New Schools Chief Tapped in Hopatcong

Cynthia Randina was hired Monday as the next Hopatcong superintendent of schools.

She will replace Charles Maranzano, . Randina, who is leaving the job as superintendent of the Secaucus school district, will begin her tenure in Hopatcong on July 1.

“I’m honored,” she said.

She sought the Hopatcong post after telling the Secaucus board she was seeking other opportunities after her year-long contract expired. Previously she served as assistant superintendent and curriculum director for Wayne Public Schools.

She said she has a “passion” for curriculum improvements.

Randina said she understands the desire of the community and school personnel to improve educational results and ranking of the Hopatcong schools. That was the situation in Secaucus, she said, and with the hard work of all in the district, average SAT scores rose 35 points and the school’s state ranking rose from 102 to 90 in three years.

She said she sees the same commitment to improvements and change in Hopatcong.

She said she was eager to activate the High School of the Future task force.

That volunteer group was formed last fall after complaints about the school’s board efforts to make changes in the district, but board president Clifford Lundin said the panel was not activated. Since the task force will address strategic planning, Lundin said, it was decided to wait until the new superintendent was hired before starting up the panel.

Randina said she is looking forward to working with the task force on the issues before the district.

“I’m ready for the challenges,” she said. “We will do what will best serve the district. Strategic planning is a key, as is reaching out to administrators, teachers, students and parents."

“The key is to feel connected,” Randina said.

Lundin said Maranzano helped turn the district around during a time when it’s annual budgets were rejected by voters. The rejected budgets resulted in numerous cuts, including staff layoffs, which affected the ability of the district to move forward in many academic programs.

“He stopped the bleeding,” Lundin said.

Lundin said Maranzano’s job was also made difficult because “he followed a legend,” former longtime superintendent Wayne Threlkeld.

Susan Hill, president of the Hopatcong school’s teachers union, said she was pleased that a new superintendent was hired and the district did not have to hire a temporary superintendent to fill the slot while a permanent replacement for Maranzano was found.

She said she is looking forward to working with Randina.