s central office with the administra- tors in both school buildings in the same way. The new curriculum director will report to and be evaluated by the superin- tendent of schools. The primary function of the new cur- riculum director will be to work with administrators, teachers, parents, and community-school groups in the high school and elementary districts; cooper- ate with all superintendents, principals, supervisors, and faculty members to artic- ulate the curriculum and supporting staff development programs on a K-12 basis; and manage and articulate all assigned regional district, state, and federal pro- grams and plans. The new curriculum director must work cooperatively with the various school groups and act as a liaison between administrators, supervisors, and teachers; direct curriculum development and evalu- ation of programs; direct high school staff development programs and manage inter- district staff development projects; and manage a coordinated program of curric- ulum review and evaluation for all state- mandated projects. In addition, the new curriculum director will be required to hold a New Jersey school administrator’s, principal’s, or supervisor’s certificate and any additions to those qualifications as the superintendent of schools may find appro- priate and acceptable. Terms of employment for the new director of curriculum, instruction, and articulation will be 12 months a year, in accordance with contractual arrangements recommended by the superintendent and approved by the regional board of educa- tion’s trustees. The new instruction responsibility includes: providing the instructional and curricular leadership that creates, imple- ments, maintains, and enhances excellence, scholarship, creativity, and achievement for all students; supervising the effective and efficient implementation of the edu- cational and instructional programs in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations such as Achieve NJ and Teach NJ, and the provisions of the district’s col- lective bargaining agreements; developing annual goals and action planning for the teaching and learning program; establish- ing and maintaining efficient administra- tive procedures to support the teaching and learning functions of the district; and leading and collaborating in the obser- vation/evaluation of all building-level administrative and supervisory staff. Library hosts free programs The Franklin Lakes Public Library hosts free programs for children. Registration is required and may be made by calling (201) 891-2224 or in person at the library located at 470 DeKorte Drive. Children in kindergarten through fifth grade are invited to Science Tellers Pres- ents: Dragons & Dreams on Wednesday, June 18 at 4 p.m. Everyone in the room will be part of the story. Enjoy interactive science experiments that will highlight the Summer Reading Club theme. This program is spon- sored by the Friends of the Library. On July 1, learn the tie-dye techniques at Terrific T-Shirts. Children are invited to roll up their sleeves and design a colorful tie-dyed T-shirt. Participants should bring a white cotton T-shirt to dye. Children enter- ing grades two through four may attend from 2 to 3 p.m. Students in grades five through eight are welcome from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. This program is open to Franklin Lakes residents only. Children of all ages are invited to Monkey Monkey Music on Wednesday, July 9. The concert will begin at 7 p.m. Monkey Monkey Music produces award- winning songs and videos for children that air on PBS stations. Dig into science on July 10 when author Steve “The Dirtmeister” Tomecek presents Soda Bottle Science. Children in kinder- garten through fifth grade are welcome. Tomecek will uses common household items to create experiments that go fizz, boom, and pop and share instructions on how to safely recreate the experiments at home.