CLOSTER, N.J.—Closter Public Schools have a new superintendent and a new elementary school principal.
Next, along with elected Republicans from the borough’s governing body and community groups, school leaders are expected to participate in a forum that will attempt to envision what the future of the district will look like.
Potential for school population growth?
Billed as a “discussion on Closter Schools,” a town hall-style meeting on Monday, Aug. 5 at the Closter Senior Center is the first of three planned forums for residents to “voice their opinions or concerns to those who can help create change.”
An event flyer shared with Northern Valley Press says the 7 p.m. forum’s topics will include the current setting of the schools, ramifications of potential [real estate] development, and possible future solutions and options.
Closter Councilwoman Victoria Amitai said the borough recently settled its affordable housing obligations and there is a reasonable expectation of population growth.
“We have increased our zoning potential so that it’s more interesting for developers to build here in town… Closter is hot right now,” said Amitai, who’s co-sponsoring the event with Republican counterparts Mayor John C. Glidden, Jr., Councilman Joe Yammarino and Councilwoman Alissa Latner, according to the flyer.
The event will also feature invited guests from the school administration, board of education, parent teacher organization and Korean parent group, according to the flyer.
According to the borough’s June 21, 2018, affordable housing settlement, there will be 35 family rental units coming soon to the former Village School, as well as up to 10 accessory apartment family rentals at other locations. New zoning will allow for the creation of 12 townhouses at 515 Piermont Road, also known as the Corner Farm, according to the agreement, and Amitai said there’s a large tract of land for sale off Closter Dock Road that’s about 7 acres, which is zoned for single-family houses, she said.
Affordable housing is both a state legislative and judicial mandate for New Jersey municipalities, declaring that towns must allow for the reasonable creation of low- or moderate-income restricted housing via zoning and other mechanisms. Most municipalities in the state recently settled negotiations on what’s called the state’s third-round affordable housing obligations.
Amitai said the first forum on Aug. 5 will address general concerns, issues of future development, options for accommodating a potentially expanding school population and its impact on taxpayers.
The district’s Tenakill Middle School had 507 students in 2017-2018, while Hillside Elementary School had 670 students that same year, according to the most recent department of education data available. Closter Public Schools serve the borough’s pre-school through eighth grade students, before they ascend into the Northern Valley Regional High School District.
New administrators take the lead
Leading the district into the new year will be new Superintendent of Schools Vincent McHale, who most recently served as assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction for the Teaneck Public School District, where he worked for 23 years.
“My number one priority right now is learning about the district by listening to the Closter community,” McHale told Northern Valley Press. “As the new superintendent, I am spending my first three months conducting structured, confidential interviews with key stakeholders—the Board trustees, faculty and staff, parents, students and community leaders. They are informing me of what they perceive as the strengths of the district as well as the challenges.”
McHale said he will also post an online survey on the district website Aug. 5.
“This survey will allow any community member to provide input on strengths and challenges. From the information I gather between July and October, I will work with the administrators and the board to identify our priorities,” McHale said.
The new leader takes the district’s reins from Joanne Newberry, who retired June 30.
Also new to the district is Dianne Smith, who will serve as principal of Hillside Elementary School.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to work in such a high performing district as Closter,” said Smith. “I look forward to working with the students, parents, and teachers in a community that prioritizes well-being and academic performance.”
“Smith comes to Closter from Northvale Public Schools, where she worked for 19 years as a kindergarten teacher, world language teacher, basic skills teacher, supervisor of curriculum and instruction, and K-8 principal,” McHale said in a statement. “She is also a Harrington Park Board of Education member.”
Alfred Baffa, Hillside’s former principal, tragically died during the 2018-2019 school year, and Newberry served as interim principal from January through June 2019, the statement said.
—Additional reporting by Kathryne McCann