Lopatcong Township residents meet school board's final candidate for superintendent, Vicki Pede

LOPATCONG TWP. | Community involvement, a strong curriculum and a focus on students are the highest priorities for Vicki Pede.

If the Lopatcong School District faculty and residents feel the same, Pede could be the district's next superintendent.

Pede met with about 25 residents Monday night at Lopatcong Middle School to undergo the last leg in the selection process: a public hearing.

Pede is superintendent in Morris Plains, N.J., but has local roots as a 1974 Phillipsburg High School graduate. She also held administration roles in Phillipsburg and Harmony Township.

"I know the reputation here, I know the quality," Pede said of the district.

Diane Morris, a New Jersey School Boards Association consultant hired by the district, said the district had planned to present two candidates to the public but one recently dropped out due to conflicts with the school's location.

The board decided to go forward with the presentation of the sole candidate it felt met the criteria, board President Terry Glennon said Monday.

Questions for Pede ranged from budgetary to PTA newsletter deadlines.

The final candidate expressed approval of extracurricular activities and after-school child care if there is room in the budget.

Pede oversees a kindergarten-through-eighth-grade district of about 645 students, she said. Lopatcong Township School District serves about 980 students.

Pede said she was impressed with the students and teachers she met Monday during a daylong tour of the district.

When Mary Duaime, of Lopatcong Township, asked Pede where she imagines being in five years, the answer was simple.

"Here," she replied. "I want to be here."

Duaime said Pede struck her as well-spoken and honest.

"She seems like she wants to be very involved with the kids, the teachers and the community," Duaime said.

The board planned to meet after the meeting to discuss faculty and community reaction to Pede.

"If feedback is well-received, we expect to move this along fairly quickly," he said.

Glennon said the board would like to see a new superintendent in the seat by Jan. 1 but said the board had not yet made an offer to Pede.