HarryHurley.com
BREAKING NEWS
EHT SUPER
DR. PHIL HEERY
WILL RETIRE
EFFECTIVE 1/1/09
EXCLUSIVE
First Reported Here
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
8:01 p.m.
HarryHurley.com has learned and confirmed that Egg Harbor Township Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Phil Heery will retire, effective January 1, 2009.
We have obtained a copy of the letter that Dr. Heery presented to the Board at tonight's regular meeting. It is being added as a personnel addendum agenda item.
Dr. Heery is a class act and a consummate professional at all times.
He has led Egg Harbor Township through a period of unprecedented growth. The complexities of running a District of this size, is almost without equal in the state.
We wish Dr. Heery well and here is an exclusive copy of Dr. Heery's letter as follows:
Egg
Harbor Township Schools
Dr. Philip
W. Heery
Superintendent’s
Office
Superintendent
Phone:
609-646-7911
Dr. Scott
P. McCartney
Telefax: 609-601-2794
Assistant Superintendent
Kimberly A.
Gruccio
Assistant Superintendent
Business
Office
Kateryna
Bechtel, CPA
Phone: 609-646-8441
Business Administrator
Telefax: 609-484-9432
Personnel
Addendum
4,
A-3
To
the Members of the Egg Harbor Township Board of
Education:
After
long and careful consideration, I am submitting to you my letter of retirement
from the Egg Harbor Township School District effective January 1, 2009. This has not been a casual decision, but
one that has been agreed upon after months of discussion with my closest
advisor, my wife Kathy.
Despite
having two years remaining on my current contract, which has been extended twice
in the past, I have come to the conclusion that after 39 nine years of service
in public education, 11 years in the Long Branch Public School District and the
past 28 years here in Egg Harbor Township, it is time to close out this current
chapter of my life and to begin to explore those chapters yet to be
written.
Several
events within my professional life, which come to a conclusion this June, have
helped me to arrive at this decision.
These events include the presidency of the Atlantic County Association of
School Administrators, the end of a six-year appointment to the Executive
Committee of the New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association and most
notable, the 25th graduating class of the Egg Harbor Township High
School, which I opened as its principal in 1983. These benchmarks, coupled with the
passage of 6 out of 7 school budget votes and 2 highly successful bond
referendums, have proven to be most rewarding.
Personal
factors such as becoming a grandparent for the second time has also made me
realize that there are other individuals who will need my assistance in such
important tasks as coloring, counting petals on flowers, reading fascinating
fairy tales and object identification in cloud formations.
I
am announcing my retirement at this time in order to assist the Board of
Education in an orderly transition of leadership within the school district; a
school district that will have to continue to address all of the educational
concerns facing one of the fastest growing districts in the state and
the
largest school district in Atlantic County. I have enclosed, for your
consideration, my recommendations for a superintendent succession plan with
specific benchmarks that will have my successor in place on January 5,
2009.
Within
the next eight months there will be ample time for me to express to individuals
and larger groups, my sincerest “thank you” for placing your trust in me and for
allowing me to lead the finest school district in the state through some very
challenging years. I will always
treasure the experiences encountered and the friends gained along the way as
they both have influenced me along my career path.
As
I mention at every opportunity, if I have experienced any success as
superintendent of Egg Harbor Township School District, it is because of the
talented administrators, dedicated instructional and support staff personnel,
coupled with the tireless efforts of a board of education that has the best
interest of our children behind every decision they make.
Thank
you for placing your confidence in me by allowing me to serve as your
Superintendent of Schools for the past seven years and I hope that your
expectations have been fulfilled.
With
greatest gratitude for a once in a life time opportunity,
Dr.
Philip W. Heery
Superintendent
of Schools
cc: Dr.
Scott McCartney, Assistant Superintendent
Kimberly Gruccio, Assistant Superintendent
Kathy Bechtel, CPA, School Business Administrator/Board
Secretary
Joetta Surace, Director of Human Resources
William S. Donio, Esq., Solicitor
Egg Harbor Township School District Employees