Dr. Jennifer Giordano, Director of Guidance for the South Orange-Maplewood School District since 2006, is resigning her post.
Reportedly, Giordano is taking the position of Director of Guidance with the Morristown Public Schools. However, as of publication, Village Green had not received confirmation from Giordano on her new position.
“Dr. Giordano has been an integral member of the leadership team at Columbia High School for ten years,” wrote Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Ramos in an email announcing Dr. Giordano’s departure. “Among other tasks, she has developed the school’s complex master schedule and directed the guidance department. We wish her well in this new chapter in her career, and we thank her for her service to SOMSD.”
Giordano joins a number of other administrators leaving the district this year, including Mara Rubin, Director of Fine Arts K-12; Janine Gregory, English Language Arts Supervisor Grades 9-12; Dr. Candice Beattys, Math Supervisor 9-12; Judith Hanratty, ELA Supervisor K-8; Alan Levin, Science Supervisor 9-12; Robert Schmidt, Supervisor of Special Services 6-12; Mark Quiles, Seth Boyden Elementary School Principal; and Jerrill Adams, Maplewood Middle School Principal.
Many of the resignations were retirements were anticipated — for example, Seth Boyden’s Mark Quiles and supervisors Levin, Hanratty and Beattys. Other resignations, such as the departure of Jerrill Adams, who served as Maplewood Middle School Principal for only two years, were surprising.
In recent years, South Orange-Maplewood, like many similar New Jersey districts, has struggled with issues such as insufficient state aid and superintendent turnover. The district also faced a suit by the Office of Civil Rights over the academic placement and discipline of African American students, adopting an Access & Equity policy to address these issues. The district is also in the process of creating a new Strategic Plan which will include rethinking its administrative structure.
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South Orange-Maplewood Joins Districts Decrying Unfair School Funding by State
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