Bloomingdale Superintendent Search Continues

The Bloomingdale school district lost out on two potential candidates to fill its need for an interim superintendent because the candidates could make more money in Bergen County, Bloomingdale Board of Education President Lauren Grecco said Monday.

“The pay scale is determined by the size of the district,” she said.

There are a lot of people looking, she said, “and they can pick and choose.”

The 600-student K-8 district is trying to replace , who is expected to leave June 30.  She is the district’s superintendent and the principal at the middle school. The board decided last month that it would need to hire both an interim superintendent and a middle school principal.

The board had thought it might be able to the superintendent of as Bloomingdale students and Butler students combine to attend . But last month the Bloomingdale  board was told that hiring Cardinale would mean his would have to be opened for discussion and could run afoul of the superintendent salary guidelines established by Gov. Chris Christie.

Grecco said Monday the board chose to seek a middle school principal and another person to fill the superintendent’s post for three days a week. That decision, based on finances, would not allow one person to fill the  both the principal’s five-day-a-week position, and the part-time interim superintendent’s post.

“Not a lot of candidates want a three-day-a-week position since most are for five days a week,” Grecco said.

The issue was discussed further during an executive session after Monday’s regular board meeting. Grecco said they would be discussing the district’s options  and expected to have plans in place by the June 20 board meeting.

The board and the search committee has been working hard on the issue, she said,  but “it has not been an easy task.”