After nearly seven years in the Englewood Cliffs school district, Philomena T. Pezzano will retire as superintendent "to begin enjoying life," effective Sept. 1.
She made her announcement at the Board of Education meeting March 3. School Board President Joseph Luppino read Pezzano’s letter of resignation to the group. School board members are sad to see Pezzano go, but all had positive comments about the superintendent.
School board member Angela Iskenderian called Pezzano "a guiding light" for the district, praising her work and attitude.
Lana Marino expressed her gratitude to Pezzano for doing what was best for the children of Englewood Cliffs.
Luppino thanked Pezzano for convincing him to take over the role of school board president and helping him grow into it.
Pezzano came to Englewood Cliffs in August 2001 with 30 years of experience in education. She started her career at a private school, where she worked for one year. She then worked in Paterson for 26 years as a teacher, director of student support services and director of personnel. In Newburgh, N.Y., Pezzano was deputy superintendent for two years and acting superintendent for one.
Retirement seemed like a logical next step. "I have 37 years in education and I thought that now was a good time to begin enjoying life. I’ve worked straight through those 37 years," Pezzano said.
Although she is ready for retirement, Pezzano has mixed emotions. "This was a tremendous experience and it’s very sad for me to leave."
Pezzano will be working until Sept. 1. She explained that when she leaves a district, "I literally work until the moment I walk out the door."
The school board asked Pezzano to help with the search for her replacement. There are no specific plans in place, but Pezzano and the school board will meet to discuss the process.
Pezzano said, "We’re hoping to find a great replacement. The district is in great shape and we’re ready to move forward."
Although she is leaving, Pezzano won’t soon forget the district. "I love Englewood Cliffs. It’s just a great community. We have great kids, great students and great parents. My former two districts were relatively large. I liked being in a small community where everyone worked together. We have the support of the municipality, senior citizens, everyone. It’s wonderful being in a small setting. We were able to do so much. Everyone was so wonderful. I loved it here."
