the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Hillsdale NJ, on Monday, June 7, 2021, the Pascack Valley Regional High School District Board of Education approved Dr. Daniel Fishbein to serve as the Interim Superintendent of Schools for the 2021-2022 school year. Dr. Fishbein comes to Pascack Valley Regional with 19 years of experience as a superintendent and will serve as the interim successor to Dr. Gundersen, who is retiring after serving Pascack Valley Regional for 27 years.
Dr. Fishbein began his career in public education in Vermont, teaching science and coaching track and cross country. In the succeeding years, he worked as a science teacher at the college level, as well as the high school and middle school levels. He has taught science at St. Michael’s College (Vermont), Essex Junction High School (Vermont), Riverdale Country School (Bronx, NY), and in Elmwood Park (New Jersey). Dr. Fishbein started his administrative career in the Katonah-Lewisboro School District (New York) before spending 14 years in Glen Ridge (New Jersey), rising from Assistant Principal/Athletic Director, to Principal, and finally, serving seven years as the Superintendent of Schools.
In 2008, Dr. Fishbein joined the Ridgewood Public Schools where he served as Superintendent of Schools for 12 years, until his retirement (December 2020). During his tenure in Ridgewood, he implemented a 1:1 computer initiative for grades 6-12, worked to make sure the curricula and programs for all Ridgewood students is world class, and secured funding additions on four of the ten school buildings including classrooms, libraries, and art rooms, as well as a new eight lane track facility, two artificial turf fields, and a full-sized gym. A strong, rigorous, and current academic program for all students has been Dr. Fishbein’s focus throughout his career. Additionally, he feels all co-curricular activities play an integral part to the development of the whole child.
Dr. Fishbein feels it is important to give back to his profession. He has formally mentored over 20 new superintendents and many others informally. He has worked with 15 cohorts of aspiring superintendents through Seton Hall University. He has held the position of President of the following professional organizations: Bergen County as well as Essex County Superintendents’ Association; Garden State Coalition of Schools; and the Northern New Jersey Superintendents’ Study Council. He is a member of the National Superintendents Roundtable, The New Jersey Superintendents Study Council, and the National Suburban Superintendents Council. He has travelled to Japan, South Korea, and China on education missions.
For the past 23 years he has lived in Ridgewood with his wife (Dr. Susan Flanzman) and five children (Steve, Ben, Emily, Dylan, and Hannah), all of whom graduated from Ridgewood High School.
The Board of Education is pleased to have Dr. Fishbein, an alum of Pascack Valley High School, serve as the Interim Superintendent of Schools while they conduct a formal search for the next permanent Superintendent.
Good riddance to bad rubbish.
So much for his retirement to “spend time with family” statement. He just could not bring himself to be civil with the 2 non white BOE members.
So he was kicked out from Ridgewood??
Was he too woke or not woke enough for RDWD?
Board members who try to run the schools instead of setting overall direction made life untenable for him here, sadly.
you mean he got found out
He was a terrible communicator and he hated to be asked questions. He couldn’t stand the openness that was now at the board level with the new members. I for one am glad that he left and he wasn’t even honest about that! He said he wanted more time with his family and allowed people to blame the newly elected board members.
I’ve known Dan for more than 45 years. I’m sorry that the commentators here didn’t like him.
https://www.nj.com/news/2013/02/interim_superintendents_costin.html
Knowing him for 45 years does not mean he was a good superintendent. He was terrible. Also racist.
You can like someone as a person but find them not the best person for “ the job” and you really don’t know someone until you have had a difference of opinion with them and then see how they react. Dr. Fishbein was not good with opinions or solutions that differed from his.
He was a HUGE disappointment.
Good riddance.
I feel sorry for Pascack Valley…. the cancer spreads.
Monitor PVHS ranking and college acceptance and test scores over the next few years…
Is He a Woke DemoRat ? They already Screwed Up the Nostalgia of the School Mascot Names of “Cowboys & the Valley Indians “ Disgusting how Ignorant the Smart people have Become !