P'burg school chief leaves Gordon Pethick retires Monday night, ending 36-year career with Phillipsburg School District. Tuesday, January 15, 2008 • By ANDREA EILENBERGER • The Express-Times PHILLIPSBURG | After months of bad blood, the Phillipsburg School Board wasted little time finding a temporary replacement for Superintendent Gordon Pethick. Shortly after accepting Pethick's Feb. 1 resignation, the board voted Monday night to bump up the departure date and named Director of Secondary Education George Chando interim superintendent, effective today. Chando will serve as interim superintendent until a permanent one is named. The board met privately with Chando after Pethick addressed what was apparently his last school board meeting. Pethick offered some parting words, which were met with a standing ovation. "Phillipsburg is truly a special community and a special environment," Pethick said. Pethick, who started with the district in 1972, is leaving his post as chief school administrator, a job he held since 1999, under an early separation agreement reached with the school board in December. The buyout deal was approved Jan. 4 by New Jersey Department of Education Commissioner Lucille Davy. School board members Frank Kish and Steve Zarbatany praised Pethick's service to the district. Kish said though Pethick's accomplishments in the district haven't always been appreciated, he will eventually be remembered for his positive contributions. "I personally know that you always bled garnet and gray," Kish said, referring to the high school's colors. Kish and Zarbatany were two board members who, despite the tension that mounted between Pethick and the majority of the school board on several issues, supported Pethick. Those disputes culminated in a divided June vote not to renew Pethick's contract beyond June 30. Pethick will receive about $167,000 as a buyout, which covers unpaid salary, sick and vacation days as well as a retroactive salary increase. Board President Paul Rummerfield thanked Pethick and wished him the best. He noted that Pethick's tenure as superintendent was longer than the average top school administrator in the state. "Sometimes things have to change," Rummerfield said. District math teacher Charles Nowalk shared a few significances of the number 36 -- the number of years Pethick served the teacher. The number is a perfect square, and he said, Pethick, who first started out as a math teacher at Phillipsburg, was a perfect match for the district. Town resident Helene Meissner said she has worked with Pethick on several committees and endeavors over the years. Although they had their share of disagreements, she said they always respected each other's opinions. "I thank you very much but I really hope you enjoy your retirement, because you've certainly earned it -- especially this past year," Meissner said. Pethick said his only retirement plans so far include taking a few weeks off to spend with his family then assessing his options. Although he doesn't know what the future holds, he expressed a commitment to education. Reporter Andrea Eilenberger can be reached at 610-258-7171 or by e-mail at aeilenberger@express-times.com.