Regional High School District Super to Retire

West Morris Regional High School District Superintendent Dr. Anthony di Battista has announced he will retire in a letter to the members of the school board Friday, according to board president Cristen Forrester.

di Battista, who began his teaching career at Mendham High School 34 years ago and is in the second year of a three-year contract, has made Feb. 29, 2012 his final day as an employee in the district. di Battista is in his seventh year as the district's superintendent.

The letter, Forrester said, does not state a specific reason for di Battista’s abrupt resignation.

“Anthony has been a great teacher,” Forrester said, who is in her fifth year serving on the board, and in her fourth consecutive year as the president. “I didn’t have as much experience as I would have liked when I became president, but (Anthony) helped me tremendously. He’s always been an educator.”

“If you look up the definition for true professional in the dictionary, you’ll see (Anthony’s) name,” said assistant principal Gil Moscatello. “He’s a humanitarian, and someone so knowledgeable of the education process. I don’t believe it is his time.”

Moscatello, the longest-tenured member of the district, now in his 41st year, is set to retire at the end of 2011. He believes di Battista’s decision was made for him by a small contingent of board and community members.

“[The district] has been bullied so badly; this is a result of the actions of some board members,” Moscatello said. “It’s unconscionable to me that a small group of people, with the context of money only, could force this.”

The process of finding the next superintendent will begin immediately, Forrester said. Candidates from within the district and outside of it will be interviewed and considered, and top prospects will before a decision is made.

That person will inherit a high-performing, yet somewhat tumultuous district. . But of board members earlier this year, in addition to has taken away from the board’s primary focus–education.

“I’ve been through 40 years of board members,” Moscatello said. “There have been disputes, not everyone always agreed. But the bottom line is they wanted to maintain a premier district. Now, for some people, it’s about what’s best for me.

“A small group of people have brought this district to a halt,” Moscatello said. “I’m devastated by [di Battista’s] resignation. He does this because he loves the kids and the profession. He’s rare, genuine. He is the person I want to lead this district.”

Like Moscatello, di Battista began his career in the district as a classroom teacher and worked his way up the ranks.

“This is a special place for students and employees alike,” Moscatello said. “This is a sad time for our district.”

The regional school board will vote to accept di Battista’s resignation at it’s next meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. Dec. 12 at Mendham High School.

di Battista did not immediately return phone messages left by Long Valley Patch.