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    Press Release:
    Contact Anne H. Gallagher
    NJASA Director of Communications
    609-599-2900, ext. 126

     

    JUDITH ANN RATTNER NAMED 2016 SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR

    Judith Rattner

     

    The 2016 New Jersey Superintendent of the Year Judith Ann Rattner is available to comment on Education-Related Issues.

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    Trenton, New Jersey, December 10, 2015 ... Judith Ann Rattner, Chief Education Officer, Berkeley Heights School District, was selected New Jersey's 2016 candidate for the American Association of School Administrators' (AASA) National Superintendent of the Year Award by the New Jersey Association of School Administrators (NJASA).

    The 2016 New Jersey Superintendent of the Year Judith Ann Rattner was recognized by her colleagues today at the December NJASA Executive Committee Meeting at NJASA headquarters in Trenton.

    The NJASA procedure names three regional – Northern, Central and Southern – Superintendent of the Year winners prior to selection of the State Superintendent of the Year. Rattner was selected the NJASA Central Regional Superintendent of the Year.

    The two other regional Superintendents of the Year joining Rattner are: Northern Regional winner – Dr. Matthew J. Murphy, Chief Education Officer, Ramsey Public School District; and Southern Regional winner – Joseph Jones, III, Chief Education Officer, Woodbury City Public Schools. All three regional Superintendents of the Year were introduced at the NJASA Executive Committee’s October 28th meeting at the Annual Fall Workshop in Atlantic City.

    NJASA Executive Director Richard G. Bozza said, “NJASA is pleased to have someone of Judy Rattner’s stature receive this well-respected honor. Her unique background; pedagogical experience; and strong record of commitment to the regeneration of public education has assisted in improving educational efforts throughout New Jersey’s public school systems.”

    From her vantage point of 20 plus years experience as a school administrator, Rattner states, “We, as chief education officers and school leaders, continue to work together and focus on the most essential part of education – the children.”

    “It is my strong belief that the highly developed, critical-thinking skills possessed by New Jersey chief education officers and school leaders will continue to allow the students of New Jersey to build a foundation that will help sustain them on life’s extraordinary journey. When all is said and done, success in life is measured by the lives you touch.”

    Under her tutelage, the Berkeley Heights District’s Governor Livingston High School (GLHS), that educates students from Berkeley Heights and Mountainside, has been recognized since 2005 by:

    » Newsweek magazine’s listing of the Best High Schools in America and

    » New Jersey Monthly magazine’s Top High Schools in New Jersey.

    Additionally, over 95 percent of last year’s graduates are continuing in higher education.

    Rattner’s deep-rooted, pedagogical beliefs are witness to the notable programs in place at the Berkeley Heights School System. This includes:

    » Language Arts Literacy Program – engages students by differentiating instruction to meet learner needs. This research-based, multi-sensory approach to reading helps all students make meaningful progress.

    » 1:1 iPad Curriculum Initiative – integrates technology into the high school curriculum for every student.

    » Project Connect – makes Honor classes a reality for more high school students.

    The 2016 New Jersey Superintendent of the Year was appointed the Chief Education Officer of the Berkeley Heights Public Schools in July 2005. Previously, she served as the Assistant Superintendent for the Pre K-12 school system, which lies 25 miles west of New York City and is surrounded by several corporate headquarters.

    An NJASA member since 2000, Rattner assumed the top spot as President of NJASA for the 2010-2011 school year and held all the NJASA Officer positions. In 2013, the Association awarded Rattner the NJASA Distinguished Service Award (DSA). The DSA is the most prestigious award conferred by NJASA upon its members. This recognition honors an NJASA member for his/her dynamic leadership, outstanding contributions to education, and service to the students of New Jersey.

    Currently, she is serving as the Association’s Interim President-Elect. She has represented NJASA in conjunction with the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) at the PARCC Assessment Seminars; served on the EE4NJ Evaluation Pilot Advisory Committee, the 21-member NJDOE statewide advisory group to guide the teacher evaluation pilot program; and the NJ LEE Group.

    She is Chairperson of the NJASA Vision 2020 Committee and served as Chairperson of the NJASA 2012 ad hoc Constitutional Review Committee and the Association’s 2007 Spring Conference Committee.  In addition, she serves on several of the Association’s Committees including: Curriculum and Instruction, ad hoc Assessment, Task Force, Legislative, Great Schools of New Jersey, and Technology.

    The 2016 New Jersey Superintendent of the Year revitalized the NJASA Women’s Caucus and frequently, presents at functions of the NJASA Women’s Caucus.

    Rattner also serves as an NJASA Presenter to the Association’s New Superintendents’ Academy and mentors aspiring administrators. 

    On the national level, Rattner is a National Governing Board Member of AASA. A position she was elected to in 2012. She also participates in the AASA Leadership Conference and has served as an AASA facilitator.

    A Kappa Delta Pi member, she is an Executive Committee member of the New Jersey School Development Council and Past President of the New Jersey Council of Education.

    A Rockaway resident, she received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Seton Hall University. Rattner began her educational career as a math and English teacher at the Chatham Borough High School in Morris County.

    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 2016. 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 at 920 West State Street, Trenton, New Jersey 08618-5328. For more information -- PH: 609.599.2900 / Fax: 609.599.9359 / website: www.njasa.net.
     
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