Schools
Nathan Parker, Summit Schools Superintendent, to Resign in 2015
Board of Education will hire a consultant to assist in search for replacement.
Summit Public Schools Superintendent, Dr. Nathan Parker, will leave the district at the end of the 2014-15 school year, it was announced at Thursday evening's Board of Education meeting.
Parker, who joined the district in 2008 after serving as superintendent for the Orange Public Schools from 2003 until 2008, will not look to renew his contract when his current one expires on June 30, 2015. In May 2012, Parker received a new contract, and took what former Board President Thomas O'Rourke referred to as a "financial haircut," given the cap placed on superintendents’ salaries by Gov. Chris Christie. O'Rourke estimated that Parker was taking anywhere from a $35,000 to $40,000 “differential between what he was making and what the state lets him have.” According to an NJ Spotlight article, the cap, which is $175,000 for superintendents in districts close to Summit’s size, has driven some administrators out of New Jersey.
Board President Gloria Ron-Fornes thanked Parker for sharing his intentions with the Board and the community and for his dedication to students over the last several years.
"Dr. Parker’s declaration allows the Board to begin the process of searching for a new superintendent," Ron-Fornes said. "As you all know, the hiring and evaluation of the Chief School Administrator is the single most important responsibility of the Board of Education. As such, it is critically important that the Board execute this responsibility with due diligence, following an established process, while keeping the community and staff informed and involved along the way. This is a process that must be done by the full Board – not by anyone committee – and it must be done well."
Simplifying the process, Ron-Fornes explained there are four stages:
- Preparation
- Collection of Materials/Processing
- Selection
- Transition
Ron-Fornes said she does not expect much development prior to the start of the new year.
"The process is comprehensive and as we get to the selection stage it will be confidential – as it is a personnel matter at that point – so please know that we need to respect the confidentiality of the candidates and of the process," Ron-Fornes said. "We need to do this right. I also want to make it clear to the community and staff, that nothing changes between now and the transition stage. Dr. Parker is our superintendent and as such he leads the district, is responsible for student achievement and we hold him accountable for all matters of the district."
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