Some of My Favorite Things…

When I think about the 2021-2022 school year, I am truly amazed at the journey we have taken. Never would I have believed that it would challenge us even more than the 2020-2021 school year did! But we are incredibly resilient. We ensured that students were productive and engaged and we dealt with numerous complaints while maintaining a safe and nurturing environment for all. We did it!

The lowlights of the 2021 – 2022 school year we know and do not need to be repeated. But the highlights are very special and must be emphasized at this much anticipated end of the school year. Goodbye to remote instruction as an option (hooray!); Congratulations to the 2022 Regional Superintendents of the Year (Patricia Blood, Dr. Scott Rocco, and Dr. Brian Brotschul); Women in Leadership is flourishing…thank you, Judy, and all the amazing school leaders; Dr. Scott Rocco, New Jersey’s Superintendent of the Year, Congratulations Scott!; ESSER funds….hurry up and spend!; districts choosing to (or not!) follow the Department of Health’s recommendations; unmasking…relief!; Equity for All continues to reshape our pathway…thanks, Ken Greene!; TECHSPO® 2022…the first conference back in person and how fantastic it was (thank you, Mary Capasso and NJASA!; Spring Conference 2022…the speakers, camaraderie, and networking were so sweet (thank you, Mary Capasso and NJASA); schools that are polling places were able to be virtual….thanks to NJASA and Scott Rocco!; proms; Awards Day; graduation; summer plans; travel; friendships flourishing among our NJASA colleagues as we become our own playbook; hopeful thoughts about what the 2022 -2023 school year may bring. These are some of my favorite things from 2021-2022…

I will end my presidency of NJASA the way it began, by sending everyone my heartfelt thanks. To the amazing NJASA staff, words are not adequate to describe the work that you seem to do so effortlessly. Rich, Judy, Maria and the incredible legal team, Melanie, Frank, Mark, Mary and Anne, as well as all of the remarkable support staff, Thank you! To the NJASA officers, I value your knowledge, commitment to leadership, and friendship, Thank you! And, perhaps most importantly, to the NJASA membership, you are my friends, you are my colleagues, you are my mentors, and you are my joy. I have been honored to work with such a galvanizing group of professionals, Thank you!

Tony Trongone will be the NJASA President for the 2022 - 2023 school year. He will do an outstanding job. Tony is inquisitive, insightful, sensitive, knowledgeable, and an extremely dedicated leader. Tony, I look forward to the heights to which you will take us!

Thanks, everyone, it was a good year!

Dr. Janet L. Fike

NJASA President