Paterson schools superintendent appoints new chief of staff
By Jayed Rahman
Published: December 5, 2016
State-appointed district superintendent Donnie Evans appointed a new chief of staff on Wednesday night.
Evans replaced former chief of staff Jacqueline Jones, who retired on December 1st, 2016, with Pamela Powell, principal of the School of Business Technology Marketing and Finance at John F. Kennedy High School.
Powell’s salary as chief of staff is $140,000. She will also receive $1,100 in longevity pay, according to the district. Jones’ salary was $169,748 prior to retirement.
The current vice principal of the School of Business Technology Marketing and Finance Jorge Osoria will fill in as principal on interim basis, said Terry Corallo, spokeswoman for the Paterson Public Schools.
Jones worked in the district for the past 42 years, according to district records. She provided “tireless service” to the city, said school board president Christopher Irving. “She is a career educator and a career Patersonian.”
“It is with great regret we learned Ms. Jones has retired,” said school board member Jonathan Hodges. “Ms. Jones has been accommodating, understanding, and truly helpful. She will be missed.”
“There could not have been a better person to step into this role than Rev. Pam Powell,” said board member Lilisa Mimms. Powell is a pastor at the Calvary Baptist Church on East 18th Street.
“She’s been doing excellent work since she entered this district,” said Charles Ferrer, vice president of the Paterson Education Association, about Powell.
Powell leaves a lackluster high school. 5-percent of ninth graders, 5.8-percent of tenth graders, and 15.2-percent at her school were proficient in the English section of PARCC this year. The numbers were far bleaker in the math portion. 4.5-percent of ninth graders, 0-percent of tenth graders, and 0.9-percent of eleventh graders were proficient in the math section of the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC).
The School of Business Technology Marketing and Finance at John F. Kennedy High School is one of the low performers among high schools in the district.
Powell’s salary as a Kennedy principal was $121,517, according to district records.
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