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DeNorchia named NJ Superintendent of the Year
(by Kathryn A. Burger - December 12, 2007)
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STAFF PHOTO BY KATHRYN A. BURGER
Hillsdale School District Superintendent Anthony S. DeNorchia was recently named New Jersey Superintendent of the Year. He is pictured here in his office with plaques representing awards he has earned over the past several years. This newest one has a special place in the center of the display.
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When Anthony S. DeNorchia was appointed superintendent of
Hillsdale
School District , the student population numbered about 900. Two of the district’s three schools served kindergarten through sixth grade; the other, kindergarten through eighth grade.
Now, enrollment is close to 1,500 and two of the schools are pre-kindergarten through fourth grade; the other, fifth through eighth grade.
These are among the many changes the district has experienced since March 1990 when DeNorchia took the helm. The challenges presented by increased state-mandated testing, the need to infuse technology into the curriculum, the establishment of one of the first full-day kindergarten programs in the Pascack Valley, and accommodating increased enrollment with two construction/renovation referendums, were all met and accomplished.
That DeNorchia has been leading the district for nearly 20 years has much to do with the district’s success in maintaining its reputation for excellence in education. During his tenure, many area districts have had two, three, and even four different superintendents.
Why did he stay? “I came to Hillsdale when I was 40 years old and I did think at that time it would be a stopover before moving onto a larger system. But, I truly fell in love with the community – the people, the board of education, the teachers – and how well they all treated me. Hillsdale is very unique place. I used to say it was the best kept secret in
Bergen
County , but that is no longer true,” he said with a smile.
While leading the district, he has also distinguished himself in a number of education and administrative associations. A member of the New Jersey Association of School Administrators (NJASA), he served as its president in 2003 and 2004 after holding a number of other leadership positions. He has also served as the
Bergen
County representative to the NJASA Executive Committee for a number of years. He served on the American Association of School Administrators’ elected governing board and is a member of the Bergen County Association of School Administrators (BCASA) and the New Jersey Schoolmasters Club.
His accomplishments in Hillsdale, and with these professional organizations, have led to a number of awards, among them, the 2003 Montclair State University Education Leadership Award; the 2004 BCASA Leadership Award; the 2005 BCASA Distinguished Service Award, and the 2006 NJASA Distinguished Service Award.
Despite these accolades, DeNorchia said was genuinely surprised when he was told he had been named the New Jersey Superintendent of the Year. “I honestly wasn’t expecting this,” he said. He was chosen from among a group of
New Jersey nominees submitted to the American Association of School Administrators as part of its National Superintendent of the Year program. Each state association makes its selection from AASA-approved candidates.
His selection also makes him a candidate for the AASA’s Superintendent of the Year Award. Superintendents of the Year from and American schools located in foreign countries vie for this award.
Dr. Barry Ersek, NJASA interim executive director, said, “Tony is a remarkable educational leader with vision, imagination, and compassion for the students he serves. He is one of American’s finest school superintendents. His accomplishments exemplify what every school superintendent should achieve.”
After the announcement was made, DeNorchia said he received congratulatory phone calls, cards and e-mails from area educators, parents and community members. But then, something else happened that he wasn’t expecting. “I heard from former board of education members in Riverdale (where he served as superintendent for seven years before coming to Hillsdale), and one of my college professors, as well as former students,” he said, clearly amazed at the outpouring of good wishes, especially from those whose influence he credits with his career choice.
What led him to a career in education? “In the summer before my junior year in college, I began to coach Babe Ruth Baseball and quickly realized I wanted to work with young people. I really enjoyed the interaction and I decided that teaching was what I wanted to do with my life.”
Asked about his role models, he said, “I’ve had many. Besides my father and mother, my third-grade teacher, Mrs. Estelle Gligor, gave me my first thoughts of being a teacher.” He said James Colagreco and Ken Gorab, the two superintendents he worked for, were his administrative mentors. “I would also have to include the numerous teachers and administrators I work with each and very day.”
The most rewarding aspects of DeNorchia’s years in Hillsdale, to date, were also on his list of major accomplishments. “I would like to believe that I guided the district to a better place than where I found it. To have dealt with the enrollment growth, facility upgrades, technology implementation, and the financial issues associated with those issues, in a way that has hopefully maintained the respect of staff, parents and citizens, is rewarding for me.”
That the two bond referendums have been approved and the renovations and construction encompassed in both were completed on time and under budget speaks to DeNorchia’s meticulous attention to every aspect of the district and the benefits of long-range planning. For example, he said all the doors at the
George
G.
White
Middle School have been replaced, but not all at once. “It was accomplished over a five-year period,” as were all the school’s windows, and classroom furniture throughout the district.
Another initiative involved the 1996 referendum. DeNorchia said, “It provided for the inclusion of voice, video and data capabilities in all our instructional classrooms. That placed us at the forefront of technology integration. We have been trying very hard to maintain our technological advantage through creative budgeting and proper planning.” He credits Ray Barker and Doug Walker, the district’s technology coordinators, and the former and current business administrators, Harriet Wagner and Lirca Garcia, respectively, with the guidance and assistance they have given toward achieving the district’s goals.
Asked what will have the most significant impact on the future of public education in New Jersey, DeNorchia said, “The future of public education in
New Jersey will be dependent upon a new funding formula. If the formula is fair for all districts in the state and offers some form of tax relief for residents, then education in
New Jersey will continue to be one of the best in the nation. If not, then it is going to be extremely difficult to maintain our current programs and/or improve upon them in the future.”
As to his professional future, DeNorchia’s current contract expires in 2011. Does that mean he’ll retire? He considered retirement the last time his contract was due to expire a few years ago, but cited a number of reasons why he decided to stay. The board of education wanted him to stay, for one. And, he said, “We had non-tenured building principals due to the retirements of their predecessors, and I thought it was only fair to see them through. And I wanted to see the board through the new state monitoring system.” He said the district will be monitored according to the NJQSAC – New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum – in two years. “I didn’t think it was fair to the board of education or to a new administrator to have them deal with it.”
Under his guidance, the district has experienced an enviable record of stability, especially compared to nearby districts. The trust he has built over nearly 20 years reaps rich rewards for the district and the borough that can’t be found on balance sheets.
So, will he retire in 2011? “I honestly don’t know,” he said with smile. “The circumstances at the time will determine that.”
Kathryn A. Burger's e-mail address is burger@northjersey.com
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