District
seeks replacement for director of
curriculum
Tuesday, September 06, 2005 •
By ANDREA EILENBERGER • The
Express-Times
HACKETTSTOWN -- The Hackettstown School
District is looking for someone to take on the role of
director of curriculum and instruction, and board of
education members will interview candidates during a closed
meeting Wednesday.
Karl Mundi, who has held the post for two
years, will be leaving the district at the end of
September.
"The opportunity came about as part of a
planned move to Morris County," Mundi said. Mundi had been
planning to relocate to Morris County and later accepted a
position as assistant superintendent with the Hanover Park
Regional School District, he said.
Mundi is set to begin his new position on
Oct. 3, where he will oversee two academic supervisors and
will be in charge of curriculum.
He joined the Hackettstown School
District five years ago and served as the supervisor of math
and science for three years.
District Superintendent Bob Gratz said he
received 52 applications and has since narrowed the search.
He hopes to have a candidate for board approval at the next
board of education meeting on Sept. 14, he said.
As the director of curriculum and
instruction, Mundi oversaw staff training and professional
development and was in charge of the district's basic skills
programs. He also served as the affirmative action officer
and earned a $106,000 salary.
"We're looking for somebody with
administrative experience who has demonstrated strong skill
in overseeing curriculum," said board of education President
Bruce Smith.
He said he hopes to find a candidate who
has the level of skill Mundi demonstrated in the
position.
"We are extremely sorry to lose Karl,"
Smith said. He noted Mundi's ability to get staff members
involved in a number of new initiatives and the
"collaborative effort" he fostered.
During his tenure with the Hackettstown
School District, Mundi helped implement the Math Trailblazer
program, a unique curriculum for elementary students. Since
teachers began using the program four years ago, students'
math scores jumped from about 70 percent proficiency to more
than 90 percent, he said.
"Hackettstown is a phenomenal school
district, and it was a very difficult decision to leave,"
Mundi said. "The teachers have been very supportive and have
shown a high degree of trust for all of our new initiatives
in last five years. I'm grateful to them for trusting my
judgment and leadership."
Gratz commended Mundi's dedication to the
district.
"On behalf of the school district and
board of education, I want to thank him for what he's done
for the district, and I wish him the best in his future
endeavors," Gratz said.
Reporter Andrea Eilenberger can be reached at
908-475-8044 or by e-mail at aeilenberger@express-times.com.
© 2005 The Express-Times. Used with
permission.
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