BY LAYLI WHYTE
Staff Writer

LITTLE SILVER — With the help of students, staff and parents, the Red Bank Regional High School Board of Education has hired a new principal.

After what RBR Superintendent Dr. Edward Westervelt called “a thorough and extensive” interviewing process, James Stefankiewicz, current principal of Union County Magnet High School (UCMHS), Scotch Plains, was appointed on Nov. 16.

“It’s very tough today to find a qualified high school principal,” said Westervelt in an interview last Friday. “Not as many teachers are aspiring to go into administration.”

Stefankiewicz, who lives in West Allenhurst with his wife and son, also served as the supervisor of humanities and social studies for UCMHS. He is also a professional musician and has worked as a television and radio advertising executive in Philadelphia and Atlantic City.

He earned his undergraduate degree at Temple University, Philadelphia, and has graduate degrees from Rowan and Kean universities. Stefankiewicz has recently been accepted into the Executive Doctoral Program at Seton Hall University.

Stefankiewicz’ professional distinctions include 2001-2002 Teacher of the Year Award, and, in his capacity as principal at UCMHS, he led the school to receive the Governor’s School of Excellence Award, the New Jersey Star School Award and the National Blue Ribbon School Award, according to a statement released by Westervelt’s office.

Stefankiewicz is expected to take his new post at RBR on or about Jan. 3, replacing former RBR Principal C. Arthur Albrizio, who resigned at the beginning of this school year.

Westervelt said that the board sought the help of consulting group J&D Associates, which is affiliated with Seton Hall University.

“We were presented with seven extremely good candidates,” he said. “We really think [Stefankiewicz] matches the school very well with his experience, background and personality.”

Stefankiewicz said he is excited about taking the position in a performing arts high school such as RBR.

“The school has a great reputation as a school with a lot of great programs,” he said. “I have a background in music, and I love the idea of being a part of a school with such great performing and visual arts programs. It’s a very exciting opportunity for me to expand my experience as an educator.”

Music, specifically rock ’n’ roll, has been a part of Stefankiewicz’s life since he was in high school, playing bass professionally for a while. He said he always felt like he missed arts programs, which are not a part of the curriculum at his current school, which is focused on technology and math.

“I am currently at a very specialized high school,” he said, “and I like the idea of coming to a more comprehensive environment.”

Stefankiewicz said that the demographics of UCMHS are very similar to those of RBR with a 43 percent minority population, and that factor also contributed to his decision to take the position.

“I think that’s a great environment,” he said. “A global perspective is critical in the education of kids. We don’t live in a vacuum. A diverse environment helps makes us all more well-rounded people.”

Westervelt said the board decided to include all of the stakeholders in the decision-making process for the new principal.

“We had three students on our interview committee,” he said, “and they all liked him immediately. The staff also liked him, and we heard those comments.”

The board interviewed seven candidates, according to Westervelt, and chose the top three, who were then interviewed separately by groups of teachers and community members, staff and students, as well as the board and Westervelt.

Stefankiewicz said he felt prepared for that type of interviewing process because of his position as a principal.

“As a principal, that’s every day for me,” he said. “I felt very happy that was part of the process because it’s very important to know, from my perspective, that coming in, I have the support of the various stakeholders of the school.”

Although Stefankiewicz said he recognizes the challenge in front of him of filling Albrizio’s shoes, he hopes to bring a unique perspective to the position.

“Not that this doesn’t already exist at the school,” he said, “but I’d like to think that I could bring a lot of energy and a lot of innovation. I think I’ll bring excitement, different ideas, and hopefully, new ideas. I really look forward to working with the staff, the kids and the fellow administrators because it really is a team effort to work for the betterment of the kids.”