The Franklin Lakes K-8 school district officially has a new Superintendent, Lydia Furnari, who began her tenure Tuesday. Funari replaces Frank Romano, who announced his resignation last year.
Romano also started a new job Tuesday, as Ridgefield's new Superintendent.
The district Board of Education issued a release Wednesday welcoming Furnari:
The Franklin Lakes Board of Education would like to welcome the District’s new Superintendent of Schools Dr. Lydia Furnari. Dr. Furnari was unanimously named Superintendent by the Board of Education in March and began her tenure in Franklin Lakes on July 1.
Dr. Furnari comes to Franklin Lakes with an impressive academic and executive record of achievement. She joins us after most recently serving as the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction for the South Orange and Maplewood School District. There she also served as a member of the Superintendent's Senior Leadership Team, the district liaison to the Regional Achievement Center, and Learning Forward, was responsible for the District's professional development, represented the district as committee chair for the Middle States Association and is a mentor for new and aspiring administrators.
Dr. Furnari previously served as the Director of Curriculum with the Department of Instruction with the Montclair Board of Education and served as a principal and a director at the elementary and secondary levels for the Elizabeth Board of Education, having opened a new school facility as a building principal. While serving the Elizabeth Public Schools, Dr. Furnari was named Administrator of the Year by NJMEA, and received the National School Change Award from the National Principals Leadership Institute. As an administrator with the Montclair Public Schools, Dr. Furnari participated on the model curriculum team for the New Jersey Department of Education and served as a middle states evaluator.
Dr. Furnari is also an adjunct professor at Caldwell University, where she presently teaches courses in administration and supervision in the graduate department of education.
In her spare time, Dr. Furnari is an active musician and avid reader. She, along with her husband Russell, and their family enjoy the arts, gardening, and cheering on their favorite sports teams.
Please join us in welcoming Dr. Furnari to Franklin Lakes.
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