TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—For the second time in two weeks, the Pascack Valley has seen an embattled schools superintendent resign, bound perhaps for greener pastures.
This week it’s Dr. Raymond A. González, Superintendent of Schools for the Westwood Regional School District, serving the Borough of Westwood and Washington Township.
He announced his resignation on May 4, effective Aug. 1, and said he looks forward to taking over as superintendent of the Westfield Public School District.
At its virtual meeting on May 4, the Westfield Board of Education approved González, 8–0 with one abstention, for a term running Aug. 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022.
He will succeed Dr. Margaret Dolan, who is retiring after 25 years in the Westfield Public Schools, 14 years as superintendent. Westfield said board members considered 33 candidates, 28 from New Jersey.
González has been under withering fire from a number of parents protesting school scheduling and transparency issues since at least October 2020.
Asked whether there was anything the administration might have done differently with respect to Covid-19, he told Pascack Press on May 5 that he leaves with no regrets.
“Our achievements as a school community are visible and tangible testaments of what can be achieved when everyone works together towards a common goal. I am proud of the work that has taken place over the last seven years to move the Westwood Regional School District forward and have no regrets about the decisions that have been made in the name of students, education, health, and safety.”
He said no decisions have been made on the next steps toward his replacement, but that the Board of Education will take the matter up in executive session prior to the start of the May 13 regular public meeting.
González’s colleague P. Erik Gundersen, who has served Pascack Valley Regional High School District for 27 years, including the most recent decade as superintendent, tendered his resignation on April 21, saw it accepted at the board meeting of April 26, and is set to depart on June 30.
He has accepted an offer to serve the Suffern Central School District as its new superintendent, beginning July 1.
González told local families, “In 2006, I joined the Westwood Regional School community as the principal of Berkeley Elementary School where I was introduced to a dedicated staff, welcoming community, and amazing students. Changes in life and new opportunities eventually led me away from the district for a brief amount of time; however, in 2014 I was granted the privilege to lead the district as the Superintendent equipped with new knowledge, skills, and expertise.”
Since that time, he said, he had been part of many great accomplishments for the entire school community “guided by our strategic plan and district goals.”
He said, “Our holistic approach prioritized student achievement, health and wellness, safety and security, technology and infrastructure, and facilities improvements,” and touted the district’s “Points of Pride” feature on its website.
“The success of our efforts is also validated by the incredible accomplishments of our students during their time in our schools and as they move on to the colleges and careers of their choosing. I could not be more proud of our students,” he said.
“Now, almost seven years later, it is time for me to move on once more. I am humbled and honored to have served all of you and, after I leave, I look forward to hearing about the continued success of our students for years to come.”
Westfield rejoices
In its own message to families, the Westfield Public School District noted González began his career in education more than 20 years ago.
González said, “I am thrilled and humbled to be joining the school district as the Superintendent of Schools and to become a part of the Westfield Public School District’s tradition of excellence.”
He added, “Upon my entry into the district, I look forward to working closely with the Board of Education, administration, and staff as well as getting a chance to meet our students and community to get to know more about what makes Westfield schools special.”
At Westwood Regional, González oversees six schools (four elementary, one middle, and a high school), more than 2,800 students and 400 staff, and an operating budget of roughly $64,000,000.
Westfield families were told González’s key initiatives were:
- Future Ready Education to integrate Chromebooks, Google for Education, and associated professional development in 21st Century Learning;
- A five-year strategic plan to outline the district’s priorities;
- A successful bond referendum to expand and renovate Westwood Regional Middle School [which González was tireless in promoting as a true middle school];
- Expanded in-district programming opportunities to support all students, including co-teaching and inclusion at all levels, creating in-house programs for students with autism, and launching a therapeutic suite of services to support student social-emotional needs; and
- A multifaceted communications plan to improve community engagement and disseminate information.
Westfield board president Amy Root said after a thorough search and interview process González was the clear top choice.
“His background as a teacher, principal and administrator in a variety of districts has provided him with a wealth of experience which will serve him well in Westfield. We look forward to introducing him to our community and to working together to improve upon our tradition of excellence and provide the best educational opportunities for our students,” she said.
Westfield Public Schools serves students in pre-K through 12th grade from Westfield, in Union County. It has a central kindergarten, six elementary schools (grades 1–5), two middle schools (grades 6–8) divided by a “North Side/South Side” boundary, and one high school (grades 9–12). Enrollment as of 2018–19 is given as 6,304, with approximately 500 faculty.
González’s bio shows he served as superintendent of Wayne Township Public Schools from December 2011 to July 2014, “where he and his team successfully aligned all grade-level curriculum to state standards; established an eco-friendly paperless communication system to leverage web-based, digital, and social media resources; and maximized use of underutilized technology systems.”
It adds he graduated cum laude from Princeton University in 1996 with a bachelor of arts in sociology. He received a master of arts in urban education from the New Jersey City University in January 2002 and a master of arts in educational administration and supervision in January 2005 from Rutgers University.
In January 2012, he earned a Doctor of Education in educational administration and supervision from Rutgers.
He began his career in education in 1998 as a Bilingual Education/ESL teacher in the Paterson Public School District, where he also was a computer teacher, technology coordinator, and test coordinator two years later.
He was appointed director of Assessment, Planning, and Evaluation for the Paterson school district in 2003.
2006–2009, González moved to the Westwood Regional School District as an elementary school principal before returning to the Paterson Public School District in 2009 as Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction and Special Education. He served as Assistant Superintendent of Schools, then Interim Superintendent in the Hackensack Public Schools from July 2010 to December 2011.
“I am committed to my life’s work as an educator and I look forward to working in a school district that shares a passion for making a difference in the lives of all children,” adds González.
Editor’s note: This piece was updated May 5, to match our pending print edition, to reflect González’s comments to Pascack Press on next steps toward filling his position and his views with regard to his work, during the pandemic, at Westwood Regional School District.