After four years of serving as the Superintendent of the Glen Rock School district, Dr. Paula Valenti, has notified the Board of Education that she will be retiring this summer, the board announced at its meeting Monday night.
39 years in the business, I have devoted my life to working with children. But, being a superintendent and spearheading initiatives… certainly makes the most important mark in their lives. I want to thank you for the opportunity to do that.
Glen Rock Schools Superintendent Paula Valenti
Valenti, who came to the district in 2013 from her prior position as principal of Emerson Jr.-Sr. High School, leaves with a legacy of being the driving force behind the borough’s move to move from half-day Kindergarten to All-Day Kindergarten, in 2015. Valenti also oversaw the hiring of a new principal for the Middle School and a vice principal at the High School. She also created the “Super Sessions,” where parents could come to talk to her and raise issues, and she presided over the installation of lights on the high school football field. Just a week ago decided that the high school would pass on an invitation to join the Big North athletic conference and instead remain in its current league, the North Jersey Interscholastic Conference.
Dr. Valenti opened up opportunities to the district such as Full Day Kindergarten, 1-to-1 laptops, opened up opportunities for the students, high-achieving staff and high level of parent participation. One concept in particular that I want to note is incorporating the concept of the Whole Child to the school district. Thank you for your hard work and dedication.
Glen Rock Board of Education Vice President Sharon Scarpelli
The Board of Education must now undertake a second search for a school superintendent in five years, after having hired Valenti to replace David Verducci, who retired in 2012, and its third such search in eight years.