O'Connell leads schools as interim superintendent
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO
Staff Writer

Liz O'Connell

FREEHOLD - The borough's school district has a new leader, at least temporarily.

Liz O'Connell was recently appointed by the Board of Education to serve as interim superintendent of schools. She succeeded Philip J. Meara, who left the district this month to become superintendent of the Lawrenceville school district in Mercer County. Her appointment runs through June 30.

O'Connell may be new to the position of superintendent, but she is certainly not new to the district.

Board President Pete DeFonzo said Meara recommended O'Connell for the position. He said the board's approval of her for the interim post was a "no-brainer."

"She came to us with a recommendation from Phil, she had all the proper credentials and she was interested in the position," DeFonzo said.

He said O'Connell's familiarity with the faculty, the students and the district was a positive factor in her favor. She has been on staff in borough schools for 14 years. Hired as a technology coordinator, O'Connell had the responsibility of helping to bring computer technology into the district. She said she also trained teachers to use a variety of software.

Over the years her position has evolved from technology coordinator to supervisor of the program to director of technology.

Three years ago when Meara came to the district, O'Connell became more involved in curriculum, the program for gifted and talented pupils, and various other projects such as performance assessment. Her title evolved into director of technology and enrichment. She became responsible for implementing the student information system, which is an

electronic student profile that enters standardized test data into the system and allows administrators to track a student's progress. This system will allow the district to develop its own database and use the data to drive instruction, according O'Connell.

O'Connell is an adjunct professor at Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, where she teaches technology.

"This is a very busy time of the year for us," O'Connell said. "We have a budget to get approved and our April 18 construction referendum coming up. We have [state] recommendations to ad-dress. We are also working closely with all district supervisors and principals to develop a professional development plan for next year."

Also on tap is initiating assessment schedules for student progress. Accord-ing to O'Connell, this involves collecting samples of student writing and also involves math samples. It is a formal process which will focus more on what the student needs.

O'Connell said she wants to make sure everything is set for next year.

"I want it to be a smooth opening, no matter who the superintendent is next year," she said.

O'Connell and her husband, Brian, live in Howell, with their children, Megan, 23, and Daniel, 18. She currently serves on the Howell K-8 Board of Education.

The Freehold Borough board has hired the New Jersey School Boards Association to assist in the search for a new superintendent. It is hoped that the district's new leader will be on board by July 1.

The Freehold Borough School District has about 1,400 pupils in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. The district operates three schools - the Park Avenue Elementary School, the Freehold Learning Center elementary school and the Freehold Intermediate School.