Eileen Shafer will retire as Paterson schools superintendent amid controversy

PATERSON — Schools Superintendent Eileen Shafer announced Wednesday night that she will retire at end of this academic year, and, moments later, the longest-serving member of the Board of Education suggested she was forced out of the job.

“Those aren’t easy words to say, and I’ve had many sleepless nights,” Shafer said after announcing her retirement at the start of Wednesday night’s school board meeting.

Shafer has been the position since 2018 and, in 2020, received a pay raise that boosted her salary to $267,000. Her employment contract was scheduled to expire next June 30, and school board members have been at odds in private discussions over whether to keep her in the position.

In her statement, Shafer did not address the behind-the-scenes battle about her job. But Jonathan Hodges, who has been on the board for more than 20 years, called the “activities in back channels” embarrassing.

“There’s been a lot of trash going on behind closed doors,” Hodges said. “It’s shameful. It’s disgusting.”

Hodges noted he was not a big fan of Shafer’s appointment when she was first made superintendent. But he said he doubted Paterson would end up with a replacement as capable as she is.

Hodges said during his public comments that a majority of board members were trying to help one of their friends get the top schools position in Paterson.

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In a subsequent phone interview with Paterson Press, Hodges said he was referring to Christopher Irving, former president of the Paterson school board and the current superintendent of schools in Teaneck. Hodges and Irving had been bitter adversaries on the school board.

When contacted by a reporter, Irving did not deny having interest in the Paterson job.

“It’s not appropriate for me to make a comment at this time,” Irving said. “This is Miss Shafer’s night. We should respect that.”

Paterson school board President Kenneth Simmons acknowledged he has heard “the rumors” about Irving returning to Paterson.

“But I am not aware of any specific conversation that involves him becoming superintendent,” Simmons said.

Back in the summer, the school board voted down a proposal to hire a company to conduct a search for a possible replacement for Shafer. Her backers said they thought it would be in the district’s best interest to have continuity in the leadership position.

During the ensuing months, there have been intense behind-the-scenes efforts to get Shafer’s supporters to change their minds, according to multiple board members. The situation became more and more time-sensitive because of a looming contractual deadline.

Under Shafer’s employment agreement, she would have gotten an automatic four-year extension if the school board did not vote before Feb. 1 to end her employment with the district. Multiple sources said the board faction looking to replace Shafer recently had won over enough votes to remove her.

But Shafer rendered such a vote unnecessary by announcing her retirement on Wednesday. She has worked as an educator in New Jersey for four decades and in the Paterson school district for 31 years. She’s in position to collect an annual pension of more than $190,000.

“It is after much personal reflection and thoughtful consideration of all that has been accomplished, and all of the people I have been honored to work with and come to know, that I have come to the decision to notify the Board of Education commissioners tonight of my intention to retire as superintendent of schools on June 30, 2022,” Shafer said.

In her speech, Shafer noted she would continue working for more than six additional months.

“The district is at a critical point,” she said. “The pandemic is not over, and thousands of students need a thorough and efficient education. For the remainder of my tenure, I will continue to focus on the needs of the staff, students and their families. We still have the better part of a school year to complete before I retire, and there’s much work to be done.”

During Shafer’s tenure, Paterson students’ scores remained among the lowest in New Jersey on standardized tests and the district’s graduation rates dropped. But the district’s Gifted and Talented program for elementary students gained national acclaim, and its international baccalaureate high school program helped produced students who went on to some of the top colleges in the country.

Mayor Andre Sayegh had been a big supporter of Shafer’s rise to the superintendent’s position.

"Eileen has been an indispensable partner during this pandemic,” Sayegh said Wednesday night. “We worked together to restore Hinchliffe Stadium. We worked together to return our students to school. And we worked together to secure local control. I commend and congratulate her on a successful career in our school district.”

Simmons said he is thankful for the time Shafer has been superintendent.

“She has served with dignity and honor and, contrary to some beliefs, has always put the children of Paterson first,” Simmons said. “Her retirement is well deserved.”

Joe Malinconico is editor of Paterson Press.

Email: editor@patersonpress.com

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paterson NJ Schools Superintendent Eileen Shafer will retire