Educator ends long career in Jackson school system

BY DAVE BENJAMIN
Staff Writer

Barry Rosenzweig JACKSON - Like two runners passing a baton, two principals, one retiring and one beginning, met recently at the Sylvia Rosenauer Elementary School.

"I've been in Jackson for 38 years," said former Rosenauer principal Barry Rosenzweig, who retired from the Jackson School District on Sept. 1. "I started right after I left the army.

Rosenzweig served as a lieutenant in the reserves from September 1966 through 1969.

He said he loved every minute of his career in education and was about to leave with a smile on his face. The principal said he was leaving because he thought it was time after putting in slightly more than 40 years in education, including two years in Hamilton Square.

Rosenzweig began his career as a teacher of elementary music, or "a Lawrence Welk of the elementary set" as he called it. He taught fourth, fifth and sixth grade pupils for 19 years at the Rosenauer and Johnson schools in Jackson and led the elementary bands.

He then became the first fine arts supervisor in the Jackson School District. He was also given some drama responsibilities in the middle school and high school.

DAVE BENJAMIN Barry Rosenzweig, who retired from the Jackson School District on Sept. 1, hands over the keys to the Sylvia Rosenauer Elementary School to new principal Michael Raymond. "It was wonderful being able to support all of the teachers in music and art in every single elementary, middle and high school," he said.

When the fine arts supervisor position was eliminated after five years, Rosenzweig became a vice principal at Jackson Memorial High School. He called that position a rewarding experience and said it gave him the opportunity to continue working with music and art students at the high school level.

"It was wonderful to work with Francis Bygott, who was the principal during my tenure there," said Rosenzweig. "I was [at JMHS] for two years and three months when, in November 1994, Superintendent of Schools Edward Elms [asked me] to become the acting principal at the Howard C. Johnson Elementary School."

Rosenzweig accepted the offer and served as the acting principal at the Johnson School until July 1995, when he was named the school's principal. He remained at the Johnson School for 10 years.

In August 2005 Rosenzweig returned to the Rosenauer school to become its principal.

"I was now back at the Rosenauer school where I started," he said. "In a nutshell, that was my working career. Over four decades the needs of the kids have never changed. There's always the need to give them the best education possible."

Rosenzweig said he plans to remain involved with Jackson's schools.

"I'm going to continue my television show, 'Jackson Fine Arts Features,' which I've been doing for 18 years," he said.

As he considered the way Jackson has developed over the years, Rosenzweig said, "I think overall Jackson has moved along with the times, even the political situation. We used to have the old-time people who never left Jackson. They were born in Jackson and stayed in Jackson. We have become more cosmopolitan and yet there is the retention of the countrified feeling, even with the new homes."

Lucy N. Holman Elementary School Principal Jeanne Pollock worked with Rosenzweig for more than 37 years.

"Barry is the kindest man I know," Pollock said. "He has a heart of gold, the soul of a saint and the disposition of a simpatico symphony. He is a true educator who always thinks of children first."

Pollack said when everyone else is lamenting and overly concerned about a problem, Rosenzweig has the unique gift to identify the real issue and to suggest a simple solution that seems so obvious.

"I will truly miss this man, who [has] the wisdom of a sage and who is loved by so many," Pollock said.

Reisa Sweet, a teacher at the Johnson School who has been in the district as long as Rosenzweig, said one of the legacies he leaves is a commitment to honoring and recognizing the contributions of veterans and the value that older generations can bring to people's lives.

"It is so important to him to make that connection between the students of today and the heroes of the past," Sweet said. "And because of the way he went about it, the students and the veterans really took something away from the experience. The veterans really felt appreciated and valued and the students learned something important about their history."

Superintendent of Schools Thomas Gialanella said Rosenzweig is the type of person people are drawn to.

"If you ever watch him walk into a room there are always a thousand faces that light up," Gialanella said. "Some of them are colleagues, some of them are people who had 'Mr. R' in school and some of them just know him because everyone knows him."

Gialanella said even though Rosenzweig is retiring, his spirit and contribution to Jackson will never go away.

"There's just no one like Barry," he said.

Former Rosenauer student and former mayor Michael Kafton, who was visiting the school on the day of the principal's retirement, said Rosenzweig was a great teacher and a great person.

"He's done so much for the community," Kafton said. "His television program lets people know what is going on. He's there for the seniors at the senior center. He's just always there."

Rosenzweig said, "I've been working with the Twilighters at the senior center and I've been their volunteer piano player and sort of musical director for the past 18 years. I just adore [the seniors] and we've put on many shows together. I will still be doing that in retirement."

Rosenzweig is also involved with the Center for World War II Studies and Conflict Resolution at Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, and has been a volunteer, committee member and chairman as well since 2000.

Rosenzweig and his first wife, Shiela, who passed away seven years ago, have two married children, Jerry and Eva, who have a total of six children of their own. Rosenzweig is now remarried to Judy, a retired social worker.

"We're planning to go to Europe," said Rosenzweig, who has cousins in Paris.

The retired principal enjoys traveling throughout the United States and plans to attend concerts and theater performances. Rosenzweig is a life member of the National Rifle Association and has participated in competitions.

Rosenzweig said he will never forget his years in education, the wonderful staff members and children with whom he has worked.

"It's a thrill to pass Rosenauer School on to our new principal, Dr. Michael Raymond, who has had years of experience already as a vice principal," said Rosenzweig. "He'll be terrific with the staff and the children and he's got a very fruitful career ahead of him."

"So far, just meeting the people and seeing their energy [as I] walk up and down the hallways has been an experience," Raymond said a couple of days before school started. "None of these teachers had to come to this building over the summer and you walk down the hallways and every one of those classrooms has already been set up. The teachers are really eager and feel passionate about the kids and teaching and what they do."

Raymond said he will continue to have the same high standards which were set by the two former principals at Rosenauer and will bring in a few initiatives of his own. He said there are already a lot of activities on the calendar.

Originally from New Jersey, Raymond lived in Florida for about 10 years, where he received his master's degree, then a doctorate in educational leadership, and also served as an assistant principal.

He, along with his wife and child, returned to New Jersey where he became an assistant principal at Jackson's Crawford-Rodriguez Elementary School for the past two years.

Raymond said he sees Rosenauer as a community school, a bit smaller than Crawford-Rodriguez. He anticipates seeing many parents because they walk with their children to the school on a daily basis.

"Being a smaller school, you really get to know everybody," the new principal said. "I'll be able to put a name to a face and that will be very nice."

Slightly more than 400 children attend Rosenauer, a K-5 school.

"I like the size and the setting, right in the middle of the community," Raymond said. "There's a house and kids outside riding bicycles. It's nice."