Chemistry Class Still Without A Permanent Teacher

District officials are in the process of hiring a new chemistry teacher at after a teacher who was hired withdrew his or her name from consideration to fill the position.

Assistant Superintendent Marysol Berrios said that the search for a replacement began in June, immediately after district officials were notified that the  then-current teacher was going to be out on maternity leave. The long-term vacancy began on Sept. 1. A substitue has been teaching the class since school began.

"A candidate was selected, but as the hiring process moved forward this individual elected to remove them self from consideration. As a result, the search had to begin again," Berrios said. 

Principal Robert Reis, by way of a committee, Berrios said, will review resumes, conduct interviews, and present the best candidate to Superintendent Ray Gonzalez.

"If more people had their kids without a chemistry teacher or a math teacher or an English teacher, they'd feel the same way that I do," Lisa Rosen said. "My son’s education is at stake here. My son happens to be a very good student and this is affecting his education.”

Rosen said that her son, a sophomore, has not received any type of significant instruction in the class since school began last week. 

"I grew up in the Wayne School District and we moved to Wayne because of the excellent reputation that the district has," Rosen said.

Berrios said that "the district's curriculum for all our courses is always in place, available and ready for all substitute teachers to deliver."

Board of Education President Donald Pavlak Jr. defended the unusal posiition officials have been placed in as a result of the candidate withdrawing his or her name from consideration.

"We're doing the best we can to hire the best candidate possible," Pavlak said. "We had someone hired but they withdrew their name."

— Have a question or news tip? Contact editor Daniel Hubbard at Daniel.Hubbard@patch.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter. For news straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.