Mamaroneck Schools Have a New Superintendent

The Mamaroneck Board of Education announced yesterday that Dr. Robert Shaps, superintendent of Hastings-on-Hudson Union Free School District, will replance Dr. Paul Fried as superintendent of Mamaroneck Public Schools starting July 1, 2010. He will be appointed at a Board of Education meeting on April 20th.  

 "As a successful superintendent of two high-performing districts over the last seven years, Dr. Shaps comes to us with the leadership skills we believe are vital to move our district forward in these difficult times," said Mamaroneck Board of Education President, Linnet Tse. "Dr. Shaps has a proven record of unwavering commitment to academic rigor and educational excellence. He has demonstrated the vision, creativity and problem-solving skills necessary to tackle the tough financial challenges ahead and energetically pursue the continuing improvement of teaching and learning in our district."

Shaps joined the Hastings school district in August, 2006. He graduated from Scarsdale High School and has a B.A. in English from Hobart College, an Ed.M. in Learning and Teaching from Harvard University and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to Hastings, he led the Manchester Essex Regional School District in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass., for three years.

"It's a great honor and privilege for me to join the Mamaroneck School District, with its reputation for educational excellence and its engaged, dynamic community, and I look forward to meeting with all of the District's stakeholders," Dr. Shaps said.  "I'm confident that my experience as an educational leader will enable me to serve Mamaroneck well and offer a new perspective, while leading the school district forward in achieving its goals and standard of excellence in the years ahead."

News of Shaps' candidacy spread last week after an e-mail from the Hastings-on-Hudson School District was sent to parents confirming the Superintendent's selection.

The search for a new superintendent began after Dr. Paul Fried announced in June 2009 that he would retire at the end of this school year from the New York State public schools system. Fried served this community for five years and New York public schools for a total of 38, and will become Superintendent of Schools in Montville, N.J. next school year.

In February, Mamaroneck School Board President Linnet Tse announced that the Board had narrowed down its superintendent search to three semi-finalists, all sitting superintendents, and that it would create an advisory committee formed by a teacher, an administrator, a parent and central office representatives to interview the finalist(s) and provide the board with feedback.

Regarding the state of the economy, Shaps says he recognizes Mamaroneck's challenges in developing a financially responsible budget that does not compromise excellence and is eager to begin applying his strategic planning and financial skills to support the educational community. (For nine years, Shaps developed multi-national joint ventures in agribusiness and technology, working with Eastern European and former Soviet Union countries.)

Some of Dr. Shaps' "most proud accomplishments," according to the district's release, are implementing Hastings' Strategic Plan, establishing the high school science research program, promoting the integration of instructional technology into teaching and learning leading to innovations in distance learning, developing in-district special education programs, and strengthening the arts programs, among others.

SeeThroughNY lists Dr. Fried's salary in Mamaroneck in 2009 as $268,623, and Shap's in Hastings as $235,433.

Dr. Shaps, who grew up in Chicago, currently lives in Yonkers with his wife Kathleen and his son Ari.