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

 Atlantic City, New Jersey, October 29, 2014 ... Dr. C. Lauren Schoen, Chief Education Officer, Mahwah School District was selected the 2015 New Jersey Association of School Administrators (NJASA) Northern Regional Superintendent of the Year. She was introduced today at the morning general session of the Annual Fall Workshop. The workshop is co-sponsored by NJASA, the New Jersey Association of School Business Officials (NJASBO) and the New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA).

This is the seventh year of NJASA’s selection process to choose three regional – Central, Southern, and Northern - Superintendents of the Year winners. The two other chief education officers joining Schoen are: Southern Regional winner – Dr. Scott McCartney, Chief Education Officer, Egg Harbor Township School District; and Central Regional winner – Dr. Timothy Purnell, Chief Education Officer, Somerville Public Schools.

NJASA Executive Director Richard G. Bozza said, “Lauren Schoen is a results-oriented professional who continually strives to improve the quality of education for all students through her knowledge, experience and enthusiasm.”

Northern Regional winner Schoen is passionate about education and closing the achievement gap. Her visionary leadership assisted in the implementation of the Effective Schools Solution’s (ESS) program at the Mahwah Public School District and the Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School District which provided a significant percentage of general education and special education students with opportunities to remain in-district while improving and enhancing their educational experiences. 

In July 2013, Schoen assumed the helm of the Mahwah Township School District. Prior to her current position, she successfully served as chief education officer in Rochelle Park and the Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School Districts.

Schoen is President of the Bergen County Association of School Administrators and 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. 

She attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, but decided instead to pursue a career in the field of education. After receiving an Honorable Discharge from the Academy, Schoen went on to earn an undergraduate degree in Education from William Paterson University. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Education and Political Science. She earned her Master’s Degree in Administration and Supervision at Saint Peters College in Jersey City.

In January 2006, Schoen earned her Doctoral Degree from Seton Hall University in the field of K-12 Administration and Supervision. She also served as an Adjunct Professor at Seton Hall University co-teaching a doctoral course on Educational Leadership.

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.

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About NJASA:

The New Jersey Association of School Administrators is an organization of chief education officers and school administrators who lead school districts in New Jersey’s 21 counties. The Association’s mission is to ensure a superior statewide system of education. Through ongoing professional training and education, the Association shares knowledge among its members about best practices from both educational and administrative perspectives. Its goal is to move education forward by ensuring the highest quality of instruction for all New Jersey children. The Association is located 920 West State Street, Trenton, New Jersey 08618-5328. For more information -- PH: 609.599.2900 / Fax: 609.599.9359 / website: www.njasa.net