Dedicated to education Rosemarie Person, phillipsburg School board's new member, is in her fourth decade as an educator. Sunday, September 02, 2007 • By ANDREA EILENBERGER • The Express-Times PHILLIPSBURG | Rosemarie Person, a lifelong town resident and 33-year educator, is the newest member of the Phillipsburg School Board. Person is gearing up for the Sept. 10 school board meeting, when she will be sworn into an unexpired term left vacant by Stan Hughes' resignation. She works in the Jersey City Public Schools system. Like Phillipsburg, Jersey City is one of the 31 poorest districts in the state known as Abbott schools. "She brings a level of expertise to the board relative to her teaching experience and her experience in an Abbott district," said Paul Rummerfield, school board president. Hughes, a board member since 1999, resigned from the post July 31. Person is appointed to the remainder of his term, which expires in April. "She obviously has a vested interest in Phillipsburg," Rummerfield said. Person is in her 16th year with Jersey City Public Schools and has experience in many areas, including staff development, curriculum writing, school leadership groups, behavior modification teams and selecting staff members. Person said she teaches at P.S. 15, located in one of the most underprivileged areas of Jersey City. She said she chose to work in the challenging school and has seen test scores improve there over recent years. She's worked in other districts throughout her career, including the Clinton Public School and schools in the Phillipsburg area. She's also taught at Fairleigh Dickinson University and New Jersey City University. Person said she wants to help ensure Phillipsburg teachers are given a voice. "I always felt you should have a teacher on the board of education, no matter where you are," Person said. This fall, the Phillipsburg School District will embark on a superintendent search since the board decided not to renew Superintendent Gordon Pethick's contract beyond June 2008. Person said that while Abbott district experience is a plus, it's not all she'd want in a new district leader. Ultimately, she'd like to see a superintendent "who really has kids at heart" and is supportive of their needs, she said. Priscilla Petrosky, associate superintendent of the Jersey City school district, said Person has been active in school initiatives and gets involved wherever she can. Petrosky was principal of one of the schools in which Person has taught. "She has great passion for education, great enthusiasm and creativity," Petrosky said. "I'm sure she'll be able to transfer (those qualities) to her new role." Reporter Andrea Eilenberger can be reached at 610-258-7171 or by e-mail at aeilenberger@express-times.com.