Interim supt. excited about prospects for school year
BY PATRICIA YOCZIS Correspondent

PLUMSTED - The Plumsted Township School District will have new administrators and new programs in place as school doors open for an expected enrollment of 1,870 students on Sept. 5.

According to Christine Carlson, interim superintendent of schools, the Board of Education at its Aug. 22 meeting approved a new business administrator, a new interim principal for New Egypt High School, a new coordinator for curriculum and instruction, as well as starting a formal search for a permanent superintendent.

Frank Gripp, of Howell, is the new business administrator and board secretary. For the past three years, he was the business administrator for the Rumson- Fair Haven Regional School District.

The new interim principal at New Egypt High School is Elizabeth Panella, of Long Branch, effective Aug 27. Previously she served as the interim principal at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School and was principal for 17 years at Fair Lawn High School.

Colleen Davidson, of New Egypt, assumed the duties as the new coordinator of curriculum and instruction on Aug 27. She is a former teacher at the New Egypt Middle School.

The search for a permanent superintendent resulted from the resignation of Gerald North, who left the school district to become the principal of Marlboro High School.

Carlson, who was unanimously approved by the Board of Education as the interim superintendent in July, has served the district for 13 years. A candidate for the position of superintendent, Carlson was the district's assistant superintendent for two years and principal of the New Egypt Middle School for 10 years.

Carlson, a resident of Manasquan, said there will be 16 new teachers and teacher's assistants joining the district for the 2007-08 school year. That will bring the total of staff and teachers to about 200 members, she said.

New literacy and mathematics programs, Carlson said, await pupils in kindergarten through fifth grade as well as a new mathematics program for sixth grade. The social studies program will have a new look for grades three, four and five.

Carlson said the summer programs were very successful with expanded summer sports camps and a voluntary academic program for students in grades one through eight, as well as the Warrior Camp.

"About 90 students participated in the summer academic program to improve their reading and math skills," she said. "This was not a remedial program, but a self-improvement program. The Warrior Camp, held from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., helped working parents. It included supervised activities and field trips during the summer months."

Carlson said she is looking forward to the 2007-08 school year and is very excited about the new changes and the new teachers coming on board.

"It's always great to see the anticipation in the students and teachers," she said. "It's really wonderful to be part of it all."

The Plumsted Township School District consists of four schools: the New Egypt Primary School, the New Egypt Middle School, New Egypt High School and the Dr. Gerald H. Woehr Elementary School.