Millstone Twp. Middle School principal resigns
Super suggests promoting from within to fill position
BY JENNIFER KOHLHEPP
Staff Writer

The Millstone Township School District will have to find a new middle school principal.

Outgoing Superintendent William J. Setaro said in a phone interview on June 30 that Millstone Township Middle School Principal Daniel Bland submitted his resignation letter, but the Board of Education has yet to approve it.

"I don't see any reason why [the board] would deny it," said Setaro, who will begin his position this week as superintendent of the Freehold Township K-8 school district.

With regard to his decision to leave the district, Bland said, "I am beginning my 18th year in education with 11 years' experience as a middle school principal. I felt the timing was right to explore new opportunities for professional growth and development."

When asked if his decision to leave Millstone was difficult, Bland said, "Absolutely."

"I really enjoy working with the students, faculty and support staff at the middle school," he said, "and I will most certainly miss them."

The Flemington-Raritan Regional Board of Education appointed Bland as its district's new assistant superintendent, according to a June 27 Flemington-Raritan Regional School District press release.

He is expected to replace Linda Beyea, who has retired, no later than Aug. 24, according to the press release.

While Bland's yearly salary as the middle school principal was approximately $123,400, he said he will earn $139,500 annually in his new position. He will oversee six schools and a student population of approximately 3,600 students.

Bland, who has served as principal of the Millstone Township Middle School since 2000, was currently overseeing 850 students and a staff of about 100.

When he first started at the middle school, Bland was in charge of 635 students and 45 staff members in his building, which has always consisted of grades five through eight. At that time, Bland told the Examiner that he realized he was stepping into a school district rapidly changing due to the tremendous development in the rural community.

He also said he aimed to work closely with the faculty to help improve curriculum instruction and assist in staff development while trying to raise standardized test scores.

According to Setaro, Bland accomplished his goals.

"Mr. Bland is an outstanding principal," Setaro said, "and through his leadership and staff development, our district made tremendous progress in instruction - and student achievement has been the highest it has ever been."

Bland also helped middle school students improve their test scores, according to Setaro.

"This is the first year ever that all students tested 90 percent or better on all parts of the standardized tests," Setaro said.

"During my time in Millstone," Bland said, "the number of students in general education scoring at least proficient on the GEPA [Grade Eight Proficiency Assessment] has increased from 93.9 percent to 97.7 percent in language arts literacy, from 74.4 percent to 90.9 percent in mathematics and from 93.9 percent to 98.3 percent in science."

Bland said he also played an active role in Millstone's development of the educational specifications and the architectural design of the instructional spaces in the new middle school. The school, which is currently under construction off Baird Road, is expected to open in 2007.

Bland said he also worked hard to establish a positive school climate and provide faculty with more opportunities for participatory decision making.

During his 5 1/2 years in the district, he was also involved in the hiring of 57 percent of the teaching staff. In addition, he orchestrated the writing of three Millstone Township Foundation for Educational Excellence (MTFEE) grants totaling approximately $50,000.

Setaro called the principal's accomplishments "a testament to the hard work and leadership of Mr. Bland."

Setaro called Bland's decision to leave the school district "a great career move."

"I'm happy for him, but he will be sorely missed," Setaro said.

Setaro said Bland is "a young man with a promising career and future in office administration and curriculum development.

"Those are his strengths," Setaro said.

When asked how the district plans to find a replacement for Bland, Setaro said the Board of Education will begin by advertising the position. It will then have the option of promoting someone from within the district to the position, he said, or hiring someone from outside.

Setaro said he thinks the school district already has two qualified candidates.

"Mrs. [Michelle] Vella, the assistant principal at the middle school, and Mrs. [Brandy] Krueger, the vice principal at the elementary school, have both been here for several years," Setaro said, "and they are outstanding in curriculum and staff development."

When asked if he has any advice for whomever will replace him as the middle school principal, Bland said, "Take the time to get to know your staff. They are a great group, and you will need to depend on them to help you get through the challenges that lie ahead of you."

Bland was also asked what he will miss the most about the middle school.

"The students are wonderful," he said. "They are bright, well behaved and very respectful.

"I also have tremendous respect for the school staff," he continued. "They are tremendously caring and dedicated professionals."

Prior to joining the Millstone Township staff, Bland was employed by the Fair Haven School District for five years as principal of Knollwood School, a middle school for grades four through eight. His background also includes six years of experience as a language arts teacher with the Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District.

Bland earned a bachelor's degree in English from The College of New Jersey in Ewing, and received a master's degree in adult and continuing education from Rutgers University, New Brunswick. In addition, he has completed postgraduate work toward a doctorate degree in administration and supervision at Rutgers University.

He and his wife, Amy, are the parents of two children, Abigail and Joseph.