A Superintendent and A Sailor

• Name: Dr. Paul Fried, 60
• Married: Fried has been married for 17 years.
• Children:  He has four children whose ages are: 30, 27, 16, and 14.
• Career:   Dr. Fried has been the Montville Township Superintendent of schools since July 1, 2010. The superintendent began teaching 39 years ago. He worked in grades 2, 3, 4, and 5. He has been a superintendent for six years, five of them in New York’s Westchester County.  “I actually had no plans to be a superintendent,” explained Fried. “I actually began teaching and had no plans to become an administrator. But I got involved, actually, in teacher negotiations; working as a chief negotiator for the Teachers’ Association. And got to know attorneys very well, and thought the work was very interesting, and actually considered going into the law, becoming an attorney. But, then decided to stay in the education front...but, looking at things from a broader perspective, the way negotiations and labor relations kinda did.” Realizing that he had an educational interest from a different perspective, Fried went back to school and earned his administrative degree.
• Why Montville: “As I was completing my career in NY state, I was looking for another opportunity at superintendence, in either CT or NJ, within driving distance of my home,” said Fried. “I did see this advertised, and did some research. I saw it was a wonderful community with fine schools. The size of it was similar to the communities I’ve worked in before. I like the administrative structure in a larger school district. It’s one that I’m used to and comfortable with and one where I think my skills match in better ways than would in a very small school district.”
• Goals: “To create the most effective teaching staff possible,” said Fried. “Cause research tells us that that really is what leads to higher student achievement. So, I think that’s an important goal to provide the appropriate professional development, so that our fine staff becomes as outstanding as possible. Everyone has room to grow and to learn, including myself, and so I always have high expectations for others around me.”  Fried anticipates that other expectations and goals will come about as he works “closely with the board of education and the community to look at things in the district that matter to people.” Since July, two initiatives have already surfaced as important to parents and teachers. Both have been incorporated into the budget process for the 2011-2012 school year.  First, Fried has proposed that the middle school world language program be enhanced.  “When I arrived here and began to look at all the different programs in the district,” said Fried. “I realized that the World Language program was kind of fragmented.” Fried comes from an educational model of very sequenced, specific approach so that students “really come out of the experience gaining as much as possible.” Second, the high school principal and director of guidance have recommended a Freshmen Studies Program to ease the transition from middle school to high school.
• Biggest Challenge:  According to Fried, getting up to speed with NJ education law, which is “quite different from NY,” has been his biggest challenge so far.  In addition, learning about the culture of the Montville Township Schools, and learning what’s important to the educators, students, community, and staff, which makes up the schools, has been a challenge. Fried also is committed to ending the propensity of interim positions that Montville schools have historically employed. He wants a permanent and solid administrative team that will have longevity for the district. “By the end of this year I will have had some responsibility in either hiring, or kind-of redeploying, probably half of our administrative staff in my first year,” said Fried. Among the positions that Fried is either in the process of hiring, or he has hired already this year, include a new principal and two assistant principals at Lazar Middle School, a new principal for the high school, and a principal at William Mason Elementary School.
• Favorite Thing about Montville: “The people. I am really enjoying getting to know the teaching staff. They are a wonderfully dedicated group of individuals who I think are interested in educational excellence for all of our students,” said Fried. “The students have been delightful…and our parents have just been nothing but warm, inviting, and welcoming and very engaged,” he added, noting that he tries to visit the classrooms "as often as I can.”
• Something you would like to see Changed: “I don’t think there is anything I want to see changed. I’d like to see our community participate in educational conversations…. I think there are some important topics that are on the horizon for us to talk about.” Fried appreciates the small group of dedicated parents who come out regularly, but hopes that, moving forward, “a wider exchange of ideas,” involving more parents, will take place. Fried feels that many of today’s difficult topics are epidemic throughout the country. He is confident, that with discussion, there are solutions that can be employed here in Montville.  Some of the topics he hopes to cover in the next school year include higher expectations for students, homework, stress, and cheating.  “I think there are some very big ideas to be talking about that can translate into practices that move us forward,” he said.
• Greatest Achievement:  While Fried does not feel there is one achievement greater than another in his career, he does feel that he has helped to facilitate innovation.  “I guess perhaps,” said Fried. “If I had to pick something, though, that is of great interest to me, and helps define me, in my first year as a principal in Westchester, so that would make it my third year as a principal. Westchester is a high stakes, heavily parent involved kind of atmosphere. In my first year as a principal, when I probably should have known better, I looked at the program of special education in the school. This was back in 1986. And, I recognized that our self contained special education class was not working. The kids were fighting. The kids were not working well with the teacher. And the special education teacher…said, ‘The kids have no role models.... They just feed off of one another.’ And she and I talked and we made the decision that starting that next September we would take those children and they would be in regular education classes and she would go from class to class supporting those kids. That program at that time had no name. Now it’s called inclusion....It had no name…. I didn’t have a background as a special education teacher... I just knew it was the right thing to do for kids…. Ultimately it became the inclusion program for the school district. That just helps define how I feel about kids, and the inclusiveness of what our public school system should be like.”
• Hobbies: “Do I have time for hobbies?” joked Fried. “Actually I sail….I have owned a boat since 1984…I keep it on the Hudson River…. It’s the kind of thing where if you have an hour and a half to spare you can just get out on the boat and when the boat leaves the dock it feels as if the entire world is left behind. So, I can feel like I am on vacation after just leaving my house.” Fried thinks about the school experience 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so sailing helps him manage that. “The job has no end. This is a job that you take home with you.” As superintendent Fried is out three of four nights each week. He leaves the office at 7 pm most nights if he doesn’t have a meeting, and he answers e-mails at 10 pm. “I work on the weekends. I try to get to events around the district. I try to get into the classrooms as often as I can.”
• Philosophy: “I think it’s really important to find something you like. To be passionate about it. To enjoy it.”
• Advice: “Have a well rounded approach to your education. Don’t neglect the arts. Don’t neglect electives. Take the rigorous programs and courses that you are interested in. Take college level courses. Take the AP courses if you want to be involved in those…. But, colleges are looking for well rounded students…and lots of kids have similar resumes. They’re looking for something that is going to define a student.”
• Favorite Subject:  In school, Fried loved math and thought about majoring in it in college. But, in life he finds he is more interested in the humanities and social sciences. “The whole area of leadership fits into that,” he said. “I find the subject of leadership fascinating because it’s all about people and it’s about how to help others become their best.” Fried did his doctorate work on leadership.

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