NORTHERN VALLEY — Given what Superintendent Jan Furman calls an increasing difficulty among school districts to fill "high level administrative positions," Northern Valley is considering starting an internship program, which would train a candidate from within the district. The district is looking at using this position to fill the vacant district director of guidance. The post has been open since June 2007.

According to Furman, the district encountered difficulty in filling the position. Candidates who were interviewed later withdrew and the district hired a professional association to find a candidate but that was fruitless.

"We have searched three times," said Furman. She said she sees no disadvantage to cultivating someone for the position using an internship, given "the fact we have looked and there is this shortage in New Jersey and other states for counselors with this kind of administrative experience that want to do this kind of work."

The position, which Furman described as a "supervisory position for pupil/personnel services," entails determining what courses should be offered based on student need, an area that would affect staffing.

"The recommendations are important to the quality of education and services we give students and the financial impact on the community," Furman said.

Hiring guidance counselors to fill this position is not unusual, she said.

Furman said that the current guidance counselors have expressed an interest in the position but would need more training. Since Furman has had positive experience at her previous jobs with hiring internal people for administrative positions from internships, she raised the idea before the school board at the Jan. 14 meeting.

The interim Director of Guidance Louis Centolanza would train the intern.

School board member Ray Wiss said the internship is worthy of consideration and discussion.

"Typically, organizations are strengthened when there are opportunities for growth and promotion from within. The educational realm should be no exception," he wrote in an e-mail last week.

Should the school board approve it, the internship would begin July 1 and the candidate would be hired to fill the position in the spring of 2009.