By Eishna Ranganathan
News Editor

With the commencement of the 2013-2014 school year, Neshaminy School District has appointed four new directors to the Administrative Offices at Maple Point Middle School to oversee district operations including Don Harm, David Geanette, Gloria Hancock and Cliff Fiedler.

Harm holds the position of “Assistant to the Superintendent for Administration.” He works closely with staff analysis, team building, student enrollment positions and constructing an evaluation program for new teachers hired. Harm is retired and is only a substitute for a cabinet position in which a potential candidate will control all district functions.

“My primary task is to develop a strategic plan to make Neshaminy the best place for both staff and students. Since October I have visited each building at least two to three times and held discussions with administration and faculty and worked with them on the plan,” Harm said.

He has previously had 17 years of experience working with the Pennsbury and Morrisville school districts.

Hancock serves as “Assistant to the Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment.” She applied with the support of a recruitment officer from Mission One, an educational placement company. She is hired only for a short amount of time as well.

She works alongside educators and the greater community in order to provide and execute new scholastic ideas brought to the district. She plans to use several techniques to ensure that students will be able to not only compete with, but beat anyone in both the academic and athletic arenas.

“Every day is an opportunity to learn and grow both personally and professionally as long as you remain open to the possibilities. I welcome the challenges too. As a lifelong learner I continue to be pleasantly surprised by all of my experiences.” Hancock said.

She considers her job an honor and a privilege to work with a team of great professionals deeply committed to providing the very best educational experience for all students.

Geanette has been hired as “Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Math and Science.” Over the summer he heard about the opportunity and has been in communication with the district since. It is his fifteenth year as an administrator overall, previously being principal in other school districts, but is brand new to Neshaminy. It is a permanent job, meaning it is not time-bound or temporary like Harm’s or Hancock’s.

Mainly he is working with “Project Lead the Way,” a national program, which provides curricula and programs for schools, emphasizing science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Part of it’s mission is preparing students for the global economy.

Geanette is also turning his focus to the gifted education courses at our school, meaning students partaking in the AE program with GIEPs. This is something he classifies as new experience, not acquired in jobs prior. Additionally, he will work to expand extracurriculars in STEM areas and talk with companies and business partners to set that vision into motion.

The gist of the job involves curriculum development requiring more time with principals and faculty, rather than being directly involved with the students. He plans to possibly change the course sequence in the Math Department, i.e. Algebra 2 before Geometry and supports gifted education teachers with any resources needed to implement effective learning in the classroom.
He also is required to evaluate and analyze data from the Keystone testing. With the results he will regulate formative assessments for teachers so each student can pursue learning strategies tailored to them.
“Overall I am happy to be part of the Neshaminy family and am looking forward to building STEM, as well as integrate math, technology and science throughout NSD and take any measures necessary for students and staff to achieve success with it,” Geanette said.

Fiedler also has major plans as Security Director for the district with 26 years of experience as an FBI officer in New Haven and Philadelphia. He has met with the Lower Southampton Police Dept. and police chiefs and acquainted himself with the layout of the schools.

This is the first year the position was created, as no “Director of Security” existed previously.
“I give tribute to Copeland and administration for taking safety seriously, I applaud them for that. I hope to create an ideal environment at Neshaminy in which both staff and students do not need to worry about their safety,” Fiedler said.