'Shrouded in secrecy': Teaneck BOE finally expected to take action on superintendent

TEANECK — The Board of Education is expected to make a public decision on retaining its schools superintendent at a special meeting Wednesday.

Superintendent Christopher Irving has finished the first year of a five-year contract, his second contract with the district. He was hired under three-year contract terms in July 2018.

The meeting notice on the Board of Education website specifies only that there will be "one item for discussion" but that item is "to be determined."

However, trustee Gerald Reiner said he was advised that the board had decided at its June 23 closed session to terminate Irving.

"The decision is shrouded in secrecy and confusion," Reiner said Tuesday, adding that the board was supposed to talk about Irving's performance evaluation at its last closed-session meeting.

Reiner said that in his opinion the evaluation showed "a superintendent doing their job." However, he said, at that meeting "the board allegedly voted to remove Dr. Irving," although Reiner left the meeting before the vote was taken.

Reiner said he was subsequently advised in a June 29 memo by board attorney Philip Stern that "the board has irredeemably lost trust in the Superintendent of Schools and seeks to make a change in that position as quickly as possible."

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Board President Sebastian Rodriguez and the eight trustees were all contacted to confirm that Irving was being removed and to explain why. Only Reiner responded.

Reiner contends the issue is not the superintendent's performance, but a school board that "will insist on being involved in the process" beyond its ordinary functions, he said in a July 1 letter to Bergen County Superintendent Louis DeLisio.

"During the past year, the superintendent was denied the ability to administer the schools for reopening, continuously creating a plan only to have it rejected by the board at the last minute," Reiner said in the letter.

New Jersey School Boards Association spokeswoman Janet Bamford said Tuesday that "employment of a superintendent is at the discretion of the local board of education."

"Boards would be following the advice of their school attorney, and would be bound by the terms of the superintendent's contract," she said.

Irving's 2020-25 contract calls for him to be paid $215,000 the first year, with 2% annual raises. It provides for termination if he fails to possess proper certification or if that certification is revoked or suspended; in case of forfeiture for conviction of a crime; by mutual agreement of the parties; or by notice in writing by the board to Irving "at least 150 calendar days prior to the expiration of this contract."

Irving was also contacted for comment but did not respond.

However, Irving's end-of-year letter posted on the board's website cites a year of progress despite the district's being on remote or hybrid schedules until in-school classes resumed in May. He cites the opening of the Theodora Smiley Lacey school to 180 kindergarten students, revamping of the Gifted and Talented program, changes to the special education plan and securing a federal $500,000 School Safety Grant.

"I am confident that we are on the right path towards ensuring a successful future for our children," Irving concludes. "I am proud to report that we are making tremendous progress towards our goals."

Irving was hired by the district in July 2018 to succeed retiring Superintendent Barbara Pinsak. At the time, he was interim superintendent of schools for Passaic County and a former president of the Paterson Board of Education.

Irving holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Ramapo College, a master's in public policy and international affairs from William Paterson University and a doctorate in education leadership and administration from Seton Hall University.

He was appointed a commissioner of the Middle States Association Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools in November.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the length of Christopher Irving's first contract. It was for three years.

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

Email: stoltz@northjersey.com

Twitter: @marsha_stoltz

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Teaneck NJ schools deciding Superintendent Chris Irving status