WESTWOOD REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT—Superintendent Jill Mortimer wrote families on Feb. 14 to say she anticipates that the Board of Education at its meeting Thursday night will approve the hiring of Ken Rota as interim superintendent during the time of her medical leave, which she said would begin on April 3.
Mortimer announced recently she is undergoing back surgery.
The Westwood Regional Board of Education will meet on Thursday, February 16 at 7 p.m. in the Hurley Theater in the High School. If you would like to watch the live stream of the meeting on YouTube, you can click here.
Mortimer said Rota is a retired superintendent who worked in the Fort Lee, Paramus, and East Rutherford school districts; that he has a master’s degree in education and administration from St. Peter’s College, and a bachelor’s in psychology from St. Bonaventure University.
“Mr. Rota will be present at times during the month of March to begin the transition process. I know the district will be in good hands during the time that I am absent. Please join me in welcoming him to our district,” she said.
Mortimer said in other news that the board is also expected to approve Kelly Hughes to continue as the Brookside School principal and Kristen Gomez to continue as the elementary assistant principal.
“These two individuals were the interview committee’s top selections, and we will be grateful to have them in their new roles on a permanent, and not just acting basis, starting on July 1,” she said.
Student discipline in focus on self defense
Mortimer said the board’s policy committee met the night of Feb. 13 and discussed Regulation 5600/Student Discipline “once again, now that I have had the opportunity to seek guidance from the board’s attorney on the topic of self defense.”
She said, “In a situation in which a student is acting in defense of him/herself or others, the application of the minimum mandatory suspension penalty is determined on a case by case basis; it is not automatically applied. Only a reasonable form of self defense is acceptable.”
Mortimer said, “There is no exact definition of what that looks like. In the event of a fight, the administrators in the building will review video, if available, interview witnesses, and interview the students involved. If there is an assertion of self defense, the preponderance of evidence will be considered prior to discipline being administered.”
She said, “As a result of hearing community feedback about this regulation, I realize this is a topic that has varying beliefs surrounding it. Therefore, I anticipate not everyone will be pleased with the district’s position. However, my job is to ensure a sound level of safety for students and staff and to limit the district’s vulnerability to litigation.”
Middle school responsive classroom
According to Mortimer, “Now that Dr. Ferlise, the new WRMS principal, has had time to settle in, she is creating a multi-faceted plan for making her mark in the district. We will utilize grant funds to expand a Social and Emotional Learning Program (SEL) to the middle school next year.”
The superintendent said Ferlise took a team to Randolph to see the Responsive Classroom program, which WWRSD has in grades K–5, in the middle grades.
“Moreover, she has established the following committees to review and improve practices: Academic Support Lab, SEL, Master Schedule, and September 2023 Kick Off. Dr. Ferlise and her team will visit other districts in order to learn more about best practices for developing core school values. Part of that will involve parental input. A calendar of events that centers on the new core school values for the next school year is already in the works.”
Mortimer said that in just a short time, Ferlise “has created a detailed plan for enhancing the morale, climate and culture of the school. Dr. Ferlise is in the process of crafting a communication plan to share with the school community.”
Presentation on HIB data at Feb. 16 meeting
Mortimer said, “Mrs. LaForgia, the district’s anti-bullying coordinator, will provide a presentation on the district’s historical HIB (Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying) data at Thursday night’s Board of Education meeting. This year’s HIBs can be attributed to race/ethnic origin, sexual orientation, religion, appearance and social status. The student offenders are not learning to speak that way in our schools.”
She added, “The few incidents of physical altercations we have had this year were the result of aggressive behavior that is not sanctioned by the district. An appropriate climate and culture in a school involves the partnership with our parents as well. Faculty and staff members in the WWRSD are hard at work encouraging positive academic and social and emotional experiences for our valued students. I am extremely proud of them, and they deserve our utmost respect.”