THE Fair Lawn School Board has found a replacement for its outgoing assistant superintendent, who is retiring after 21 years with the district.

On Thursday, the school board approved an initial contract with Claire Keller to begin Jan. 21 and end with the current school year on June 30. Keller will receive a prorated share of a full year’s $180,000 salary.

The new assistant superintendent has served as the Bloomfield School District’s director of student success for the past two and a half years and has worked in the district for a total of seven and a half years.

Fair Lawn’s nine-member board of directors voted almost unanimously in favor of Keller’s nomination, with Rita Fayvelevich as the lone “no” vote. Fayvelevich did not explain his vote during the meeting and did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

After the vote, Keller said she was “incredibly honored and excited to be here,” adding that the district’s K-12 students are now her “number one concern.”

During her time as Bloomfield’s director of student success, Keller had “managed the district’s grants, securing more than $640,000 in additional funding to improve student programs, staff development and facilities,” according to a release district press office. His oversight of federal funds also earned him the 2024 State Leadership Awards of the National Association of Federal Education Program Administrators.

Natalie Lacatena, who is retiring at the end of the year, served the district as assistant superintendent of education for 12 years and was previously principal at Radburn Elementary and Memorial Middle schools.

Superintendent Rui Dionisio said Keller stood out as an “outstanding candidate following a rigorous selection process that included 70 applicants and several rounds of very comprehensive interviews over the past several months.”

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“What sets Ms. Keller apart is her exceptional performance and ability to speak up in critical areas of leadership, particularly in areas of the district’s strategic priorities,” Dionisio said.

The initial period of Keller’s contract ends in June because, due to state law, New Jersey school districts have annual contracts that align with the school year calendar, Dionisio said in an email Friday afternoon. Renewal recommendations are then typically made each May for the upcoming school year and are submitted to the school board, which can approve them for another one-year term, he said.

Many school board members congratulated Keller on his new position and wished Lacatena the best during the meeting.

“We’re very fortunate from what I’ve seen,” board member Edward Bertolini told Keller. “Replacing Dr. Lacatena will not be an easy task, as we all know, but I am confident, based on your resume and our meeting earlier this evening, that you will be able to achieve the high standards set by Natalie.”

Stephanie Noda is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news in your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

E-mail: [email protected]

Twitter: @snoda11

This article was originally published on NorthJersey.com: “Fair Lawn School official retires after 21 years”. BOE names successor