Dr. Schilder to Resign as Schools Chief

Dr. Michael Schilder, Superintendent of Schools,
takes notes at the April 24, 2013 Meeting of the
Bridgewater-Raritan School District.

Following a prior decision announced about only a month ago to withdraw his name from consideration as one of two finalists for the superintendent’s job heading up the Easton (PA) Area School District, Dr. Schilder, Superintendent of the Bridgewater-Raritan School District, decided to submit his resignation as head of schools in Bridgewater and Raritan.

In a conversation this morning with Bridgewater-Raritan School Board President Patrick Breslin, I was informed that Dr. Michael Schilder has decided to retire and will be off-payroll effective August 1.  Breslin said that the superintendent “will be on vacation” for the entire month of July.  That effectively leaves only May and June for Schilder to remain on site.

Mr. Breslin indicated that he “officially got the letter of resignation May 1,” adding that this satisfies the 90-day notification requirement contained in Dr. Schilder’s employment contract.
 

Breslin added that he knew of Schilder’s intent to resign as early as Tuesday, April 30, but that, “I gave him some time before it became public.”  Dr. Schilder used that interval to sit down with his staff and teachers last week to speak with them about his decision.

Mrs. Cheryl Dyer, Assistant Superintendent of
Schools, makes a presentation at the
April 24, 2013 meeting of the school board.

When asked what the reasons are for Dr. Schilder’s move, Breslin indicated that the superintendent intends to make a public statement at the board’s currently scheduled work session on  Tuesday, May 14^th, at the Wade Administration Building in Martinsville.

Elaborating somewhat on that topic, Breslin said that this was “a tough decision to make,” and that Dr. Schilder has “a lot of feelings right now,” indicating that there is “a part of him which doesn’t want to do it and a part of him which does.”

With respect to the immediate concern of finding a replacement for this soon-to-be vacant job, Breslin said that “the whole process has to be defined.”  He further stated that under discussion would be the question of appointing an “acting and interim superintendent.”  Just how the order of those nominations would proceed has yet to be determined.

Mr. Breslin declined to comment when asked whether Mrs. Cheryl Dyer, currently Assistant Superintendent, would be named to fill in as acting superintendent of schools.

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