Interim Superintendent Makes BOE Debut, Talks Fields

Parsippany finally met its new schools chief. 

Dr. John T. Fitzsimons, the township's new acting superintendent of schools, was introduced to residents at Thursday's Board of Education meeting at Littleton Elementary School.

Board President Susy Golderer told the audience that Fitzsimons so far has been "very busy getting acclimated," noting that he was visiting schools and getting to know people throughout the district.

"Welcome, it's your show," she said to him.

Fitzsimons thanked Golderer and praised his administrative assistant Joni Benos for all of her help.

"She's made my life very, very easy," he said.

The new superintendent agreed that he has been involved in a whirlwind of activity while getting to know the district and getting up  to speed on pre-existing situations, such as the high school athletic fields.

Fitzsimons said he visited Parsippany and Parsippany Hills high schools and Central Middle School and had a "very favorable impression" seeing academically engaged students and clean surroundings.

"I didn't see one piece of litter," he said.

He apparently already has dived into one of the most contentious ongoing BOE issues: improving the high schools' athletic facilities.

Fitzsimons said he had walked the fields at Par Hills and found that they had been fertilized, seeded and aerated. He mentioned issues plaguing the Parsippany High, among them the track oval and the practice fields, and said he would walk the PHS fields soon.

In the meantime, he offered some thoughts regarding the school board's fields ad hoc committee, which includes BOE members and township residents. He suggested that the body be given parameters and a deadline to report back to the board.

"[Improving the fields] is high on everyone's agenda," he said. "It would be nice to move forward in a systemic way."

Fitzsimons started the job officially Tuesday. He gets the title of interim superintendent on May 15, the formal retirement date for the already departed Dr. LeRoy Seitz.