Schools

Interim Superintendent Ends Career 'In Best Job'

Dennis Fyffe will retire after 42 years in various New Jersey school districts.

After one year with the , Dennis Fyffe will step down as interim superintendent and into retirement.

During the school board meeting Monday, Tom Belding, the president of the , congratulated and thanked Fyffe for his years of service, which included six interim positions.

"This has been a very good place to finish what has been a very good career," Fifee said of Chatham. "Virtually everbody I've dealt with has been great," he said, and "I've never felt, any time this year, 'I can't wait to get to the last day.'"

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was to replace . Part of his job was to mentor and groom Assistant Superintendent Michael LaSusa to take his place, which he will do effective July 1.

"I'm ending in the best job within in a 42-year career," Fyffe said.

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Fyffe, 65, came to Chatham after two years as interim superintendent in Stanhope. During the 2009-10 academic year, Stanhope shared his services with Netcong.

Fyffe started his career as a student-teacher in South Brunswick and then as a teacher in a Head Start Day Care program in New Brunswick. After teaching at the Milton School in Millburn, he was hired as an English teacher at South Brunswick High School and in 1974 moved into an administrative position for the district, pursuing grants and operating grant-funded programs. From there his career took him into several administrative positions.

He lived in Summit for seven years while working as an assistant principal at Summit High School.

Also at the meeting:

  • The board approved David Mimnaugh as an assistant soccer coach for the fall at a salary of $5,855. The agenda does not specify boys or girls soccer. Mimnaugh has not previously coached in the district.
  • The board approved Mimnaugh, along with Wayne Ross and Eileen Booth, as emergent hires. Booth was also approved as a bedside instructor effective July 1 through June 30, 2013.
  • The board approved contracts for several non-tenured certified staff: Jennifer Duran at ; Chuan-Ying Yang at ; Kimberly McMurray at ; Stephanie Pace at ; and Laura Piccola at .
  • The baord approved maternity leave for Sue Pinto of Milton Avenue School, Oct. 15 through Nov. 28 with pay and Nov. 29 through March 3, 2013 without pay, and for Carolanne Carty of Washington Avenue School, Oct. 22 through Dec. 11 with pay and Dec. 12 through March 8, 2013 without pay.
  • The board approved Michelle Guerriero as a leave replacement teacher at Washington Avenue School for the Special Education department.
  • The board approved several teachers and paraprofessionals for the Extended School Year program throughout the summer.
  • The board approved Christina Messina and Margaret Callahan as summer workers.
  • The board approved Dr. Kimberly Vogt as a summer behaviorist at the rate of $75 an hour, not to exceed $4,200 over the summer.
  • The board approved Kathy Ploshy as a Speech and Language Therapist for the months of July and August at a rate of $75 an hour, not to exceed $750 over the two-month period, and at a rate of $53 an hour, not to exceed $24,210, for the period from Sept. 1 through June 30, 2013.


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