At the start of the Beach Haven School Board’s regular meeting Tuesday, March 24, Superintendent EvaMarie Raleigh announced she will resign her position at the end of her three-year contract, effective June 30, 2016. She will not consider a second contract.
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| Photo via NJ.com EvaMarie Raleigh helped reopen the elementary school after Superstorm Sandy damage. |
Although she had intended to stay at the school until her retirement in about five more years, Raleigh said the job is “both too big and too small at the same time.” The job is too big because, as one administrator, she said, she has to “wear many hats, each with its own set of skills, requirements and time constraints.” The job is too small because curriculum and instruction as well as professional development are what make her happiest, she added.
If she wants her full pension, Raleigh said she will have to work in New Jersey’s education system for four more years. Her goal is to be a college adjunct professor and travel the country teaching workshops.
Raleigh recommended the board hire both a school principal and shared superintendent for her replacement.
“The administrative position at Beach Haven School is more of a principal position with district responsibilities,” she noted.
Raleigh said she was charged with a “long list” of goals and objectives, all of which have been “met or exceeded,” from the school board and teachers when she accepted her position two years ago. Those goals range from reopening the school building after Superstorm Sandy and enhancing technology to increasing School Choice funding and leading staff through the new evaluation process among other targets.
“The teachers have been the driving force in these plans since the start,” Raleigh stated. “They are to be commended for their hard work and for engaging our students in real world, project-based learning as well as embracing new trends and research in educational technology.”
Although colleagues and friends attended the meeting in support of Raleigh’s decision to resign, the superintendent said she had not shared the news with board members prior to the meeting. She claimed none of them have spoken to her since January, when the board reorganized.
“Maybe now they’ll leave me alone and let me just do what I know how to do,” she told The SandPaper.
During her tenure, Raleigh also has been criticized by some parents for being unqualified for the position and being unreceptive to their concerns.
During public comment, Sandra Close and Donna Kilcommons, former board members who were involved in hiring Raleigh, thanked the superintendent for her hard work.
“Her energy, her professionalism and, most importantly, her love for the children here have made her an exceptional superintendent,” said Close, who had cited the tension between the board and some members of the public during her resignation in October.
“Despite what happens at these meetings … this is a great school; the kids have the best experiences,” Raleigh said after the meeting. “That’s what I want to be remembered for.”
— Kelley Anne Essinger
This article was published in The SandPaper.
This article was published in The SandPaper.
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