Hudson Reporter Archive

Unrest in schools

Barely three weeks into the new school year local teachers are expressing anger over major personnel and curriculum changes that were made throughout the Secaucus School District over the summer.
Among their concerns are the recent principal reassignments in three of the district’s four schools. Some teachers are also concerned about the district’s rapid use of new technology, which not everyone feels fully trained to teach.
The teachers’ union met late last week to discuss what they see as a heavy-handed school administration and lack of communication with teachers. Several of them are expected to attend the next school board meeting on Sept. 30.

Principal changes

In late July, the school board voted to reassign three of its school principals. Pat Impreveduto, who had been principal of Secaucus High School, was reassigned to be principal of the Middle School. Deidre Ertle, the former principal of Clarendon School, was made head of the high school in Impreveduto’s place. Former Middle School head Pasquale Cocucci took over as principal at Clarendon.

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“I don’t feel we got a full explanation.” – Anonymous Secaucus teacher
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Fred Ponti, the principal at Huber Street School, maintained his position at that school.
Many teachers say they were blindsided by the reassignments.
“I don’t know why this was done,” one teacher said last week. “I don’t feel we got a full explanation.”
When the changes were first announced, and in several interviews since, Schools Superintendent Cynthia Randina has said that the changes were made to reinvigorate the learning environment at each school.
“I think this is a great opportunity for everybody to look at things with in a different way,” she told the Reporter before the school year began. “When you move principals around in a school district, they go into a situation with new eyes and a new attitude. So it’s like you’re giving everybody a fresh start.”
But some teachers believe the moves upended the rapport they had with their principals. They said no one anticipated the impact the changes would have on the three affected schools.
Robert Anderson, president of the local teachers’ union, did not return six calls and an e-mail seeking comment.
But Randina defended the changes last week.
“The board met approximately six weeks before school started and we wanted to give our principals time to finish up their business in their old schools and then execute the move and have time to open school on Sept. 8,” she said. “We thought that with six weeks advanced notice the principals would be very comfortable with that amount of time. My understanding is that in the past there have been other moves at the principal level and they were given two weeks.”
She added that all three principals are well known to both the local community and teachers throughout the district, “so I don’t see that there was any adjustment on the part of our teachers.”
Randina also meets regularly with union leadership, she said.

New teaching requirements

Leadership changes were not the only changes made in the district. The school system has moved towards online lesson plans, interactive “white boards,” and similar technology to aid teachers and students in the classroom. But some teachers believe the push has been too much in too short a period of time.
“It’s really been a lot to learn,” one fifth grade teacher said. “Do I have a general sense of what I’m doing [with the new technology]? Yes. Do I feel confident about using these tools with my students? I would say no…I don’t understand why there was such a big push to have these things in place this year.”
Randina responded, saying that there’s “no hammer in place” and the district will continue to train and support teachers until they feel comfortable with the new technology.
“We’ve done a lot of training in online lesson plans,” Randina commented. “Also, there was a lot of training in the use of Promethean Boards. And throughout the supper we offered lots of other training opportunities. We had three in-service days earlier this month. And we had eight teacher trainers who are certified in the use of Promethean Boards. So our teachers are being supported throughout this transition.”
Many other changes were implemented this school year.
The school district is offering an extended day preschool program for students who need remedial work. Sixth graders will be introduced to a new math program that is aligned with New Jersey’s core curriculum standards. And kindergarteners, first graders, and second graders will get their first taste of the school district’s new language arts literacy program.
Each school now has math and language arts “coaches” to help teachers with their own educational and professional development.

Communication gap?

Teachers seem to point to a breakdown in communication between themselves and the district leadership.
But Randina said, “I believe we’ve offered lots of opportunities for teacher input and leadership development.”
She pointed to four major committees that were started last year – on education, technology, safety, and climate and culture – that are comprised of teachers and several teacher-board liaisons as examples.
Describing herself and members of the school board as “approachable,” she acknowledged that her leadership style is different than that of her predecessor, Constantino “Gus” Scerbo, who retired as school superintendent last summer after serving in the position for 26 years.
“I think the communication is good, but we can always try to improve,” Randina said.
Randina recently started the second year of a four-year nine-month contract with the Secaucus school system.
E-mail E. Assata Wright at awright@hudsonreporter.com.

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