Veteran Lawrence Township Public Schools educators Jeanne Muzi and Melanie Fillmyer have been appointed to newly-created positions in a reorganization of administrative posts.
Muzi, who is the Slackwood Elementary School principal, has been appointed to the new position of director of Student Achievement, Equity and Opportunity.
Fillmyer, who is the supervisor of Guidance and Testing Coordinator, has been named to the new position of director of School Counseling and Student Supports.
They will each earn $149,500 per year when they assume their new jobs on July 1.
The reorganization was sparked by the retirement announcement of Clifton Thompson, who is the school district’s director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Muzi will report to Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Rajneet Goomer, and Fillmyer will report to Assistant Superintendent for Student Services Vanessa Bekarciak.
“The newly established positions will enhance our ability to provide equitable opportunities and support students’ well-being and achievement,” said Superintendent of Schools Robyn Klim.
Thompson’s position and duties will be absorbed into the new position of director of Student Achievement, Equity and Opportunity, Klim said.
“Equity is not a separate initiative,” she said. “It is part of what the district does in terms of instruction, programming and curriculum.”
Muzi will oversee district programming such as the English as a Second Language (ESL) program, Academic Success and the Gifted and Talented program. She will also work closely with Goomer on equity initiatives, and also supervise the equity coaches.
Muzi, who is a former New Jersey State Teacher of the Year, has served on many state education committees and panels. She has made presentations on topics that range from Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) and Science Technology Engineering Arts and Math (STEAM,) to cultivating creativity and also technology integration.
She holds degrees from Eisenhower College of the Rochester Institute of Technology, Rider University and the Riley School of Education at Walden University.
Fillmyer has served as the school district’s supervisor of Guidance and Testing Coordinator for eight years.
She has created several processes and programs to support students’ and staff members’ well-being, including the district’s anti-bullying initiatives, health and wellness events and intervention and referral services.
Fillmyer oversees crisis intervention and support services and coordinates efforts to provide counseling and grief services for students, staff and families when a traumatic event occurs.
She has worked to increase contact time between counselors and students, and also provided more targeted services for vulnerable student populations such as English Language learners (ELL), LGBTQIA students and those who face socioeconomic barriers.
Fillmyer earned degrees from Widener University and Rutgers University. She also holds administrative certifications, and was a high school assistant principal in another school district before coming to the Lawrence Township school district.