Paterson Board of Education has yet to begin search for retiring superintendent's replacement

PATERSON — With about five months left until Schools Superintendent Eileen Shafer's announced retirement date, the Board of Education has yet to start the process of looking for her replacement.

School board President Kenneth Simmons said the district likely will have to go with an interim superintendent on July 1.

Multiple school district sources said Shafer herself may end up in that interim role. There have been preliminary talks with the superintendent about having her stick around while the search unfolds, the sources said.

Paterson Press asked the school district’s communications department for Shafer’s comment on the possibility of her staying on an interim basis.

“District officials decline to comment,” said communications director Paul Brubaker.

Shafer, whose salary is $267,000, announced her retirement at the school board’s Dec. 8 meeting and submitted a letter dated that same day telling the board she would retire effective June 30, 2022.

Shafer’s contract says her employment with the district would automatically be extended for another four years unless the board notifies her in writing before Feb. 1 that she will not be reappointed.

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As of Monday, the board had not sent Shafer written notification that she would not be reappointed. Several members said the board ought to send her written notice before the end of this month to avoid any confusion.

Board members said they need to take two steps to start looking for Shafer’s replacement. First, they said, they ought to create a search committee composed of board members. Second, they said, they need to hire an outside firm to conduct the search.

Simmons said he expects the search to begin in late February or early March. Board member Emanuel Capers said the timing of the search meant the district likely will need to pick someone on an interim basis. Board member Nakima Redmon emphasized the need to get community input in picking the next superintendent.

But another trustee, Oshin Castillo, said she thinks the district can move quickly and avoid the need for an interim appointee.

“It’s absolutely possible that we can have a new superintendent by July,” Castillo said. “Other districts have done it in that amount of time.”

Mayor Andre Sayegh has urged the board to conduct a nationwide search. Community advocate Rosie Grant, head of the nonprofit Paterson Education Association, said the district’s timing may be good for finding a strong candidate.

“Superintendents are stepping down across the nation,” Grant said. “I think it will be a very competitive search process.”

Joe Malinconico is editor of Paterson Press.

Email: editor@patersonpress.com

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paterson NJ schools haven't started superintendent search