Freehold Township schools announce personnel moves

FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP - At the June 24 meeting of the Freehold Township Board of Education, several appointments were made to fill vacant positions within the Freehold Township K-8 School District.

According to information provided by the district, Neal Dickstein, the former principal of the Joseph J. Catena School, Burlington Road, will take Sandra Brower's place as the district's assistant superintendent of educational services and technology following Brower's resignation as of July 1.

Dickstein holds master's degrees in administration, supervision and curriculum planning. He was a teacher for several years and served as an assistant principal in East Windsor prior to becoming principal at Catena in 2004. Dickstein also served as a New Jersey Department of Education technology fellow.

Cathleen Areman, a former supervisor at the Marshall W. Errickson School, Elton-Adelphia Road, will be the new principal at Catena. Areman holds master's degrees in educational administration and elementary education. She was a teacher at the Errickson school and the West Freehold School, Castronova Way, prior to becoming a supervisor of instruction at Errickson this past year.

In other business, the board accepted the resignation of Jay Klausner, who had been the principal at the C. Richard Applegate School, Jeanne Brennan Drive. Seasoned Principal Rebecca Winters, formerly at the Laura Donovan School, Stonehurst Boulevard, will become the principal at Applegate.

Jennifer Benbrook, a supervisor at the West Freehold School, will become the interim principal at the Donovan school until a permanent appointment can be made, according to the district.

At the Early Childhood Learning Center, Stillwells Corner Road, Penny Ann Goldstein was hired as school administrator to replace Kristin Pschorr following her resignation.

Goldstein holds a degree in educational administration as well as a master of arts degree in speech pathology. She served as a practicum supervisor and speech language specialist for the South Orange- Maplewood Board of Education prior to accepting the position in Freehold Township.

Open positions were also filled in other areas within the district. Paul Rowan was hired as the new facilities manager following the resignation of James Alberti. Rowan comes to the Freehold Township schools with more than 24 years of experience in educational facilities management, 22 of which were in the Asbury Park School District.

Heidi Toth, veteran school nurse at the Early Childhood Learning Center, as well as the district nurse, adjunct professor at Monmouth University, and the 2008 New Jersey School Nurse of the Year, was appointed as the district's coordinator of school health services.

Superintendent of Schools William Setaro congratulated the newly appointed members of the Freehold Township school community and wished them the best for the upcoming school year.