Wyckoff Announces New Curriculum Director, Sicomac Principal

A shifting of staff at Wyckoff schools will bring a new curriculum director into the fold this summer, and move an old face into the principal position at Sicomac School, the district announced this week.

Diane Schulthes will come on board as curriculum director for Wyckoff schools in July, filling the post resigned by Jessica Anspach in February.

Schulthes, who holds a master’s in education and certifications in school administration, previously taught for 20 years in Tenafly and is currently the curriculum director in North Arlington.

As Schulthes moves into the new position, Steve Raimo, the district’s current director of planning, research and evaluation, will leave the post to replace retiring principal Debra Kirsch at Sicomac School.

Raimo was appointed to the newly created administrative position last year, after two years as principal of Eisenhower Middle School, where he had previously been assistant principal.

During his year on the new job, Raimo supervised the implementation of a new teacher evaluation system, responding to state standards and working closely with the curriculum director.

Superintendent Richard Kuder called the director of planning a “year-to-year position,” a post needed last year to lighten the burden on the curriculum director in responding to new state standards. Raimo's contract in the current position expires at the end of June.

“Those needs were clear and present, so we wanted to make sure that the students and staff were being well served,” Kuder said of the position’s creation.

Districts around the state were required to take steps to implement a new evaluation system beginning last year, and Kuder said that Raimo was needed to oversee this process. Though he said the district will likely require a new hire to replace Raimo, the scope of the job description—currently a $140,000 a year post—may change.

Evaluation systems are still under debate in Trenton, with new regulations effecting teacher tenure expected to take hold in the fall. Last month, educators and state education officials wrangled over the weight that should be given to standardized test scores in evaluating teachers, according to a report by NJ.com.

“The positions are complementary,” Kuder said. “So we will be looking for someone to complement the director of curriculum, but the responsibilities may change.”

“We’re looking at options for that right now,” he added.

The board of education said in a release that the former Eisenhower principal was selected from a “broad pool of candidates,” and chosen for his administrative experience both within Wyckoff and in the Montvale and Allendale school districts.

“I am so fortunate to have been chosen to lead Sicomac School,” Raimo said. “This is an exemplary elementary school, and I look forward to partering with the Sicomac School community to sustain its rigorous academic foundation while also seeking innovations to enhance learning for all students.”

Raimo will begin the new position at Sicomac in August.