The Verona Board of Education has narrowed its search for a new superintendent down to one candidate, Steven A. Forte, and you can meet him and ask questions about his plans for Verona this Thursday night, October 13.
Forte is currently the well-regarded principal of Hasbrouck Heights High School. He took over that position in February of this year after a reorganization in the Hasbrouck Heights district sent the high school principal to an elementary school. Forte, who has a background in special education, had been the district’s director of curriculum and technology, and had served for four years as principal of a Hasbrouck Heights elementary school. Prior to coming to that district, he had been a teacher in Glen Rock and Livingston. He has also coached football and wrestling.
Verona BOE President John Quattrocchi said at the board meeting Monday night that Verona had conducted an extensive search for the new superintendent, who succeeds Charles B. Sampson. The Board looked at more than 45 resumes before selecting eight for a first interview. It then invited back five candidates, two of whom removed themselves from consideration. The BOE has completed its reference checks on Forte, which included a site visit to Hasbrouck Heights by a group of Verona parents, teachers and administrators. Forte’s contract is currently under review by Essex County and Quattrocchi said that, assuming all goes well, Forte’s appointment will be a resolution on the agenda of the November 1 BOE meeting. Forte will then need to give 60 days’ notice in Hasbrouck Heights, which means he would join Verona just after the New Year’s break.
The session with Forte will be held in the Verona High School Library, beginning at 7 p.m.
