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Randolph launches search for new superintendent

William Westhoven
@WWesthoven

The Randolph Board of Education will begin interviews in January for candidates to fill the position of superintendent, which was vacated last month by the sudden resignation of David Browne.

Randolph High School

The board on Tuesday approved the hiring of the New Jersey School Boards Association to lead the search for the K-12 district with 4,850 students, and it  hopes to have a permanent superintendent hired in time for the 2016-17 school year, which begins on July 1, according to district spokeswoman Allison Freeman.

The board's agreement with the NJSBA includes a cost of $6,850 and authorizes Randolph’s NJSBA field service representative, Charlene Peterson, to initiate the search with a job posting published in newspapers and posted on online job boards on Sunday.

The first round of interviews will prioritize an estimated five to six internal candidates. It is not known whether Jennifer Fano, interim superintendent and former assistant superintendent,  is among the applicants for the permanent post, but the board stressed it is confidence that Fano can run the district until a successor is chosen.

Fano assumed interim duties on Oct. 27, when the board accepted Browne's resignation after  he had been badly burned in a fire at his Wyckoff home on Oct. 13 and subsequently was placed on administrative leave. Browne, who had been out of the district since Sept. 8 on an expired 30-day medical leave when the incident occurred at his home, was charged  with arson related to that home fire by the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office on Nov. 6.

Browne's condition was unknown Thursday. Hackensack University Medical Center does not list him as a patient. A representative of  the  Prosecutor's Office said the charges against Browne were pending a grand jury review.

Deadline for superintendent applications is 5 p.m.  Dec. 22. Requirements are expected to include a certification or certificate of eligibility, and out-of-state candidates must agree to move to New Jersey within one year of hire. According to standard teacher contracts, the chosen candidate would need to give two months' notice before leaving a public-education position.

Freeman said Peterson's search efforts would include emailing 530 potential candidates who previously applied elsewhere for superintendent posts or have expressed qualifications for and interest in being a superintendent.

Board of Education President Tammy MacKay said the board also will establish criteria for the position using staff- and community-input sessions and surveys as a resource. 

“The Randolph Board of Education is looking for an innovative superintendent who can lead our premiere district by creating a climate that promotes aspirations to high expectations," she said.

Superintendent experience is preferred, as is high school experience and K-12 district experience, with a minimum of three years of experience in a central office or principal capacity.

The search will include three rounds of interviews, with the field likely narrowed to four or fie  candidates for the second round, and two or three for the third. Candidates progressing through the rounds will undergo reference checks, district visits and introductions to staff.

The final choice also will have to receive approval from the Morris County Superintendent's Office.

The superintendent's salary will be based on experience but will be subject to the state-mandated salary cap. Based on the size of the district, the maximum salary would be $165,000 per year plus merit bonuses.

Browne's contract with the district, which was $167,500 annually, ran through June 30, 2018. The agreement reached with the board will pay him three months compensation totaling $41,875, plus contractually required payouts of $5,475 for unused vacation days and 15,000 for unused sick days, for a total payout of $62,350. Browne will receive that compensation once the district receives proof of retirement from the Teacher Pension and Annuity Fund.

The new superintendent likely will receive a contract for three to five years, Freeman said.

Staff Writer William Westhoven: 973-917-9242; wwesthoven@GannettNJ.com.