This month, schools in and around Blairstown have seen a hat trick of senior leadership changes.
After an entire school year of searching, North Warren Regional High School just hired its new superintendent. He’s the until-recently superintendent of Blairstown Elementary School, which must now begin its own search for a new superintendent.
Frelinghuysen Township School completed the trifecta of leadership changes with the recent announcement that its Chief School Administrator, Jarlyn Veras, will resign from her role by Sept. 10, 2026. She will depart the role early if the board hires her successor before that date.
“Closing Out With a Bang”
At the school’s May 27 Board of Education meeting, Veras delivered her CSA report as per usual.
“We’re closing out with a bang, a very, very busy month coming ahead,” she said.
The end-of-year rush includes a fourth, fifth and sixth grade concert on June 2, a senior visit on June 9, a pre-K move-up ceremony on June 12, and the kindergarten and sixth grade graduation on June 16.
The board also celebrated the school’s successful production of “Seussical the Musical” in late May.
“They were so good at such a young age,” Board member Janet DeFilippis said. “I just love to see it, because they’re shining already.”
Also of note: a discussion in public comment centered on reduced busing routes. In the 26-27 school year, FTS is slated to have only two busing routes for its students, with another smaller payment for transportation to Ridge and Valley Charter School.
All told, next year’s transportation contract will cost $181,847. That’s a 1.5% increase compared to last year, but a significant decrease from previous years. In 24-25, for instance, when the school had four bus routes, busing cost FTS a total of $267,500.
The concern centered on the amount of time small children would have to spend on the bus, with fewer routes to carry all children. In response, Veras said that in a school survey, over 30% of FTS families indicated no interest in using busing services. The school’s hope is that a high number of families waiving their right to busing would shorten bus rides and wait times once students arrive at school.
Board member David Hocking also pointed toward the expense of adding additional busing, at a time in which the school faces a challenging budget.
The Search for a New CSA Begins
After a conversation in executive session, the board reconvened in public to go over three main options for finding the school’s next CSA. As with most conversations in a time of compressed budgets, finance played a role in considerations.
Option 1: working with a private consultant to find suitable applicants, at a cost of $8,000 to $10,000. Option 2: hiring an interim superintendent, at a cost of about $650 a day. Option 3: working with another district to share a superintendent who works 50% in one district and 50% in another, an option that the board estimated would save about $50,000.
The board will begin by exploring option 3 with the interview of a potential shared candidate. A committee of board members will also meet with teachers and staff to get their opinions on the different options.
Chip O'Chang is an educator, fiction writer, and lifelong resident of New Jersey. He has also written for My Life Publications and NJ Indy. He lives in the NJ Skylands with his partner, two cats, and and a bearded dragon.
- Chip O'Chang, Contributing Writerhttps://ridgeviewecho.com/author/chip-ochang-contributing-writer/
- Chip O'Chang, Contributing Writerhttps://ridgeviewecho.com/author/chip-ochang-contributing-writer/
- Chip O'Chang, Contributing Writerhttps://ridgeviewecho.com/author/chip-ochang-contributing-writer/
- Chip O'Chang, Contributing Writerhttps://ridgeviewecho.com/author/chip-ochang-contributing-writer/
