NJASA

NEW JERSEY ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS 920 West State Street • Trenton, New Jersey 08618-5328 609.599.2900 / Fax: 609.599.9359 website: https://www.njasa.net

The three regional Superintendents of the Year were introduced at the NJASA Executive Committee’s Opening Meeting for the 2014-2015 school year in Trenton.

NJASA Executive Director Dr. Richard G. Bozza said, “All three regional superintendents are remarkable educational leaders with vision, imagination, and compassion for the students they serve. Their accomplishments exemplify what every chief education officer should achieve.”

As chief education officer of the Egg Harbor Township School District – one of the fastest growing school systems in New Jersey over the past decade - Southern Regional winner Dr. McCartney has shown his capacity to lead in turbulent and challenging times. He is recognized as an agent-of-change who has the ability to challenge his staff and utilize their  collective creativity to find ways to thrive in the face of challenge. Presently, he serves as Treasurer of NJASA and as a regional representative to the Executive Committee of the American Association of School Administrators (AASA).

Central Regional winner Dr. Purnell is a dedicated, hard-working professional who continually strives to improve the quality of education for all students. He is a member of the New Jersey State Board of Examiners and is President of the Somerset County Association of School Administrators. A prolific writer and noted author of curriculum-related materials, he also presents innovative curriculum-related initiatives at NJASA professional development opportunities. Currently, he serves as the 2014-2015 Somerset County Affiliate President for NJASA.

Northern Regional winner Dr. Schoen, President of the Bergen County Association of School Administrators, is passionate about education. A results-oriented professional, she successfully has led three school districts – Rochelle Park, Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School and Mahwah - and is well-rounded having experience in curriculum development, finance, leadership and facilities. Active in NJASA for over a decade, she is the 2014-2015 Bergen County Affiliate President for NJASA and co-chair of the NJASA Spring Conference Committee, a Committee she has co-chaired since 2011.

Each regional winner was judged on the following qualifications: 1) minimum of five years experience as a chief education officer; 2) record of service within their respective county affiliate and NJASA; and 3) a distinguished record as an educator.

This is the seventh year of NJASA’s selection process to choose three regional - Southern, Central and Northern - Superintendents of the Year winners.

The next step in the process for the three regional winners will be the selection of a New Jersey candidate to participate in the AASA National Superintendent of the Year Award. A committee of NJASA Past Presidents will select the 2015 New Jersey Superintendent of the Year. The program, established in 1988 and sponsored by ARAMARK Education, VALIC, and AASA, is open to all public school superintendents in the United States and overseas.

The selection qualifications for the State and National Superintendent of the Year include: meeting the needs of their students, demonstrated communication strength, a commitment to professional development and growth, and significant community involvement.  Additionally, at the state and regional levels, NJASA has an additional qualification that addresses service with the county affiliate and NJASA.

AASA will announce the National Superintendent of the Year at its Annual Conference on Education in February 2015. The recipient of this prestigious honor will receive a $10,000 college scholarship for a student at the high school where the superintendent graduated.