Board names interim principal at high school

BY TOM CAIAZZA
Staff Writer

HOLMDEL - At this time last year, Arthur Albrizio was preparing for retirement. But as of Aug. 16, the former Red Bank Regional High School principal took the reins of Holmdel High School, at least for a little while.

Albrizio was named the interim principal of Holmdel High School by the Board of Education in a unanimous vote, replacing Cheryl Swider. In July, the school board terminated Swider after months of controversy over teacher transfers many felt were in retribution for criticism of the school's leadership. She was reassigned to the position she held previously, a tenured athletic trainer.

Superintendent Barbara Duncan said that Albrizio was up against some "stiff competition" but that when he left it was "definitely unanimous that he was the one; we just knew that he was the match."

Duncan said Albrizio's role would be to help the school get back on track as the flagship school of a high-achieving district.

"He's not going to be just a place-holder," Duncan said. "Although he will be interim, he will be working to really forge ahead. He will look to make a positive difference."

It is a role that Albrizio said he fully understands.

"I accept the challenge of helping the district get back on an even keel," Albrizio said.

Albrizio said that his approach is to remain visible and work with the stakeholders in any particular school: the teachers and students. As principal of Red Bank Regional High School, Albrizio became known for his regular breakfast buffet meetings with students working hard to achieve. He said that his visibility will hopefully help the school refocus its attention on its core function, teaching the students.

Albrizio said he was aware of the turmoil of the last year, at least what he's read in the newspapers, and said that his job would be to come in and fix what needs fixing.

"I can't take on the major initiatives," Albrizio said. "I won't have time to see them evolve."

He said that he may even be pleasantly surprised by what he sees once his term officially begins on Sept. 1.

"Summer is a good healer," Albrizio said.

After retiring from Red Bank Regional, where he spent over 30 years in administrative and guidance roles, including seven years as principal, Albrizio shifted gears and took a position as a project manager for Monteforte Construction, Long Branch.

He was considering a move back into education when people began pulling his coattails and asking him to do interim work. One of those people was Barbara Duncan.

Albrizio said that even though his correspondence with her was somewhat limited, he was impressed with her.

"So I said, 'Why not let me see how this evolves?' "Albrizio said.

Having spent 30 years in Monmouth County, Albrizio said he knew Holmdel's reputation, and that helped him make a return to education.

"That was part of the attraction," Albrizio said, "to work in such a high-achieving district."

Albrizio will serve at a rate of $550 per day until a permanent principal is hired. Duncan indicated that his time in Holmdel could run as long as the full 2006-07 school year.