Chatham Appoints Stanhope's Fyffe as Interim Superintendent

The School District of the Chathams appointed Dennis Fyffe as interim superintendent at its Board of Education meeting Monday night.

According to the meeting's agenda, Fyffe will earn $165,000, plus an additional $2,500 since the district has a high school for a total compensation of $167,500.

Fyffe has been the interim superintendent of schools and principal in Stanhope since 2009. His two-year contract expires on June 30, according to the New Jersey Herald.

According to the Stanhope School District's website, Fyffe's role as principal includes overseeing the daily operation of the K-8 district's one elementary school.

Fyffe will replace Jim O'Neill, whose retirement was officially accepted at the Chatham Board of Education's last meeting.

Board President Steve Barna said that Fyffe comes highly recommended. "Every place he's been an interim, he's doubled his stay there," Barna said. "If he was brought on for six months, they asked him to stay for a year. If he was brought on for a year, they asked him to stay two."

According to Fyffe's resume, he was formerly the superintendent of schools for the Sayreville Board of Education from July 2000 until August 2005. Since that time he has worked as an interim superintendent for Boards of Education at Long Beach Island, Westfield, Clinton, Stanhope/Netcong (as a shared superintendent) and for Stanhope.

He also worked as an assistant principal at Summit High School from August 1979 through June 1986.

Barna said Fyffe's position will be as "an agent of transition," and that he will mentor Assistant Superintendent Dr. Michael LaSusa to permanently take over the position of superintendent.

Fyffe earned his bachelor's degree in English from Montclair State University in 1972, a master's of education from Rutgers University in 1980 and has since earned 64 credits beyond his master's degree.