Quinn comes home to head regional school district

By Josh Davidson
Staff Writer

FARRAH MAFFAI Future Matawan-Aberdeen Superinten-dent of Schools Bruce M. Quinn will step into the position Aug. 27.

MATAWAN — The Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District will have a new chief by the end of the month.

Bruce Quinn is set to step into the position of the superintendent of schools of the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District Aug. 27. Quinn’s new contract will run until June 2006.

"I’m coming home," Quinn said. "I’ve lived in Matawan for 11 years, so it feels a lot like I’m coming home," Quinn said. "The fact that I live in the community brings a certain commitment and standard to the school district."

Quinn is finishing up his term as Hazlet Township’s assistant superintendent of schools before he takes over the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District.

"I’ve had a great experience in Hazlet, but it’s time for something else," he said.

He looks forward to the challenges ahead of him in his new position, he said.

One of the priorities Quinn said he will focus on in his upcoming position is encouraging the passage of two referendums to upgrade and expand district schools. The first referendum question will cost $15.1 million to construct an addition to and renovate Matawan Avenue Middle School.

The second referendum question has a tab of $21.7 million to cover costs to repair and renovate Matawan Regional High School, the Cliffwood Avenue, Lloyd Road, Ravine Drive and Strathmore schools.

Another goal Quinn will work at is getting the community involved in its school district.

"I’m trying to develop more of a community spirit within the school system," Quinn said. "It’s important that residents feel confident coming to us."

Regional school districts often split communities because students from multiple municipalities are intertwined, Quinn said. This is sometimes caused by students and parents from different municipalities thinking others are being favored, he said.

Quinn hopes to avoid factions in the district during his upcoming term by keeping the towns together as one district, he said.

"I’m going to try it a little different," Quinn said. "I’m going to try a community approach."

Improving the district’s academic program and helping students reach their potential are also goals for Quinn.

"We will take a look at all of our programs and see what we’re doing right, and fix what we’re not doing right," he said.

Officials will re-examine methodologies to raise test scores in the schools, Quinn said. The goal is to improve district, state and national scores, he said.

"We want to make it a school district where parents are proud in sending their children to us," Quinn added.

Quinn has 20 years of educational experience including a strong financial background, he said.

"I have a lot of experience," he said. "I’ve been in a number of districts and have seen a number of programs."

Quinn is a former president of the N.J. Association of School Officials.

Quinn replaces Michael Klavon, who left the district for a new post in the state Department of Education. Joel Glastein, assistant superintendent, is the district’s interim superintendent until Quinn arrives.

"Mr. Klavon was a good superintendent of schools," Quinn said. "He worked hard for the district, and brought in a number of innovative programs."

Klavon was in the district a long time, and was successful in being aware of its happenings and meeting its challenges, Quinn said.

"This is not an easy district," he said.

Quinn was hired in May.

His began his present term in Hazlet in September.

Prior to that, he was Hazlet’s business administrator and board secretary since Sept. 1998.

Quinn served as assistant superintendent for business in the Red Bank School District from 1993 to 1998.

He served as acting superintendent during his tenure in Red Bank from July 1995 to June 1996.

Quinn served in the Matawan-Aberdeen district for 11 years. He was hired as its educational systems analyst beginning in 1979, and was subsequently appointed to be in charge of the district’s computer activities. He left the district as the assistant for business and personnel in 1990.