Interim Superintendent Stands In for Ailing Fedina

As a precautionary measure, the Saddle Brook Board of Education Thursday appointed an interim schools chief to temporarily run the district until ailing superintendent Kathryn Fedina can return to work.

Starting Monday, Michael Roth, a retired superintendent who has run school districts in Morris, Union and Passaic counties, will handle the district's day-to-day operations for at least the next two weeks, board trustee Robert White said.

"No one knows how long Dr. Fedina will be out. She had been in and out of work for the past month and it's unclear when she'll be able to return," White said. "The Board of Education felt it was necessary to bring someone in to take over for her.  Especially since this time of year is particularly busy."

In addition to working on the school's 2013-2014 budget, which must be adopted by March 28, the district is also in contract negotiations with teachers and administrative assistants.

White said Roth would work five days a week at $605 per day for anywhere from two weeks to the end of the school year when Fedina's contract expires and a new superintendent replaces her. He is not one of the candidates being considered to replace Fedina full-time, White said.

Roth, a Harrington Park resident with nearly 50 years of teaching and school administrator experience, spent the first 30 years of his career as a teacher and prinicipal at schools throughout New York City. 

He has worked in New Jersey since 1994, first as principal of Englewood's Janis Dismus Middle School and later as superintendent or interim superintendent in the Chester, Hillside and Wayne school districts.

Roth has a master's in Administration and Supervision from The City College of New York and a bachelor's in education from New York University.

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