BY PATRICIA KELLER
WEST MILFORD — West Milford Superintendent of Schools James McLaughlin, Ed.D, welcomed students, teachers and parents back to another school year at Tuesday night's Board of Education Workshop/Special Action Meeting, and reported a “positive opening” for all of the schools. He stated,
“Welcome to the new school year! I am happy to report a positive opening for all our schools and personal observations that our students have made a very quick adjustment from vacation to engaged learning," he said. "Our classrooms are truly impressive, reflecting a great deal of preparation by our teachers prior to the students’ arrival.”
McLaughlin also mentioned that Back to School Night events began this week at several schools, starting with Westbrook School on Sept. 15, Apshawa School on Sept. 17, and Maple Road School on Sept. 18. The remaining scheduled dates for Back to School Nights are:
Sept. 22 Macopin School
Sept. 29 Upper Greenwood Lake School
Sept. 30 Marshall Hill School
Oct. 1 West Milford High School
Oct. 2 Paradise Knoll School - Oct. 2.
New administrators hired, 75 vacancies filled
McLaughlin said the district filled approximately 75 vacancies of various types over the summer months.
“The process was a thorough and rigorous one, with the aim of bringing only the best candidates forward to work with West Milford students,” he said.
He thanked teachers, parents and administrators who participated in this process.
Two key positions were filled at the administration level: supervisor of Guidance for the middle school and high school, and a new position, academic assistant principal, at Macopin School. Myra Aaronson was appointed to the supervisor of Guidance position at the prorated salary of $96,000, with health benefits, effective Sept. 17, 2014 through June 30, 2015. She replaces James Cresbaugh who retired. Lee Turkowski was appointed to the new assistant principal position at Macopin School at the prorated salary of $95,000, with health benefits, with effective date to be determined through June 30, 2015.
McLaughlin was please with the appointments.
“These two positions are particularly important to our district vision and our goals for the 2014-15 school year and I believe strongly that we have found two professionals that will contribute greatly to the achievement of the vision and goals.”